M. Quentin Williams

Sports/Entertainment Legal Expert, Business Advisor & Crisis Management Consultant

Add to List Availability & Fees

Biography

For all intents and purposes, M. Quentin Williams should have been a statistic. He was raised by his extraordinary mother, who left his birthplace of St. Thomas in the US Virgin Islands when he was four months old and began working tirelessly to provide for him and eventually his brother on New York City's Lower East Side of Manhattan and Yonkers (New York). Quentin's background and the surroundings in which he found himself as a kid were more likely to produce someone who enters into the wrong side of the justice system at an early age rather than being steeped into that same system as an advocate and educator. He is living a blessed journey, for sure. Read More >

Ironically, it is those statistics that created the desire, ambition, and love for humanity that drove Quentin to achieve (and to help others to thrive) more than he could have ever imagined.

Throughout his life, Quentin has been blessed to have numerous dream jobs. Author. Educator. Advocate. FBI Agent. Federal Prosecutor. NBA and NFL Executive. But most importantly, Father. What each of those titles has taught him is that, more often than not, in order for us to find our respective purposes in life, we need to attach our personal mission to something greater than ourselves. And through the not-for-profit that he founded in 2012 - Dedication To Community (D2C) - he was able to do exactly that.

Simply stated, D2C is Quentin's life’s work. It was created to educate and empower communities with a collaborative approach and on the strength of working together to build neighborhoods that provide access and safety for all. Through skills-building workshops, ongoing forums and community events, D2C works tirelessly to foster relationships and improve collective understanding to drive healing, reconciliation, and unity.

The honors that this work has bestowed upon Quentin are humbling to say the least. In 2022, after being nominated by his alma mater – Boston College where he earned a bachelor’s degree in economics and was a member of football and track teams - he received the Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) UNITE Award for his commitment and advocacy to racial and social justice. He currently serves as a member of the Sports Management Industry Advisory Board at the University of Florida, the National District Attorneys Association's Law Enforcement Advisory Board, as well as the Law Enforcement Education and Training Council at the FBI National Academy in Quantico, Virginia.
Through each act of Quentin's life, he has worked to keep humanity and love at the center of all he do. And as he prepares his children to take advantage of all that this world has to offer them, he also implores them to keep those critical beliefs as driving forces behind their decisions and actions.

Quentin looks forward to crossing paths with you, and if you are also committed to making all of our communities better places, he will see you out there. Read Less ^

Speaker Videos

Changing the Culture

Dedication to Community

The Importance of Positive Personal Relationships

Speech Topics

Dedication to Community: Rebuilding Trust between Law Enforcement & the Community

Quentin is one of our nation's preeminent experts in the area of police/community relations. Before the spike in public awareness, he published A Survival Guide: How NOT To Get KILLED By The POLICE, Part I, which is a critically acclaimed book positioned to protect lives with instructions for drivers when they are being pulled over by the police. Quentin draws from his own experience as a young man, and his latter years in law enforcement, to outline how everyone can come together. Read More >

The depth of this talk offers real solutions and action steps for change - highlighting the importance of building productive and vibrant communities given the landscape of an ever-changing and diverse base of societal leadership, including those in the law enforcement, corporate, political and education industries. Read Less ^

Relationships Determine Your Destiny: Personal & Business Success

Quentin attributes his success to the extraordinary relationships in his life—and provides a powerful message for people who can shape their lives by the company they choose to keep. He takes the audience through the relationships that propelled him forward in life. Read More >

After overcoming a childhood in poverty, Quentin attended Boston College on a full football scholarship where he also excelled as a track & field athlete. He would eventually become an attorney, FBI agent, federal prosecutor and sports executive with the NFL and NBA. Along the way, there were people who inspired, directed and sustained him.

As Quentin often notes, "relationships will determine your destiny", and this talk provides key takeaways for creating cherished, productive and sustainable relationships. Read Less ^

Re-Imagining Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

Because words are important, Quentin works with institutions of higher education, corporations, not-for-profit organizations and government entities to shed light on the importance of cultural awareness at every level of society. Mere tolerance is no longer an option. Understanding how diversity makes us better as a society and benefits all - economically and socially - is the foundation of this talk. The ultimate goal must be Societal Liberation.

Testimonials

“Thanks again Q! The guys loved your presentation and they are undoubtedly more equipped to make great decisions throughout their careers...more importantly though throughout their life."

- Former Director of Player Development, Miami Dolphins

“My man, Quentin Williams, got a standing ovation from the inmates tonight. Thank you for sharing your heart with our Game Plan For Life class program. Turning your struggle into strength for every man in that room…"

- Former Executive Director, Joe Gibbs' Game Plan for Life Foundation

"Sonoma State University was fortunate to have Mr. M. Quentin Williams facilitate a roundtable discussion session between our campus leaders, our student athletes and first responders from throughout the area. The experience was fantastic, and we have since implemented several strategies developed during the session."

- Cheif of Police, Sonoma State University

“Quentin Williams is the most powerful and compelling speaker I have ever seen and is speaking daily to the youth of our country. He presented here in East Hartford and the entire 11th grade was spellbound for an hour. It was probably the first time they had ever seen someone who looked like them [my High School is 87% minority] with credibility and a message about youth/police relationships. Q professes communication, making good decisions and forging new relationships. Although he spoke to High School students here, his message to law enforcement and to the communities we police is just as strong. Simon Sinek was a great leadership icon for us. Quentin Williams should be the icon who leads us to a new connection with our neighborhoods.”

- Chief of Detectives, East Hartford PD, Connecticut

“I’d like to thank Quentin Williams and his team for coming to Michigan and to Berrian County especially to Benton Harbor HS this morning and to Berrian Springs HS this afternoon. The information was necessary and the content was timely. I think the youth enjoyed it and the adults also appreciated it; information that we did not know or understand before this particular event.”

- Commissioner, Berrian County 3rd District, Michigan

“Both Q’s personal story and lessons he shared are so on point for today’s challenging social and business environment. Overcoming obstacles, the value of relationships, and getting diverse groups to come together… It all resonated with our audience. His engagement with our people before and after the session added a level of appreciated personal touch. Q’s presence and message would add value to any organization.”

- Regional President (US-Southeast), AXA

“I cannot thank Quentin enough for taking the time to share his powerful message with our team. His presentation was both practical and inspirational. Our players left with a better sense not only of how to live in the world as it is today, but also of how to create the world we want to see tomorrow. I will use many of the concepts that Quentin introduced with our team on a daily basis.”

- Men’s Head Basketball Coach, Harvard University

“Quentin Williams is a dynamic speaker that engages the audience and makes them question the status quo. His ideas and beliefs are a result of his experiences which brings legitimacy to his words. We were very fortunate to have him speak at the 2015 North Carolina School Directors Conference.”

- Director, Criminal Justice Standards Division

“This is my second opportunity, my privilege, being able to sit down and listen in the audience to Q Williams’ message. These are survival skills. I myself have had interactions with law enforcement and I wish I had this counsel as a young man growing up in New York City in the Bronx. “

- Statewide Coordinator, Connecticut