Dwight C. Williams

Clinical Associate Professor, Emeritus, was the co-founder and director of the Northeast Regional Public Health Leadership Institute (NEPHLI) and former director of the Undergraduate Public Health Program. Prior to directing NEPHLI and the undergraduate program, for 15 years, he was the Chief Health Planner at the New York Department Health, charged to develop health policy and planning for the Governor's Office. As the director of NEPHLI, he developed the curriculum which trained more than 450 county health directors and commissioners from CT, ME, MA, NH, NJ, NY, PA and VT. In managing the undergraduate program, he increased the number of undergraduate public health majors from 12 to more than 30 graduates, with several pursuing the MPH degrees at SUNY and other graduate programs.

Professor Williams teamed with colleagues from the School of Social Welfare to conduct research of Capital District AAs treatment for HIV/AIDS. He also organized free flu vaccinations, HIV testing and information sessions on the Affordable Health Care Act. Working with AA barbers, he conducted focus groups with patrons to assess their access to health and mental health services. Again, working with his AA barber, they organized a health fair in Northern Albany.

As a retiree, he partners with others, to schedule COVID-19 vaccinations appointments, conduct research on the roles of Black pastors to mitigate COVID-19, review NIH funding grants, participates with COVID-19 Emerging Researchers and presenting on health equity, race and social justice. He is also an appointee, representing SPH on the Senate Faculty and the Department of Health Policy, Management and Community Dean's Advisory Council. He is an active member of the Albany Task Force, Center to Eliminate Health Disparities.

Professor Williams is the former director of the Undergraduate Public Health Program at UAlbany. He increased the number of undergraduate public health majors and minors by more than 50 percent, significantly increased the number of public health undergraduate students admitted into the Master of Public Health program at UAlbany, and financed and created the Nancy Persily and Robert K. Watts Books Scholarship for undergraduate public health majors.

Professor Williams taught Introduction to Public Health, and is now a lifelong mentor for UAlbany School of Public Health students and alumni.

Areas of Interest

• Public Health Leadership
• Health Equity
• Community Engagement
• Elimination of Health Disparities - Impact of Race on public health and health outcomes

Committee or Policy Work:

• Faculty Senate
• Albany Task Force