Department of Behavioral Health and Intellectual disAbility Services

Marquita C. Williams, Ph.D., serves in the DBHIDS Office of the Commissioner as Deputy Commissioner of Executive Operations. In this role, Dr. Williams leads the teams responsible for Executive Operations, inclusive of Systems Integration, Governmental Relations, and Business Intelligence, ensuring that DBHIDS remains strategically aligned, responsive to Department needs, and deeply collaborative across sectors.

Williams previously served as Interim Commissioner for DBHIDS. In this role, she oversaw a vast network of providers delivering behavioral health services to address mental health challenges, substance misuse, and the impact of social determinants of health, issues that were especially heightened during the COVID-19 pandemic.

With her experience as Interim Commissioner with DBHIDS and Senior Advisor at Community Behavioral Health, Williams has provided continued leadership for the DBHIDS service system including identifying system goals and priorities, creating innovative solutions to address departmental priorities, and provided direct oversight for the programmatic visioning, planning, and operationalizing of the public health vision for Philadelphia’s $1.1 billion Comprehensive Child and Adult Behavioral Health System.

Prior to working with DBHIDS, Williams had over 20 years of experience working in the field of mental health. In various capacities across the system, Williams has been an innovative contributor and guiding force as she rose through the behavioral health ranks from academic researcher and trauma-based clinician to university faculty member, and program and organizational consultant.

Williams holds a Ph.D. in Counseling Psychology from Temple University, an MA in Counseling Psychology, and an Ed.M. with a specialization in Cross-Cultural Psychology from Columbia University in New York City.