Tiyanna Williams, Human Centered Design Strategist and Principal for Collective Awakening LLC, is a housing solutions consultant specializing in equitable outcomes. She has experience in program development, evaluation, and coalition building, collaborating with others to create innovative and sustainable housing solutions. In 2019 Tiyanna led the pilot of Muskegon's Eviction Prevention Program, which yielded a 70% success rate and earned a visit from the Michigan Supreme Court! In 2021, using research-based evidence, she led a team of local professionals during the COVID-19 pandemic in their efforts to find a flexible solution for individuals experiencing literal homelessness in Kalamazoo. Those efforts resulted in a community-supported initiative, "Kzoo Pod Community: A Place of Dignity," operated by Housing Resources Inc. In 2022, Tiyanna provided consultation services and grant writing support on "The Ampersee Home Start Initiative," developed by the company Playgrown, which received over $300,000 in grant funding from Kalamazoo County. Prior to becoming the principal for Collective Awakening LLC, Tiyanna was the Associate Director for the Kalamazoo County Continuum of Care, where she worked with partners to address systemic homelessness. As a private citizen, Tiyanna serves on several boards and committees that influence housing and economic opportunity for residents with limited socioeconomic means. She is also a member of CEDAM. Her passion for housing and shared prosperity beliefs were cultivated from childhood when she worked for her family's real estate business. Her family has helped households achieve their housing goals up to homeownership and retention for many years.
Tiyanna earned a Bachelor of Science in Psychology from Western Michigan University and is pursuing a Master of Art in Design Thinking and Innovation at Cornerstone University.