To enable the University of Kentucky College of Medicine to succeed in its mission for a healthier Kentucky, leadership must prioritize the wellness and well-being of faculty, staff, and learners. We are excited to announce that Lisa Williams, MSSA, has been selected to serve in a new position to help us excel in this goal.
Beginning Aug. 17, Ms. Williams will lead initiatives and programs as the associate dean for wellness and well-being. In this role she will provide a strategic vision for improving health and well-being outcomes, building upon current strengths and collaborating on opportunities for growth with evidence-based approaches. Her work will encompass mental, spiritual, emotional, career, financial, physical, and community well-being.
“This new role will move the College of Medicine into a new era, ensuring the wellness and well-being of our college community is an enabler for us to meet our ambitious goals in education, research, and health care delivery,” said Acting Dean Charles H. Griffith, MD, MSPH.
The College of Medicine Wellness Committee, College Community Well-Being strategic plan workgroup, and leadership worked on developing this position for more than a year. The process included an extensive nationwide search involving several college leaders.
Ms. Williams has an extensive record of promoting well-being and addressing the wellness needs of her colleagues. With a combined 15 years at UK, Ms. Williams has held multiple leadership positions and has been involved in numerous presentations and research projects in related areas.
She most recently served as adjunct assistant professor and consultant at the UK College of Health Sciences, where she also served as an instructor, advisor, and coach for the physician assistant program. Prior to this role, she taught graduate-level courses and served as a consultant for six years at the UK College of Social Work.
Since 2017, Ms. Williams has run a successful coaching and consulting business, working closely with organizations to assess and improve employee engagement and organizational culture while providing coaching in emotional intelligence and leadership. Her clients have included Bluegrass Care Navigators, the University of Kentucky Women’s Forum, Dental Care Plus, LG&E and Kentucky Utilities, local public and private school systems, and numerous other organizations. She is co-founder and co-facilitator of the High Impact Leadership Project, a program designed to advance emotional intelligence and future leadership competences. Over the past four years, there have been more than 70 participants throughout Kentucky and Ohio.
In 2015, Ms. Williams provided oversight of the YMCA of Central Kentucky’s Beaumont and Jessamine County branches as executive director while creating and evaluating programs to promote physical, mental, and social health. Beforehand, she developed sustainability and growth strategies for the UK Institute for Workplace Innovation as acting co-executive director and assistant director of management and operations.
Ms. Williams’s expertise in well-being and professional development will be vital as the College of Medicine works toward promoting holistic health for all faculty, staff, and learners. Her appointment demonstrates the college’s commitment to this priority and ensuring it maintains accountability and progress.