Dr. Michelle Williams is a renowned epidemiologist, an award-winning educator, and a widely recognized academic leader. Since stepping down as Dean of the Faculty at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health she joined Stanford University’s School of Medicine faculty as a tenured Professor of Epidemiology and Population Health. Prior to becoming Dean at Harvard, she was Professor and Chair of the Department of Epidemiology at the Harvard Chan School and Program Leader of the Population Health and Health Disparities Research Programs at Harvard’s Clinical and Translational Sciences Center. Her book, "The Cure for Everything: The Epic Struggle for Public Health and a Radical Vision for Human Thriving," was published by Penguin Random House on February 3, 2026.
Dr. Williams’ research places special emphasis in the areas of reproductive, perinatal, pediatric, and molecular epidemiology. She has published more than 560 scientific articles and was elected to the National Academy of Medicine in 2016. Her commitment to mentoring the next generation of public health leaders has been recognized through numerous prestigious awards, including the Presidential Award for Excellence in Science, Mathematics, and Engineering Mentoring from the White House in 2012. In 2020, she was awarded the Ellis Island Medal of Honor and recognized by PR Week as one of the top 50 health influencers of the year. Dr. Williams has an undergraduate degree in biology and genetics from Princeton University, a master’s in civil engineering from Tufts University, and master’s and doctoral degrees in epidemiology from the Harvard Chan School.