National Children’s Study Federal Advisory Committee Member
Dr. Williams is a tenured professor of Epidemiology and Global Health at the University of Washington School of Public Health. She received her doctorate in Epidemiology from Harvard University School of Public Health in 1991. She has published over 200 scientific articles; served on several national and international scientific advisory committees; and has received numerous research and teaching awards, including the Brotman Award for Instructional Excellence and the American Public Health Association’s Abraham Lilienfeld Award. Dr. Williams’ major research interests and activities are women’s reproductive health and child health. Her current activities include research and teaching collaborations with epidemiologists in Peru, Ecuador, Vietnam, Thailand, Ethiopia, Zimbabwe, and the Republic of Georgia. Dr. Williams is also Co-Director of the Center for Perinatal Studies at Swedish Medical Center, a multidisciplinary research program involving clinical scholars, basic scientists, and epidemiologists. Her research program focuses on integrating genomic sciences and epidemiological research methods to identify risk factors, diagnostic markers, treatments, and prevention targets for disorders (such as preeclampsia, placental abruption, preterm delivery, and gestational diabetes) that contribute to maternal and infant mortality. She is the founding Director of the University of Washington’s Multidisciplinary International Research Training Program (since 1994) and the Reproductive, Perinatal, and Pediatric Training Program (since 2005).