“As one of the 12% of underrepresented scientists in the world, I can help bring hard-hitting research topics to the forefront so we can develop humanitarian approaches to policies affecting them.”

The healing power of Dr. Kawanna Jeffer Williams lies in simply being everywhere at once.

While earning her Ph.D. from Walden University in health psychology and working as a nurse practitioner with MedStar Health System in Washington D.C., “Dr. Kaye” is also an independent health systems consultant, frequent community volunteer and philanthropist, a policy advisor for the U.S. Congressional Task Force for the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Director of Operations for the Board of Young Government Leaders (YGL), a clinical research nurse specialist and data analyst for the National Institutes of Health (NIH), and the loving mother to a 12-year old son.

National Medical Fellowships was lucky to have her also join the most recent cohort of its Doctors in Clinical Trials Research (DCTR) program.

“In a marginalized research world, I had three strikes against me: being Black, being female, and being ‘just a nurse. Without the support and opportunities provided by DCTR, I would not have been considered for the prestigious R01 Epigeneticists award by the NIH council in 2025.”

Dr. Williams immigrated with her family from the Caribbean to south Philadelphia when she was two years old. Unfortunately, her little sister was then in and out of the hospital with asthma.

“In advocating for her, I’ve been involved with public service and the science of healing ever since,” she said.

Dr. Williams was incredibly community and academically focused throughout her early education, including acting as a health literacy volunteer and participating in summer leadership experiences at the state level in Pennsylvania and with The Franklin Institute in Philadelphia.

Seeking pre-medical education from the All-State Career School’s Allied Health Campus, Katharine Gibbs College, and Gwinnett College-Lilburn, she ultimately earned her undergraduate degree in nursing from Capella University.

“My undergraduate behavioral change research in nursing opened my eyes and changed my life. It showed me what it really takes to get patients through the door and keep them there.”

Dr. Williams later earned her executive MBA in healthcare law and economics from Howard University’s School of Business, and master’s degrees in nursing and philosophy from Walden University, where she is now also earning her Ph.D. in health psychology.

“The mind is not separate from the body,” Dr. Williams said. “You must get patients to buy into holistic care.”

Dr. Williams said she is interested in challenging the mistrust patients have in health care while helping them navigate health challenges and achieve personal goals through behavioral change.

“A wise woman once told me, ‘You can have it all, but you’re going to be really tired,’” she said. “That mantra is what drives my entrepreneurship – if you’re not well, you cannot efficiently take care of others.”

As president and CEO of Well-Konnect, Dr. Williams provides consulting services to health systems interested in improving their outcomes via governance change, community partnerships, and clinical research.

For example, Well-Konnect is currently launching a partnership between the D.C. Department of Health, MedStar Health System, NIH and HHS to engage and treat diabetic patients with a mobile clinic.

Her philanthropic foundation, Well-Konnect Cares, is also developing community-based initiatives with Washington D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser to prevent homelessness and provide health services to the unhoused.

“We need to meet patients and people where they’re at,” she said.

Though Williams said she was propelled into research when her cousin and best friend was diagnosed with end-stage breast cancer, her role as a clinical research nurse specialist and data analyst with NIH also aligns with her focus on holistic community health and wellbeing.

“As a Ph.D. Fellow, the goal is to address cost-effectiveness and reduction in hospitalization rates, improve health determinants, and analyze health policies that impact the unmet needs of participants in high-risk communities,” she said.

Dr. Williams first trained with the NIH Genome Research Institute in clinical research before becoming a researcher for the “All of Us” project and working on projects such as multi-symptom evaluation tools for post-acute COVID-19 syndrome, HIV immunization awareness, and more.

“As one of the 12% of underrepresented scientists in the world, I can help bring hard-hitting research topics to the forefront so we can develop humanitarian approaches to policies affecting them,” she said.

In 2022, Dr. Williams joined Young Government Leaders, a nationwide, non-profit professional organization for young federal government employees, and was recently promoted to Director of Operations of its executive board.

“We help shape the lives of those striving to provide public service through policy,” she said.

In addition to learning how to better provide community outreach alongside scientific research, Dr. Williams also sought networking and mentorship opportunities with NMF’s DCTR program.

“It’s so pivotal to be able to reach out to a solid support system, and NMF’s DCTR provided one like no other. There are many barriers to getting started and showing the validity of your research, and it can take such a long time that we often get deterred and distracted, but one day, if you keep putting the work in and growing your network, your research can open up big in many ways.”