Edna Kane Williams, Chief Diversity Officer at AARP, Named Chief Influencer

The Communications Board names Edna Kane Williams, Executive Vice President and Chief Diversity Officer at AARP, a Chief Influencer.

What does it mean to influence with intention, humility, and heart? In this episode of Chief Influencer, Williams shares how her personal and professional journey has shaped her understanding of leadership rooted in service. From her role as a caregiver to her mother to her decades-long work uplifting marginalized communities, Williams offers a powerful perspective on influence as a practice of listening, mentoring, and elevating others. She explains how this is especially important for those whose voices are too often left out of the conversation.

Through stories of advocacy, mentorship, and quiet leadership, Edna reflects on how true influence is earned not by titles but by trust. She speaks candidly about navigating leadership as an introvert, embracing the wisdom that comes with lived experience, and helping others find their voice. Her reflections challenge conventional ideas of power and remind us that the most enduring change often begins with empathy, presence, and the courage to lift others as we rise.

Host: Anthony Shop
Guest: Edna Kane Williams
Producer: The Communications Board
Sponsor: The George Washington University College of Professional Studies

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