FOUNDER & CHAIRMAN

Grant Williams is a current NBA player for the Charlotte Hornets. Prior to the Hornets, Grant played for the Dallas Mavericks in 2023 and for the Boston Celtics for 4 years where he was drafted in 2019. Before his time in the NBA, Grant played D1 at the University of Tennessee where he was the two-time back-to-back SEC Player of the Year and led his team to a Sweet 16 appearance. Outside of the court, Grant takes huge pride and places high importance in building equitable ecosystems both inside and outside of the NBA. Grant currently serves as the First Vice President of the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA). Grant also founded the Grant Williams Family Foundation in 2019 with the hopes of empowering underserved students to realize their fullest potential. For his social work, Grant Williams received the Bill Russell Mentoring Award in 2022 and was nominated for the Kareem Abdul-Jabbar Social Justice Champion Award in 2023. Grant also has a passion for entrepreneurship and investing and has founded a family office with his brother, Gabon Williams. Grant earned a BS in Supply Chain Management from the University of Tennessee in three years.

EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

Gabon Williams is an entrepreneur, investor, software engineer, and cybersecurity expert, currently working at Rapid7 on the Corporate Development team focused on Mergers & Acquisitions. Previously, he worked as a Quantitative Trading Consultant at Diametric Capital, while sharing some time with an emerging private equity fund as a Corporate Development Manager. Gabon has extensive investing experience from his time at Kapor Capital and CapitalizeVC, where he led strategic investments in fintech-adjacent spaces. He is now transferring his expertise to the private sector, leading and managing the family office of his brother, Grant Williams. Prior to Gabon's work in the public and private financial sector, he worked at TIAA as a cybersecurity engineer, spearheading company-wide initiatives that led to 90% reduction in software vulnerability exposures and millions of dollars in savings. Gabon is on several boards of nonprofit organizations, serving as Executive Director of the Grant Williams Family Foundation and President of the Black Business Students Association at the MIT Sloan School of Management. Gabon Williams earned a BS in Computer Engineering from Johnson C. Smith University in 2017, a Master's in Cybersecurity from UNC Charlotte in 2020, and is currently a MBA student at the MIT Sloan School of Management.

CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER

Teresa Johnson hails from an extraordinary career in engineering, philanthropy, and leadership. Teresa was an electrical engineer at NASA and played a pivotal role in designing the International Space Station in the 1980s. As a woman in a male-dominated field, Teresa was one of the first female black woman engineers at NASA. Her dedication, hard work, and brilliance have left an indelible mark on space exploration. Teresa now serves as the Chief Operating Officer of the Grant Williams Family Foundation. She is the lifeline of the organization, spearheading numerous initiatives, overseeing all operations, and inspiring future generations with her personal touch. Johnson’s legacy reaches far beyond our planet, and her contributions continue to motivate generations of scientists, engineers, and dreamers. Teresa earned a BS in Electrical Engineering from North Carolina A&T State University.

HEAD OF BASKETBALL OPERATIONS

Gilbert Williams hails from a distinguished career that spans athletics, entertainment, and mentorship. As a youth athlete, Gil excelled in basketball, football, and karate, earning a Black Belt by the age of 12. His martial arts expertise led him to establish a security company during his college years, where he provided bodyguard services for renowned artists such as Regina Belle, Chaka Khan, and Prince. His experience in the entertainment industry expanded as he took on roles as a tour, stage, and production manager. Gil’s coaching career includes positions at Jack Yates High School in Houston, TX, and Bowie State University in Maryland. On the international stage, Gil has represented the Grant Williams Family Foundation as a chief basketball consultant for Vision Cameroon and with NBA Cares in Indonesia, expanding the foundation's influence beyond the United States. Gil also showcased his own basketball talent at Barstow Junior College in California and the University of Minnesota at Mankato. Additionally, he played professional basketball in Argentina, further enriching his global perspective. Gil’s multifaceted career and personal life reflect his dedication, expertise, and the lasting impact he has made on those around him. He retired from American Airlines in 2022 and earned a BS in Business Management from the University of Minnesota, Mankato.