skip to main content
Grace Williams

Grace Williams

March Joint Powers Authority

Career Roadmap

Grace's work combines: Government, Politics, and Problem Solving

See more careers and stories that connect to your interests.

Take Roadmap Quiz

Day In The Life

Economic & Community Development Manager

I facilitate partnerships that will attract businesses and create jobs within my community.

Skills & Education

Here's the path I took:

  • High School

  • Bachelor's Degree

    City/Urban, Community and Regional Planning

    University of Southern California

  • Graduate Degree

    Organizational Leadership

    University of La Verne

  • Doctorate

    Land Use Planning and Management/Development

    University of Southern California

Here's the path I recommend for someone who wants to be an Urban and Regional Planners:

High School

Bachelor's Degree: City/Urban, Community and Regional Planning

Graduate Degree: Organizational Leadership

Doctorate: Land Use Planning and Management/Development

Learn more about different paths to this career

Life & Career Milestones

My path in life has been direct

  • 1.

    Grew up in a developing country and always had a passion for improving my community...

  • 2.

    Spent my free time doing a lot of social justice work, and community service work in my community...

  • 3.

    I received a scholarship to major in civil engineering at a major university...

  • 4.

    Changed my major to urban planning and minored in civil engineering...

  • 5.

    I moved to a different city where planning jobs were available....

  • 6.

    I took risks to grow in my leadership skills, and joined the military to serve part time...

  • 7.

    I took risks in my career development and continued to pursue higher education, every chance I got.

  • 8.

    I took risks in being an economic developer and built relationships to grow my organization.

Defining Moments

How I responded to discouragement

  • THE NOISE

    Messages from Parents:

    You are not that smart.

  • How I responded:

    I surrounded myself with people that believed that I could do anything, and worked on my self talk so I wasn't echoing my parents voices. More importantly, I "worked" through my self doubt and took risks and found that as long as I am pushing forward, no one could stop me.

Experiences and challenges that shaped me

Click to expand

  • I came to the US without any money and family around me to support me financially. I had to learn how to work my way through college.