Constance Hess Williams (born June 27, 1944) is an American politician who served as a Democratic member of the Pennsylvania State Senate for the 17th District, from 2001 to 2009. She previously represented the 149th district in the Pennsylvania House of Representatives from 1997 to 2001. On June 23, 2021, President Joe Biden nominated her for member of the National Council on the Arts, an advisory board to the chairperson of the National Endowment for the Arts.^[3]

Williams was born in Long Branch, New Jersey, to Leon Hess and Norma Wilentz.^[4] Her father was the founder of the Hess Corporation and the owner of the New York Jets; her mother was the daughter of David T. Wilentz, who served as New Jersey Attorney General (1934–1944) and successfully prosecuted Bruno Hauptmann in the Lindbergh kidnapping trial, and the niece of Robert Wilentz, who served as Chief Justice of the New Jersey Supreme Court (1979–1996).^[5] The oldest of three children, she is the sister of John B. Hess, the former chair and current CEO of Hess Corporation. She graduated from Rutgers Preparatory School in 1962, and then studied at Barnard College, where she received a Bachelor of Arts degree in English in 1966.^[4]

Williams received a Master of Business Administration degree from the Wharton School of Business in 1980.^[6]

She worked as a small business consultant and a staffer for Congresswoman Marjorie Margolies.^[7] She also became active in local politics, serving as chairwoman of the Democratic committee of Lower Merion and Narberth.^[8]

With a focus on education, the arts, and economic development across regional organizations, Williams is widely known for her community involvement.^[21] As chair of the board of the Philadelphia Museum of Art, she played a key role in developing a new institutional strategic plan and was a guiding force in restoring the Rodin Museum in 2012 and 2013. Her leadership resulted in the completion of the SF Art Handling Facility, the renovation and reinstallation of the galleries dedicated to South Asian art and the retaining of architect Frank Gehry to undertake the expansion and renovation of the museum's main building.^[22] She is vice-president and director of the Hess Foundation, board member and former chair of Steppingstones Scholars, and board member of the National Museum of American Jewish History.^[23]

She is married to Sankey V. Williams, who is the Sol Katz Professor of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania and the chief of general internal medicine at the university hospital; the couple has two daughters.^[5]