Alaka Williams serves as Senior Vice President of Network Human Resources at Discovery, Inc. (formerly Scripps Networks Interactive). In this role, she is responsible for HR leadership of six of the company’s US-based networks. She is responsible for providing organizational, leadership and individual performance counsel to various business units, facilitating change and transition with these units through the assessment, design, facilitation and implementation of appropriate organizational intervention, and being in touch with employee needs and human resources communities and systems for her over 300 U.S. employee customers. Prior to her current role, Williams served as Vice President of Human Resources for the Travel Channel.
Williams arrived at Travel Channel in 2010 after eight years with Live Nation as both Director of Human Resources and Director of Employee Relations. She also served as a human resources manager for Clear Channel Communications. She began her career as a regional human resources manager for KinderCare Learning Centers, Inc.
In addition to her professional work, she’s also involved in the Emma Bowen Foundation’s Youth and Young Professionals program and the Year Up program in the Washington, D.C. metropolitan area. She actively serves as a mentor in the Scripps Networks Interactive Mentor Experience program, as well as the T. Howard Foundation’s mentor program for promising college students interested in media.
In spring 2016, Williams was selected to attend the WICT Senior Executive Summit at Stanford University. She is also a member of WICT’s Global Board of Directors. Williams has been recognized by the National Association for Multi-Ethnicity in Communications for her commitment to fostering diversity. She is a proud graduate of NAMIC’s 2016 Executive Leadership Development Program and one of the organization’s 2016 Luminaries. Williams was also listed as one of Cablefax’s 2016 Most Influential Minorities.