Ciara Williams

Email: cwilliams@coic.org
Organization: Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council (COIC)
Community: Central Oregon

Meet Ciara Williams (she/her/hers):

Ciara graduated from the George Washington University with a Bachelor’s of International Affairs, specializing in International Economics, and minoring in Latin American Literatures, Cultures, and Languages. Ciara is passionate about the intersections of sustainability, economic development, and social justice. Academically, Ciara intends to pursue her Master’s Degree in Urban Studies. Personally, Ciara enjoys exploring local coffee shops, eating ice cream, playing volleyball, and spending quality time with friends.

Community and Organization:

The Central Oregon Intergovernmental Council (COIC) is an intermediary governmental body based in Bend that serves the Central Oregon region (Deschutes, Jefferson and Crook Counties and the Confederated Tribes of Warm Springs). Designated in 1972 as a Council of Governments, COIC provides services in employment and training, alternative high school education, business loans, transportation, regional planning, natural resource management, natural disasters and emergency management, and community and economic development. COIC is non-regulatory and has no tax base, and is funded through grants, contracts, and agreements with other agencies and nonprofits. Ciara worked in the Community and Economic Development department (CED), which provides services to many rural communities in the region, including Culver, La Pine, Madras, Metolius, Prineville, Redmond, and Sisters.

Project:

Ciara served as the RARE Program Assistant for CED, supporting Housing for All (H4A), the Deschutes Basin Water Collaborative (DBWC), and the Central Oregon Area Commission on Transportation (COACT). Similarly, Ciara supported various regional community building projects to deliver community-led critical development projects. Ciara also updated the Comprehensive Economic Development Strategy (CEDS) and worked in coalition with other economic development districts to advance rural resiliency planning.