Biography

06/27/1944 -

Constance Hess "Connie" Williams (D17) Delaware (Part) and Montgomery (Part) Counties 2001-2008

Early Life: 

Constance Hess "Connie" Williams, June 27, 1944, Long Branch, Monmouth County, New Jersey, daughter of Norma and Leon Hess; Rutgers Preparatory School, 1962; Pine Manor College, 1964; Barnard College of Columbia University (B.A.), English, 1966; Wharton School, University of Pennsylvania (M.B.A.), 1980; editorial assistant, Doubleday and Company, New York City, New York; fellow: Philadelphia Academy of Physicians; elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, 1997-resigned, December 3, 2001; elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania State Senate, special election, November 6, 2001- 2008, Minority Caucus Administrator, 2005-2007; vice president, director, Hess Foundation; presidential nominee, member, National Council on the Arts, assumed office, 2022; married, Sankey V. Williams, two daughters.

Early Career:  

Fellow: Philadelphia Academy of Physicians; board member: National Museum of American Jewish History, Philadelphia Museum of Art, Harcum College AIM Program, Valley Forge and Haverford Optimists, Kimmel Center for Performing Arts, Governor’s Advisory Committee on Minority and Women Business Opportunities, Norristown Farm Park; board of trustees: Episcopal Academy; member: Trustees’ Council of Penn Women, Forum of Executive Women, Greater Valley Forge Transportation Management Association, Montgomery County Seat Economic Revitalization Commission; chair: Steppingstone Scholars, Incorporated; co-chair: Pennsylvania New Democratic Coalition; honorary chief: King of Prussia Fire Company; honorary life member, Swedesburg Fire Company; special project coordinator, Congresswoman Marjorie Margolies-Mezvinsky, 1993-1994; chair, Lower Merion and Narberth Township Democratic Committee.

Professional titles; business ownership; board memberships; local government; club memberships:

Board member: National Museum of American Jewish History Philadelphia Museum of Art, Harcum College AIM Program, Valley Forge and Haverford Optimists, Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts, Governor’s Advancement Committee on Minority and Women Business Opportunities, Norristown Farm Park; board of trustees: Epis. Academy; member: Trustees’ Council of Penn Women, Forum of Executive Women, Greater Valley Forge Transportation Management Association, Montgomery County Seat Economy. Revitalization Committee; chairman: Steppingstone Scholars, Incorporated; co-chair: Pennsylvania New Democratic Coalition.

Awards: 

Pennsylvania Committee on Women Woman of the Year-2007, Pennsylvania Orthopedic Society Legislator of the Year-2006, Barnard College Distinguished Alumna-2006, Pennsylvania Recreation and Park Society Government Award-2006, National Association of Society Workers Citizen of the Year-2006, Cabrini College Ivy Young Willis Award-2005, Delaware Valley Healthcare Council Leadership Award-2004, Delaware County Chamber of Commerce Free Enterprise Award-2002, 2004, 2006, Pennsylvania Healthy Mothers Healthy Babies Breastfeeding Friendly business-2004, Greater Valley Forge Transportation Management Authority Legislative Leadership-2004, Senior Citizens of Ardmore Service & Support-2004; honorary chief: King of Prussia Fire Company; honorary life member: Swedesburg Fire Company.

Pennsylvania Politics:  

Elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, 1997-resigned, December 3, 2001.

Elected, Democrat, Pennsylvania Senate, special election, 17th district Delaware (Part) and Montgomery (Part) Counties, November 6, 2001; Minority Caucus Administrator, 2005-2007; committee assignments, Aging and Youth, Communications and Technology (Minority Chairwoman), Finance, Local Government, Transportation; not a candidate for re-election, 2008.

Names of any service after Senate:

Appointed, Pennsylvania Public Television Network Commission (2003-2006), member, Democratic State Committee.

Pennsylvania House of Representatives Biography:

Official Website - PA House Archives Official Website (state.pa.us)

Continued Government Service/National Politics:

Nominee, President Joseph Biden, member, National Council on the Arts, assumed office, May 23, 2022.

Legacy: 

Husband, Sankey V. Williams, the Sol Katz Professor of Medicine, University of Pennsylvania, chief of general internal medicine, University of Pennsylvania hospital.

Leon Hess and Norma Wilentz. Her father, founder of the Hess Corporation, owner of the New York Jets; mother, daughter of David T. Wilentz, New Jersey Attorney General, 1934–1944, successfully prosecuted Bruno Hauptmann, Lindbergh kidnapping trial; niece of Robert Wilentz, Chief Justice, New Jersey Supreme Court, 1979–1996.  

Cited:

Cox, Harold. "Senate Members W". Wilkes University Election Statistics Project. Wilkes University.

Connie Williams Pennsylvania State Senator. (2008, November 18). About Connie. WebCite query result (webcitation.org)

Jesse Teitelbaum. (2008, September 24). Oral history project interview with: The Honorable Constance H. Williams (D), 149th District, Montgomery County, 1997-2001. Pennsylvania House of Representatives Bipartisan Management Committee.  PA House Archives (state.pa.us)

The Pennsylvania Manual, (2007-2008). Trostle, S. (Editor). (Volume 118). Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, page 3-33, 3-41. Biographies of Members of the Senate, page 3-16.

President Biden Announces 17 Key Nominations | The White House The White House. 2021-06-23.