Jamie Williamson named chairwoman of Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination

Jamie R. Williamson has been appointed chairwoman of the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination. Williamson has served as a commissioner of MCAD since 2010.

“I am honored to appoint Jamie as chair of the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination,” said Gov. Deval Patrick. “Jamie brings a wealth of knowledge and experience that will help us bring an end to discrimination and promote equal justice.”

Williamson was previously in charge of MCAD’s Springfield office, where she oversaw the administration, adjudication and education of civil rights matters for the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. Williamson replaces the previous chairman, Julian Tynes, who is now serving as the director of labor relations for the Massachusetts Department of Transportation.

Prior to joining the MCAD, Williamson served as the executive director of the Massachusetts Fair Housing Center in Holyoke, a private nonprofit fair housing organization serving central and western Massachusetts. In 2005, Williamson was appointed by the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts to serve on the Access to Justice Commission. This commission was created by the Supreme Court to provide leadership, vision and coordination to the multitude of organizations and interests involved in assuring access to civil justice for families and individuals in the Commonwealth.

In 1995, Williamson became the first African-American woman to serve on the Pittsfield City Council and the first African-American to serve at-large. Over the years she has served on the boards of a number of community and charitable organizations including the Red Cross, Berkshire Medical Center, the Rotary and the Norman Rockwell Museum. She is a graduate of Smith College in Northampton and currently resides in Springfield with her husband William Marley Jr.