At its Women’s History Month Celebration Cocktail Reception on Thursday, March 31, 2022, at General Society Library 20 West 44th Street, the Greater New York Chamber of Commerce acknowledged women who improve the lives of New York City residents. Congresswoman Carolyn Maloney [D-NY-12], New York City Councilmember Adrienne Adams – the first Black NYC Council Speaker, Mount Vernon resident Dr. Diana Kaye Williams and Yolanda Robinson, Westchester County Regional Director of the office of the New York State Comptroller, were among the eight honorees.
Dr. Diana Williams is the co-founder of Comrie Enterprises, LLC. Comrie was formed in 2001 as a consulting company in response to the rising energy bills for low to middle-income buildings. It was clear that energy cost was financially crippling community-based organizations offering to house middle and low-income tenants. Dr. Williams, a long-time advocate of clean energy, was enthralled when New York Governor Andrew Cuomo announced New York States’ conversion from fossil fuel to green energy.
She currently runs Adopt Clean Energy in Mount Vernon and New Rochelle, a New York State Energy Research and Development Authority’s Clean Heating and Cooling campaign. Adopt Clean Energy is a public service campaign granted to the Urban League of Westchester, where Comrie serves as program director. Adopt Clean Energy promotes clean energy technology, assists residents with obtaining unbiased information about heat pump installers and financing, and provides free heat pump training. She has written articles about the advent of clean energy availability for Westchester County’s vulnerable communities.
Before creating Comrie, Dr. Williams was the Executive Director of the Doctors Council, the largest doctor’s union in the US. She spent several years as a dentist in Harlem, New Rochelle, and Portchester, New York. She earned an undergraduate degree B. A from New York University, a DDS from Howard University College of Dentistry, and an MBA from Bridgeport. Dr. Williams completed her internship and residency in General Dentistry at Harlem Hospital – Columbia University College of Dentistry.
Throughout her career, Dr. Williams has had a passion for serving the needs of marginalized communities. With more than three decades (36 years) of community relations and community advocacy experience, Dr. Williams advocated for a transparent health care system in New York State that is available and accessible to all residents. She has organized campaigns to raise money and save medical services and medical facilities for vulnerable residents throughout New York City.
Her most recent endeavor is as co-founder of Environmental Leaders of Color (ELOC). ELOC is in the second year of providing a six-week Summer Energy & Environmental Program for Teens where young people learn about climate change, its impact on their lives, and careers in energy and environmental sciences. In 2021, the summer program was held at the Youth Community Outreach Program in Mount Vernon. In 2022, six locations in Westchester will host the Summer Energy & Environmental Program for teens.
Diana continues to advocate for the underserved, underappreciated, and oft-times ignored.
