Marsha Williams calls herself a realistic optimist. Though that might sound like a paradox, it’s actually an example of her talent for reconciling and embracing apparent opposites. It’s a trait that has helped define her personality for decades.
For example, Williams is a veteran of more than 40 years in the IT industry as a high-level consultant, project manager and trainer. Yet ever since she and her husband Brian moved from Massachusetts to Key West in 2008 — after finally getting tired of shoveling snow — her life has focused largely on the arts.
She’s currently concluding her tenure as board president of the Anne McKee Artists Fund, a local all-volunteer nonprofit that provides project-based grants to individual visual, literary and performance artists. Since its inception 30-plus years ago, the fund has awarded more than $425,000 to Florida Keys artists.
With a philosophy of “artists helping artists,” the organization stages an art auction each February (slated for Feb. 27 in 2026) to raise money to support the grants. Local artists contribute pieces to be auctioned, and in turn receive 50% of the proceeds from the sale of their work. The other half of the auction price goes to the Anne McKee Artists Fund to support the annual grants.
Williams derives great satisfaction from awarding grants that help creative spirits — including students from area schools — bring their artistic vision to life.
An avid reader, she also volunteered with the Friends of the Library for many years, guiding the organization and serving in board positions, including president. She brought her IT expertise to both the Friends and the McKee Fund, incorporating technology to streamline procedures and record-keeping while encouraging communication and idea sharing.
Williams expresses her own creative side primarily through photography, shooting both in Key West and during world travels with her husband. In addition to all 50 states in the U.S., the couple has visited 33 countries on six continents.
Though she loves traveling, Wiliams remains deeply grateful for the sense of community and flourishing arts scene in her adopted island home. The outgoing and articulate woman recently discussed her life and pursuits with Keys Weekly.
After initially visiting Key West, what made you decide to make it your home? Everyone always says you either get Key West, or you don’t. You either feel it’s your place or it isn’t. My husband loves it because he says it’s the least judgmental place he’s ever lived. He knows how lucky it is that we are here. That’s sometimes what it is — just a matter of fortune.
How did you get involved with the Friends of the Library? When we came to Key West, I was still working part-time and traveling, but I said, “Well, what can I do?” I’m a reader. I love libraries and I love books — I tend towards the mysteries and explore fun stuff that I can read and figure out, because that’s the “puzzle” part of my brain — so the first place I went was the library. I got involved as a volunteer, and they wanted me to do more, so I got on the board.
What brings you the most satisfaction about working with the McKee fund? The best time I have is when we give out grants, because that’s the purpose: to help artists and writers and performers with funding for their projects, and do what we can to get them to that next level. I am always blown away by the projects people come up with, and how they execute the projects.
What made you and your husband become such avid travelers? We both like to explore. I think our favorite trips have been those that are so different from what we encounter every day — like the trips to China and our safari — just going to where the culture is different, the food is different. It’s hard to find someone whose pace matches yours, but we travel very well together.
What activities do you enjoy when you’re not volunteering or traveling? I haven’t been doing a lot of my photography, but that’s one of the things I want to get back to doing — especially iPhone photography. I do a lot of “escape” reading, and in the summer we spend around two months in Massachusetts to see family and friends.
Having lived in Key West since 2008, what aspects of the island continue to make it so appealing to you? The sense of community, and the sense that people are here because they want to be here. We have the most marvelous group of people we have dinner with and go to plays with and hang out with. I love our theaters, especially the Fringe Theater that champions all these up-and-coming playwrights and actors. And then the whole arts community — what a neat thing to be able to meet the artists in the community that I admire, and work with them.
