Randall Williams

Director, Missouri Dept. of Health & Senior Services

Randall W. Williams, MD, FACOG, is an obstetrician and gynecologist who graduated from the University of North Carolina with Honors in History and Zoology and received his medical training at the University of North Carolina where he was a Holderness Fellow. Dr. Williams was appointed as the Cabinet Director of Health and Senior Services (DHSS) and was subsequently unanimously confirmed by the Missouri Senate on March 9, 2017. He believes a fundamental tenet of effective leadership is to be readily available and accessible. He has visited all of Missouri’s 115 counties to listen and learn from all of Missouri’s citizens. Dr. Williams previously served as both the Deputy Secretary for Health and State Health Director in the Department of Health and Human Services in North Carolina. His responsibilities there included developing, integrating and communicating state health policy and helping lead a 17,000 member agency with a $20 billion budget that combined Medicaid, social services, public health and mental health services. Dr. Williams has also previously served on local and state boards of health, in addition to delivering 2000 babies as a practicing obstetrician. He also helped serve the medical needs of people in overseas conflict zones. His ongoing work has taken him to Iraq 12 times, and he has worked in Afghanistan, Libya and Haiti. Recognition of these efforts was reflected in his selection as Triangle Red Cross Humanitarian of the Year and the Raleigh News & Observer’s Tar Heel of the Week. He is an avid runner. Dr. Williams believes physical exercise contributes greatly to a sense of wellness and led a campaign to encourage families to participate in 5K runs for charity. He enjoys training for and running marathons and has run marathons in Boston, New York, Paris, Athens, Florence and Jerusalem.