Panther Paths: Felicia Williams ‘90
On December 9, Felicia Williams ‘90 hosted our December PolyConnect speaker session. Felicia, who was recently elected to the Pasadena City Council, spoke with students about her professional background in finance and consulting, the importance of serving your community, and how her time at Poly influenced her decisions later in life.
What does your current role entail?
I own a consulting firm that provides finance advice to cities and was elected to the Pasadena City Council in March.
What fueled your interest for your career path?
I love the complexity of city policy and problems, and solving them is critical to people's everyday lives. As a result it is important to have thoughtful, experienced individuals making these decisions.
What's the most rewarding part of your work?
Finding common ground among different points of view and using my professional experience to creatively solve a problem.
What is the most challenging aspect of your work?
When our diversity becomes something that divides us and people are not willing to reach a compromise.
What does a normal day look like for you?
For my job I develop financial models and programs for government clients to fund large projects. On the Pasadena City Council I meet with constituents to hear their concerns, work with City staff to address those concerns, and attend City Council and Board meetings to develop policy for our citizens and businesses.
What's next?
I am just starting in my role as Pasadena City Councilmember, so I will see how it goes and where it leads me for the next phase of my career.
What advice can you offer to fellow Panthers?
You may not know exactly what you want to be when you grow up, so make plans with the flexibility to allow the path to twist and turn as new opportunities present themselves. Take the time to understand who you are, develop your strengths, manage your weaknesses, and your path will become clear based on your analysis.
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