Mr. Donald “Willy” Williams, Jr., Executive Director at Destin High School, comes with a wealth of experience spanning over two decades in the field of education. Prior to joining Destin High School Mr. Williams’ career was marked by a series of escalating leadership roles within the Department of Defense Education Activity (DoDEA), where he honed his skills in guiding educational institutions toward a path of excellence.
Most recently, Mr. Williams served as the Community Superintendent of Schools for the DODEA Pacific South District in Okinawa, Japan. Prior to that role, Mr. Williams served for two years as the Community Superintendent of Schools for the DODEA Pacific East District in Yokota, Japan. His tenure in these positions was characterized by his dedication to student-focused education, where he consistently implemented standards-based and data-driven instructional strategies.
Mr. Williams’ journey with DoDEA began in Iwakuni, Japan, teaching Career and Technical Education (CTE) at Matthew C. Perry Middle High School. He went on to teach similar content at both Mannheim and Ramstein High Schools in Germany before becoming the District Educational Technology Instructional Systems Specialist at the Kaiserslautern District Office in Germany. After serving in that role Mr. Williams further honed his school leadership skills as an assistant principal at both Aviano and Sigonella Middle/High Schools. Williams then went on to lead as the principal at Osan Middle High School and at both Seoul American Middle/High School and Seoul American High School in South Korea.
Academically, Williams holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Technology and Human Resource Development from Clemson University and a Master of Arts in Education with a concentration in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Phoenix. He has also undertaken doctoral studies in Educational Leadership at Liberty University, completing half of the program. His academic and professional experiences together lay a strong foundation for his leadership and strategy development in educational programs.
Beyond the professional realm, Williams values the time he spends with his family, including his wife Jamie and their two children, Toy and Kaitlyn. The family enjoys traveling, hiking, cooking, meeting new people, and music. The Williams family looks forward to actively engaging with the Destin High School and Destin community’s vibrant life and culture.
Mr. Williams envisions a future at Destin High School driven by passion and a steadfast commitment to creating an environment where learners do more than succeed—they thrive and reach new heights of excellence.
