5 minute read
Be the Change You Want to See: Toni Williams’ Success Story
BY MICHELE WOJCIECHOWSKI
Toni Williams is making a huge impact as a leader.
Since she was a child, Toni Williams, DNP, PMHNP-BC, FNP-BC, Vice President of Nursing at Landmark Recovery, has known what she wanted to do with her life—be a nurse.
“My father was a registered nurse. I was inspired by his ability to give back to the community through his profession. He died from a heart attack at 39, mostly due to an unhealthy lifestyle,” Williams recalls. “So, when I was 12, I decided I was going to help my community live healthier, and I would do it by becoming a nurse.”
Williams started her career working as a licensed practical nurse (LPN) at a residential care facility for elderly patients. “It really set me up for my career path—learning early the importance of human decency,” she says.
Her educational journey, though, was far from over.
She returned to school to become an RN, and she then
worked at a small, retail clinic in the middle of a community close to her home. Williams not only learned about the community, but also about the impact she had on her patients. “That meant the world to me,” she recalls.
In 2014, Williams once again went back to school, this time to earn her Master of Science in Nursing (MSN). Once she completed her FNP-BC, she worked in labor and delivery at a hospital, assisting with delivering babies as well as implementing care for the new moms and their new children.
It was while floating as a PRN at a psych hospital and
with the prison population that eventually would lead Williams to her current job. “I met so many individuals from disadvantaged backgrounds struggling with mental health, substance use disorder, and trauma in general. I met normal everyday people that needed a second chance, someone to let them know they are loved, and quality behavioral health support,” she explains. “Working with the prison population really changed my outlook on how I could best serve my community. At the prison I worked for, there were only two psychiatrists for four different locations. it was like, this is real, the mental health population is real, and I want to do psych,” this epiphany led Williams to earning a doctorate degree as a psychiatric mental health nurse practitioner. And that led her to her current job. “I work directly with Landmark’s Chief Medical Officer, and we collaborate to implement anything medical or nursing-related across our nine locations nationwide. I lead policy and procedures and training while overseeing our expansive team of nurses. I’ve always loved the in-person aspect of my job, and now I spend most of my time interacting with other nurses, which is the best!” Williams says.
Earning an FNP Degree Helped with Her Success
The more education Williams sought, the more knowledge, skills, and abilities she has gained. This also led her to more opportunities as well. “With each degree I earned I was able to move into leadership. As an RN, I was staff first, then became clinic manager. As a PRN, I worked in the psych hospital treating mental health and substance use disorder. Now that I have my FNP and DNP, I am working as the VP of Nursing for a national network of drug and alcohol treatment centers,” she says. “This is why I am here: I’ve done the work, and now I get to influence what Landmark nursing looks like in a positive way.”
She’s also learned that in leaderships roles, “I’m able to make a huge impact in the day-to-day experience for our nurses and patients.”
For nurses who may be thinking about earning an FNP or other degree, she has advice: “Not everyone takes the same path. I was a nontraditional student and young mother who started this journey as an LPN,” says Williams. “Do the job and learn. Then, move up to leadership so you can change things based on your observations. Be the difference you want to see.”
