Lovoria B. Williams, PhD

Co-Director, CEDC

Dr. Lovoria B. Williams is an associate professor in the College of Nursing and Graduate Studies. She is the Director of the Community Health Advocacy iNterventions Generating Equity (CHANGE) Team and the Associate Director of Cancer Health Equity, Diversity and Inclusion at the NCI-designated Markey Cancer Center (MCC), where she holds the endowed Research Professorship in Cancer Health Equity. Dr. Williams is Chair of the MCC Diversity & Inclusivity Committee and the Cancer Prevention Program. Dr. Williams received her undergraduate degrees in nursing from Union University and the Medical College of Georgia. She earned a Master’s of Nursing [Family Nurse Practitioner] from Georgia Southern University and a PhD in Nursing with Distinction from Georgia Regents University. Her research aims to advance health equity among racial/ethnic minority and medically underserved populations through community engaged research methods to affect improved diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer outcomes. She is nationally-recognized for developing culturally-adapted interventions for implementation by community health workers in church settings. Dr. Williams’ work has been funded by the National Institutes of Health, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Bristol-Myers Squibb Foundation. Clinically, she is an active Family Nurse Practitioner. She affects tobacco prevention behaviors through her practice as a Tobacco Treatment Specialist. Dr. Williams adeptly integrates student teaching and research into her family nurse practitioner role. For UK ASCEND, Dr. Williams will oversee authentic community engagement activities and will Co-Direct the CEDC, to promote productive and sustainable collaborations with diverse community stakeholders and broad dissemination of research findings.