New York, New York – May 17, 2018 – New York School of Interior Design announced today that it has appointed Kelly M. Williams, a senior advisor of global investment and advisory firm GCM Grosvenor, as a member of the College’s Board of Trustees, effective May 17, 2018.

“Kelly is a great addition to the Board of Trustees,” said NYSID president David Sprouls. “She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in finance and law, as well as a passion for the power of design.  Her insight will be invaluable as we start the college’s second century.”

Williams is a senior advisor at GCM Grosvenor with a focus on diversity and corporate social responsibility. She joined GCM Grosvenor in 2014 and served until June 2015 as president of GCM Grosvenor Private Markets, where she was a member of its Management Committee and also a member of its Investment Committee.

Prior to joining GCM Grosvenor, Williams was a managing director and group head of the Customized Fund Investment Group (CFIG) of Credit Suisse Group AG from 2010 to 2014 and group co-head from 2000 to 2010. Williams joined DLJ (acquired by Credit Suisse in 2000) as a director of CFIG. She was with Prudential Financial from 1993 to 2000. She was an Executive Director with Prudential's private equity group, where she was a founder of CFIG in 1999. Prior to joining Prudential, Williams was an associate with Milbank, Tweed.

Williams is a member of the board of the Robert Toigo Foundation, the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the Olana Partnership, and is the founding board chair of the Private Equity Women Investor Network. She chairs the LP Advisory Council for Sponsors for Educational Opportunity and serves on the advisory board of the Association of Asian American Investment Managers. She is a Senior Advisor to the Emerging Markets Private Equity Association (EMPEA) and was appointed in 2015 to the Board of Directors of The Greenbrier Companies (GBX).

Williams has received many awards throughout her career in the financial services industry and was recognized by the National Organization for Women in 2012 with its Women of Power and Influence Award, and was named five years consecutively from 2011 one of The Most Powerful Women in Finance by American Banker Magazine. She graduated magna cum laude from Union College in 1986 and received her Juris Doctor from New York University School of Law in 1989.

About New York School of Interior Design
New York School of Interior Design is a private, nonprofit college focused exclusively on interior design. The college offers certificate, undergraduate, and graduate programs for students at all stages of their careers—whether they’re just becoming familiar with the discipline, considering a career change, or looking to deepen knowledge in a particular area. Consistently ranked one of the top interior design programs in the United States, students study both residential and commercial interior design, some with specialties in sustainable design, lighting, and healthcare interiors. NYSID students enjoy a small class size and sharp focus, a great deal of personal attention from dedicated faculty, and they go on to practice at the highest levels of the profession. To learn more, visit NYSID.edu.

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