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Derya Williams, CEO and Executive Director, has worked for the agency with distinction since 1982.

Ms. Williams has served the agency with integrity and loyalty for more than 20 years and she has distinguished herself in every position she has held at RRHS. She has steadily advanced through the ranks of the agency. She began in 1982 as a Monitor Tech at the residential treatment facility on Parental Home Road and soon thereafter moved into positions of greater and greater responsibility - Special Services Coordinator, Senior Therapist/Family Therapist, Assistant Executive Director of Prevention & Intervention, Associate Executive Director of Treatment Services and in 2000 she was promoted to the position of Vice President of Program Development and Community Relations.

Ms. Williams earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Sociology at Morris Brown College in Atlanta, GA and has a Master of Arts degree in Guidance and Counseling from the University of Alabama, Birmingham. She is a Certified Addiction Professional (CAP) from the Certification Board for Addiction Professionals of Florida. Ms. Williams is married to Rev. Newton E. Williams and is the mother of two, Moses and Rebecca.

In addition to her dedicated work at River Region, Ms. Williams serves the community at the local, state, and federal levels. She is currently the Chairperson and a founding member of the Minority AIDS Coalition. She is also Co-chair of Ryan White Title I (City of Jacksonville). She has been commissioned by the Governor to be a member of the Florida Biomedical Research Advisory Council and the State Council for Interstate Adult Offender Supervision. She is a member of the Florida Alcohol and Drug Abuse Association, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, National Council of Negro Women, Golden Agers, United Methodist Women. She is a member of the 2001 Class of Leadership Jacksonville.

Ms. Williams has carried her commitment to fight the ravages of AIDS to the international arena through her participation in the US/South Africa HIV/AIDS International Network. She has traveled to South Africa with the Jacksonville Team Volunteers twice in the past two years to fulfill their mission of education and of training the trainers.

River Region has been serving Northeast Florida since 1972.
Administrative Offices 2055 Reyko Rd., Suite 101 Jacksonville, FL 32207 904-899-6300 ext. 4100 Mental Health Services 3020 Warrington St. Jacksonville, FL 32254 904-899-6300 ext. 4200	Clinical Services 390 Park St. Jacksonville, FL 32204 904-899-6300 Outreach Department 382 Park St. Jacksonville, FL 32204 904-899-6300 ext. 4465
Some programs are funded in part by Federal, State, and Local Government Agencies, including the Substance and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA), an agency of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. 11 programs accredited by CARF. Please report website problems to [email protected].