COLUMBIA — Tuesday, I got a chance to connect with Tyrrell County Schools’ new Superintendent, Brianna Williams, after a Board of Education meeting.  

I wanted to know more about her journey from Hyde County to becoming a teacher and later leading a school system. I will say this — it’s not where you go to school or where you were raised – it’s what you do with what God’s given you. Trust me, folks from small towns have super powers – a solid work ethic, downhome values and praise for God.   

Back to Williams —  when she describes her return to Tyrrell County, she doesn’t talk about it like a career move. She talks about it like coming home.

“Yes, coming back to Tyrrell County was a lot like going home for me,” she said in an interview shortly after being named Superintendent of Tyrrell County Schools. “I graduated high school from Mattamuskeet High School in 1998. Tyrrell and Hyde County are very similar. People are very similar — the students, the staff. So for me, relocating from Greenville to Tyrrell County was just like coming home.”

For Williams, the sense of belonging runs deep — rooted in the small-school values and rural traditions of eastern North Carolina that shaped her as both an athlete and an educator.

“I love Northeastern North Carolina. I value the work that we do here,” she said. “I grew up playing three sports — basketball, softball, and volleyball. And I went to the University of Mount Olive and played from 1998 to 2002. I was inducted in the Hall of Fame there in 2019. But I love athletics.”

That competitive spirit, she said, continues to influence her approach to leadership: teamwork, discipline, and perseverance.

From the Court to the Classroom

Williams’ path from student-athlete to superintendent has been marked by steady progression through every level of public education.

After earning her Bachelor of Science in Biology from the University of Mount Olive in 2002, she completed a Master of Arts in Teaching at East Carolina University in 2004. She later returned to ECU for a Master of School Administration in 2015 — preparing for a leadership career she now describes as a calling more than a profession.

Williams began teaching high school science at D.H. Conley High School and Wake Forest High School between 2004 and 2015. From there, she transitioned into administration in Beaufort County Schools, serving as assistant principal and then principal of Chocowinity Middle School from 2016 to 2022. She also held leadership roles at Washington High School and P.S. Jones Middle School, where she focused on academic improvement and student engagement.

In January 2023, Williams joined Tyrrell County Schools as principal of Columbia Early College High School. There, she expanded dual-enrollment opportunities and strengthened partnerships with local colleges — initiatives that gave students the chance to earn college credits while still in high school.

“When students leave our schools,” she said at the time, “we want them prepared with the tools, academic background, and communication skills to be successful in college, the military, or the workforce. I look forward to working with our teachers, families, and the community to ensure every student feels valued and ready for the future.”

Her success at Columbia Early College High School led to a district-wide role as Director of Curriculum and Instruction, Testing and Accountability, and Innovative Programs — a position that prepared her to take the helm as interim superintendent in August.

A Superintendent with Deep Local Roots

In October, the Tyrrell County Board of Education officially removed the word “interim” from her title, naming her Superintendent of Tyrrell County Schools. The decision, the Board said in a joint statement, reflects confidence in her steady leadership and her deep understanding of the district’s needs.

“We are excited for the future of Tyrrell County Schools under her leadership,” the statement read.

Williams said she feels “sincerely appreciative of this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to lead Tyrrell County Schools.”

“I look forward to raising the bar for student achievement and ensuring instructional excellence in every classroom,” she said.

Her leadership philosophy, she explained, is grounded in community connection and the belief that small schools can provide extraordinary opportunities for students.

“I love small schools — small neighborhood schools,” she said. “We were the original 10 teams in the Tobacco Belt Conference — Columbia and Mattamuskeet and Hatteras are the only three schools left out of that 10 teams. All the other schools have been lost due to mergers.”

That sense of local pride and small-school identity, she said, is what keeps communities like Tyrrell and Hyde strong.

Lessons from Home

Williams’ own educational journey began in Hyde County, where she attended O. A. Peay Elementary — now the Hyde County Board of Education building — before going on to Mattamuskeet. The teachers and administrators she encountered there, she said, continue to shape the way she leads today.

“Absolutely, the values I learned in Hyde County will shape my future,” she said. “I had great teachers, great principals. I went to OA Peay Elementary, which is now the board building. I went to Mattamuskeet. Great leaders inspired me to be an educator today.”

She credits those early role models with showing her the power of education to transform lives — something she now hopes to pass on to the next generation of Tyrrell County students.

“I had people who believed in me,” she said. “That’s why I believe so deeply in what we do here.”

Vision for Tyrrell County Schools

As superintendent, Williams oversees the district’s operations and long-term academic goals, from classroom instruction to community engagement. She says her top priorities include improving student achievement, supporting teachers, and ensuring every child has access to the resources they need to succeed.

Her approach is both data-driven and deeply personal. While she believes in accountability and measurable progress, she also stresses the importance of relationships — between teachers and students, between schools and families, and between the district and its broader community.

“I value the work that we do here,” she said. “When you know the people you serve — when you’ve walked the same halls and sat in the same classrooms — you understand that every student matters.”

Williams also sees athletics and extracurricular activities as essential extensions of learning. Her own background in sports, she said, taught her how much leadership and teamwork skills can impact a student’s confidence and sense of belonging.

“Sports teach discipline, commitment, and pride,” she said. “Those lessons carry over into the classroom and into life.”

Raising the Bar

Under her leadership, Tyrrell County Schools will continue pursuing initiatives aimed at expanding opportunities for students in one of North Carolina’s smallest school districts. That includes maintaining partnerships with Beaufort County Community College, strengthening career and technical education, and emphasizing literacy and STEM education across grade levels.

Williams also plans to continue engaging with parents and community members to ensure the district remains responsive to local needs.

“Tyrrell County may be small,” she said, “but we have big dreams for our students. My goal is to make sure every child knows they can achieve those dreams — right here at home.”

Her journey — from a Hyde County student-athlete to the leader of a neighboring district — represents a full-circle moment, one she says she embraces with gratitude and purpose.

“I love this part of the state,” Williams said with a smile. “It’s where I learned who I am. And it’s where I want to make a difference.”