Meet Rachel

Hi Neighbor!

I’m Rachel Williams, the daughter of a DC Public School teacher, 4th-generation Washingtonian, and homeowner in Ward 5 Single Member District (SMD) 5B05 since 2021. 

I’m a proud graduate of the Sidwell Friends School, Brown University (BA), and the University of Pennsylvania, Wharton School (MBA). While I lived in Bethesda, MD growing up, I played tennis at Turkey Thicket, Catholic University, the Rock Creek Tennis Center on 16th Street, Haines Point, and other DC-based tennis facilities, and was a two-time Washington Post All-Metropolitan high school athlete as well as a top-ranked USTA junior national player.  

My career in public service began in 2018, as Associate Director of Statehood in the Mayor’s Office of Federal and Regional Affairs, where I fought to end taxation without representation for DC residents. In 2020, I transitioned to the DC Office of Contracting and Procurement (OCP) where I worked as Business Operations Manager during the COVID-19 pandemic to ensure DC residents always had adequate supply of personal protective equipment (PPE) and were never in need throughout the entirety of the pandemic. 

Since 2024, I have served as OCP Ombudsman, and I see the challenges local small businesses face every day. In addition to supporting business owners seeking to do business with the District, I work tirelessly to ensure accountability and transparency in government contracting and that District contractors and subcontractors experience a fair, impartial, efficient and confidential contracting and procurement administration committed to continuous quality, integrity, and efficiency.

I fight for my neighbors and local business owners because I understand and personally share some of the same concerns. I am volunteering to serve as Advisory Neighborhood Commissioner (ANC) for SMD 5B05 because our voices matter, and need to be heard. As ANC, I will be there for you, and I will work to ensure SMD 5B05 residents’ voices are not only heard, but also fully represented. I’ll bring the government closer to the people to ensure equity challenges are addressed by fighting for greater visibility into the disparities in our community and demanding accountability. 

I truly value our community and want to see it grow sustainably. I believe in the democratic process and I want to ensure that all voices are heard before big decisions are made that will impact our community for years to come. 

Want to know more about Rachel? Just ask! (Send me an email at Rachel4ANC@gmail.com)