Dr. Krista Williams is the Founder and CEO of Floretta P. Carson Visual and Performing Arts Academy—ranked among the highest-performing secondary schools (6-12) in the State of Alabama. The Academy has also been recognized as the “Top Performing Arts Academy of 2025” in the nation. Dr. Williams’ professional success is rooted in her extensive background in education — encompassing both practice and leadership. Her experience as a K–12 teacher, school leader, and college professor has informed her work across instructional leadership, school operations, and transformative organizational management. In addition to her background in leadership, Dr. Williams has performed with notable orchestras such as the New Orleans Philharmonic, New Orleans Symphony, Mobile Symphony, and others. Williams has won numerous piano competitions during her career as a classical concert pianist, including the New Orleans Concerto Competition and MMTA Sonata Competition. She has performed for over 100 recitals and professional concerts during her career as a concert pianist with notable orchestras and universities across the country. Williams specialized in solo piano performance under the tutelage of Floretta P. Carson. As an advocate for arts education, Williams has presented numerous research papers and practitioner workshops at state, national, and international conferences, including the International Symposium on the Sociology of Music Education (ISSME) in Oslo, Norway and the Music Education and Social Inclusion (MESI) Symposium in San Juan, Puerto Rico. As a 2023 and 2024 Grammy Nominated Music Educator, 2023 4.0 Schools Fellow, 2023 New Schools for Alabama Founders Fellow, and 2021 Boston University SOM Award winner, Dr. Williams has earned the respect and admiration of mentors, colleagues, students, and the community through her dedication and commitment to arts education.