Chancellar Williams is a program officer with the foundation’s US program in Technology and Society, helping to shape and implement the team’s efforts to ensure that digital technologies are designed and governed in ways that advance equity and justice. He manages a portfolio of grants and other activities to advance effective and equitable public interest technology policies, regulations, and social norms, as well as to deepen public understanding of the impact of digital communications technologies on society. Ford grantees in this portfolio work at the intersection of civil rights, social justice, and technology policy. They are challenging corporate and government surveillance and discriminatory technology tools and practices, advocating for digital rights and access, and working toward freedom of expression, digital security, accessibility, privacy, and an open internet. 

Previously, Chancellar was a program officer with the Open Society Foundations’ US Program where he managed grantmaking related to journalism and media and communications technology policy. Prior to that, he coordinated successful federal advocacy campaigns to protect the open internet, expand broadband access, and promote diverse and independent media ownership as associate policy director at Free Press.

Chancellar earned a bachelor of science degree from Miami University and a master’s in public service from the University of Arkansas.