About Ethical Edge

The Founder - Russell T. Williams

Russ, a native Californian, is a graduate of the University of Southern California, earning a bachelor's degree of the Arts in 1968. He completed a master's degree in Education from California State University in Los Angeles while teaching the educationally handicapped in South El Monte, California from 1970-1973. In the mid-1970's, he experienced two years of post-graduate education in theological studies before beginning a twenty-three year professional career in church ministry in 1973.

A life skills educator, personal counselor and minister for thirty-five years, Russ brings a rich professional background in public speaking, teaching, workshop presentation and spiritual life discovery to the seven Passkeys life values that guide his personal and professional life. Those life values are: personal responsibility, positive self-worth, purpose, plan, paying the price, partnership and persistence.

Russ is the founder and president of Passkeys Foundation, a publicly supported foundation created in 1979. The foundation is a 501(c)(3); 509(a)(1) non-profit organization which began its full time work in 1996 with a mission of inspiring character and ethical excellence in American society through the presentation of values education programs and publications to serve children, youth, adults and the professional community.

Since 1996 under Russ' full-time leadership, Passkeys Foundation has developed innovative values and character education programs for children, youth, and adults and the business community. The programs include: the Ethics In America program honoring ethical excellence in American society; the Kids of Character grants for K-6 children and schools; the Orange County Middle Schools Laws of Life Essay Contest; The Champions of Character Coaches Clinic in collaboration with Vanguard University of Southern California; the Ethics Academy for OC High Schools; the Orange County Christian Mentoring Alliance Pilot Project, a collaborative mentoring program involving the OC Christian faith community, OC Social Services and Juvenile Courts, the YMCA, Big Brothers, Big Sisters.

Russ writes the weekly KIDS OF CHARACTER education column for two community newspapers in California and Massachusetts. Additionally, the weekly article is emailed nationally to approximately 1000 educators, community leaders, parents and coaches. He writes an ethical edge article for the OC business and professional community that appears monthly in the on-line newsletter of Client Advocate Network reaching 5000 individuals. He is the author of KIDS OF CHARACTER: One Minute Mentoring Messages published in 2008.

Russ serves on the Advisory Board of the Orange County Department of Education's Character Education Institute. He and his wife, Judy, have been married forty years. They have four adult children and two grandchildren. They reside in Mission Viejo, CA.