Marlon C. Williams, Ph.D, LPC, NCC, was born to Jamaican parents in Brooklyn, New York and lived there before moving with his family to Decatur, Georgia just before his 13th birthday. A product of the DeKalb County School District (DCSD), he attended Rainbow Elementary and Southwest DeKalb High School where he was an active student leader and graduated with an advanced academic diploma. Marlon was also a standout student-athlete. He was a member of the Track and Field team and football team. He earned All-County, All-State and All-America honors because of his performance on the football field and was named the DeKalb County Defensive Player of the Year in 1989. In 2019, Marlon was inducted into the Southwest DeKalb High School Athletic Hall of Fame.
Georgia Tech
Dr. Williams’ academic and athletic prowess earned him a full scholarship to attend and play football for the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia. He majored in Business Management and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree. His talents, skills and ability enabled him to shine bright as a Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket football star. Marlon was a four-year starter at outside linebacker and the only freshman to start as an every down player for Georgia Tech’s 1990 National Championship team. One of Marlon’s most memorable games was played during his junior year when the Yellow Jackets hosted the Florida State University Seminoles. He recorded two tackles for losses, one and a half quarterback sacks, and two pass interceptions of the future Heisman Trophy winner, Charlie Ward. He was nominated for the Butkus Award his senior year and finished his career ranked 5th all-time in sacks and 4th all-time in tackles for losses.
Mercer University
Marlon is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC), and graduate of Mercer University’s Counselor Education and Supervision doctoral program and Master of Science Clinical Mental Health Counseling program. He graduated with a 4.0 grade point average and received Mercer University's top academic award for their Clinical Mental Health Counseling program. Marlon was inducted into the Chi Sigma Iota Counseling Academic & Professional Honor Society International in 2015. In 2015, he participated in Mercer University’s Center for the Study of Narrative’s study abroad program in Leiden, Holland, Amsterdam, Holland, and Paris, France. He was awarded the Center for the Study of Narrative Advanced Interviewer scholarship award in 2015. He earned a certificate in Sports Counseling in 2019 and plans to utilize his research, leadership skills, and athletic experience to assist athletes, athletic programs, and athletic organizations all over the world.
Poet - Author - Actor
Marlon’s career as a speaker and active community member started when he was a teenager. He started writing poetry when he was 14 years old and was an active member of his church. Marlon always made time to give back and often returned to Southwest DeKalb HS to volunteer as a coach. He continued to write throughout college and started performing his works shortly after graduating. Marlon authored and self-published two books of poetry and his talent for performing earned him the Creative Loafing Spoken Word Artist of the Year Award in 2002. His talents as a performer lead him into acting where he played the leading roles in Shakespeare’s Othello and Macbeth. He was even cast as a football player in the film Remember the Titans.
DeKalb County School District - Prevention/Intervention
In 2001, Marlon started working with the DeKalb County School District’s Prevention Intervention department. Marlon was hired to work as a facilitator with the DCSD Gaining Results in Prevention (GRIP) program and it was a natural fit him. GRIP is a system-wide substance abuse intervention program offered to middle and high school students who have violated certain drug-related rules and/or policies. The parents had to attend and Marlon was excellent and working with and encouraging the parents and students. It was not long before Marlon became a lead facilitator and trainer with the program. He was a lead facilitator in the district’s Community Responsibility Program (CRTP). The CRTP was a collaborative effort between DCSD and the DeKalb County Recorder’s Court that served misdemeanor and minor traffic violation offenders between the ages of 17 and 21. Marlon was the lead violence prevention and intervention facilitator and received stellar evaluations from the program participants on a regular basis. To this day, he still hears from participants who remember the life changing, informative, and empowering experience they had with him.
Georgia State University
Throughout the course of his life, Marlon gained a tremendous amount of experience working with people, particularly the economically disadvantaged. His time at Georgia State University (2002-2007) as a program coordinator, educational program specialist, and Staff Advisory Board Member was well spent. As program coordinator of the Non-Custodial Parent Program he helped delinquent non-custodial fathers obtain gainful employment via Employment Readiness, Life Skills and Basic and Advanced computer courses. As an educational program specialist, he helped Low-Income First-generation program participants gain access to education via local college degree and certificate programs. The people he served came from a diverse collection of socioeconomic backgrounds and they had various challenges to overcome. But Marlon believed that each client deserved a chance to change and or improve their lives and it was his job to give them the support they needed.
Ronald E. McNair MS
In 2007, Marlon joined the team at Ronald E. McNair MS (MMS) and made an immediate impact with his unique blend of talent and skills. When the new student monitoring and tracking system adopted and installed by the district had its issues, Marlon created a database to track and monitor student attendance, discipline, grades and interventions. As a result, McNair MS could report accurate information during its state reviews because the school was under contract with the state. Marlon’s efforts would lead to McNair MS being recognized by Governor Sonny Perdue as the 2009 first-place Georgia Red Ribbon Week award recipient for exemplary promotion of drug awareness, drug-free living and healthy lifestyle choices in Georgia Middle Schools (presentation PDF below). In 2009, he was a key member of the MMS Leadership Advisory Board when MMS made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for the first time in school history. Marlon served as the Attendance Protocol Manager and Parental Involvement Coordinator during his time at MMS. He was also the lead children’s facilitator for the MMS Nurturing Parent Program.
Community Service
Being active in the community has always been an important part of Marlon's life. He is a Life Member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated. He served as Basileus of the Eta Omega chapter, one of the oldest and largest chapters in the United States from 2016 to 2018. As Basileus, he served as the executive officer of the chapter. As Vice Basileus, he oversaw all chapter committee operations and activities. As Keeper of Records and Seal, he took the position to new heights of efficiency and effectiveness. Marlon conceptualized, developed and executed Eta Omega's seamless transition to a paperless system, saving chapter funds annually. He enhanced Eta Omega's data collection and storage practices, reorganized the chapter's records, and revamped their record keeping system. Marlon also improved Eta Omega's overall communications and consistently addressed the needs and concerns of Eta Omega chapter members in prompt fashion. For his exemplary efforts and performance, he was awarded with Eta Omega's 2013 Basileus Award. Marlon is chair of the Booker T. Washington Community Association's Code Enforcement Committee. Marlon served the Georgia Tech Black Alumni Organization as chair of its Athletics Committee from 2013-2016 and a Member-at-Large from 2014-2016.
Marlon has been trained in violence prevention, substance abuse prevention, and gang prevention. He is a lifelong learner and believes we should find ways to improve and grow each day. He believes that all experiences should be learning experiences that make us wiser and stronger.
Georgia Tech
Dr. Williams’ academic and athletic prowess earned him a full scholarship to attend and play football for the Georgia Institute of Technology in Atlanta, Georgia. He majored in Business Management and graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree. His talents, skills and ability enabled him to shine bright as a Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket football star. Marlon was a four-year starter at outside linebacker and the only freshman to start as an every down player for Georgia Tech’s 1990 National Championship team. One of Marlon’s most memorable games was played during his junior year when the Yellow Jackets hosted the Florida State University Seminoles. He recorded two tackles for losses, one and a half quarterback sacks, and two pass interceptions of the future Heisman Trophy winner, Charlie Ward. He was nominated for the Butkus Award his senior year and finished his career ranked 5th all-time in sacks and 4th all-time in tackles for losses.
Mercer University
Marlon is a Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC), Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC), and graduate of Mercer University’s Counselor Education and Supervision doctoral program and Master of Science Clinical Mental Health Counseling program. He graduated with a 4.0 grade point average and received Mercer University's top academic award for their Clinical Mental Health Counseling program. Marlon was inducted into the Chi Sigma Iota Counseling Academic & Professional Honor Society International in 2015. In 2015, he participated in Mercer University’s Center for the Study of Narrative’s study abroad program in Leiden, Holland, Amsterdam, Holland, and Paris, France. He was awarded the Center for the Study of Narrative Advanced Interviewer scholarship award in 2015. He earned a certificate in Sports Counseling in 2019 and plans to utilize his research, leadership skills, and athletic experience to assist athletes, athletic programs, and athletic organizations all over the world.
Poet - Author - Actor
Marlon’s career as a speaker and active community member started when he was a teenager. He started writing poetry when he was 14 years old and was an active member of his church. Marlon always made time to give back and often returned to Southwest DeKalb HS to volunteer as a coach. He continued to write throughout college and started performing his works shortly after graduating. Marlon authored and self-published two books of poetry and his talent for performing earned him the Creative Loafing Spoken Word Artist of the Year Award in 2002. His talents as a performer lead him into acting where he played the leading roles in Shakespeare’s Othello and Macbeth. He was even cast as a football player in the film Remember the Titans.
DeKalb County School District - Prevention/Intervention
In 2001, Marlon started working with the DeKalb County School District’s Prevention Intervention department. Marlon was hired to work as a facilitator with the DCSD Gaining Results in Prevention (GRIP) program and it was a natural fit him. GRIP is a system-wide substance abuse intervention program offered to middle and high school students who have violated certain drug-related rules and/or policies. The parents had to attend and Marlon was excellent and working with and encouraging the parents and students. It was not long before Marlon became a lead facilitator and trainer with the program. He was a lead facilitator in the district’s Community Responsibility Program (CRTP). The CRTP was a collaborative effort between DCSD and the DeKalb County Recorder’s Court that served misdemeanor and minor traffic violation offenders between the ages of 17 and 21. Marlon was the lead violence prevention and intervention facilitator and received stellar evaluations from the program participants on a regular basis. To this day, he still hears from participants who remember the life changing, informative, and empowering experience they had with him.
Georgia State University
Throughout the course of his life, Marlon gained a tremendous amount of experience working with people, particularly the economically disadvantaged. His time at Georgia State University (2002-2007) as a program coordinator, educational program specialist, and Staff Advisory Board Member was well spent. As program coordinator of the Non-Custodial Parent Program he helped delinquent non-custodial fathers obtain gainful employment via Employment Readiness, Life Skills and Basic and Advanced computer courses. As an educational program specialist, he helped Low-Income First-generation program participants gain access to education via local college degree and certificate programs. The people he served came from a diverse collection of socioeconomic backgrounds and they had various challenges to overcome. But Marlon believed that each client deserved a chance to change and or improve their lives and it was his job to give them the support they needed.
Ronald E. McNair MS
In 2007, Marlon joined the team at Ronald E. McNair MS (MMS) and made an immediate impact with his unique blend of talent and skills. When the new student monitoring and tracking system adopted and installed by the district had its issues, Marlon created a database to track and monitor student attendance, discipline, grades and interventions. As a result, McNair MS could report accurate information during its state reviews because the school was under contract with the state. Marlon’s efforts would lead to McNair MS being recognized by Governor Sonny Perdue as the 2009 first-place Georgia Red Ribbon Week award recipient for exemplary promotion of drug awareness, drug-free living and healthy lifestyle choices in Georgia Middle Schools (presentation PDF below). In 2009, he was a key member of the MMS Leadership Advisory Board when MMS made Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for the first time in school history. Marlon served as the Attendance Protocol Manager and Parental Involvement Coordinator during his time at MMS. He was also the lead children’s facilitator for the MMS Nurturing Parent Program.
Community Service
Being active in the community has always been an important part of Marlon's life. He is a Life Member of the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated. He served as Basileus of the Eta Omega chapter, one of the oldest and largest chapters in the United States from 2016 to 2018. As Basileus, he served as the executive officer of the chapter. As Vice Basileus, he oversaw all chapter committee operations and activities. As Keeper of Records and Seal, he took the position to new heights of efficiency and effectiveness. Marlon conceptualized, developed and executed Eta Omega's seamless transition to a paperless system, saving chapter funds annually. He enhanced Eta Omega's data collection and storage practices, reorganized the chapter's records, and revamped their record keeping system. Marlon also improved Eta Omega's overall communications and consistently addressed the needs and concerns of Eta Omega chapter members in prompt fashion. For his exemplary efforts and performance, he was awarded with Eta Omega's 2013 Basileus Award. Marlon is chair of the Booker T. Washington Community Association's Code Enforcement Committee. Marlon served the Georgia Tech Black Alumni Organization as chair of its Athletics Committee from 2013-2016 and a Member-at-Large from 2014-2016.
Marlon has been trained in violence prevention, substance abuse prevention, and gang prevention. He is a lifelong learner and believes we should find ways to improve and grow each day. He believes that all experiences should be learning experiences that make us wiser and stronger.
Copyright © 2014 Marlon C. Williams