Diane Williams

Diane Williams, President and CEO, Safer Foundation, Chicago, IL

Diane Williams was named President and Chief Executive Officer of Safer Foundation in February 1996. Diane has over 20 years experience working with the criminal justice population and was elected Chairman of the National Institute of Corrections Advisory Board. Safer Foundation is one of the nation’s largest not-for-profit providers of employment placement and job readiness training exclusively serving people with criminal records. Safer placed over 3,800 people with criminal records this past year. In 2008, Safer was the recipient of the International Corrections and Prison Association’s Offender Management/Treatment and Reintegration Award.

The Safer Foundation provides ex-offenders with services that help them restore their lives and reduce recidivism. The Foundation offers a wide range of services to ex-offenders and incarcerated people, including juvenile and adult probationers and parolees, community corrections residents, and individuals in county jails.  LoyolaUniversity conducted a three-year study and found that clients in the Safer Foundation who attain employment have a recidivism rate of 18 percent, which is a marked contrast from the State of Illinois average of 52 percent.