Career Highlights
Career highlights include:
• Founded Focus Consulting Group in 1992 to honor and promote interdependence and collaboration in the workplace. Core facilitation services include strategic planning, team building and conflict resolution, continuous improvement, and leadership development.
• Featured in the media as a guest presenter in newspaper and radio.
• Worked throughout the United States with healthcare managers and executives to increase their skills in leading others. From 1989-1996, served as the program coordinator for the team that first developed and implemented the Clinical Executive Institutes for the Department of Veterans Affairs. These three-week leadership programs were specifically designed for physicians, nurses, and other healthcare clinicians transitioning into the role of clinical executives. Received numerous awards and recognition from the Department of Veterans Affairs for work in leadership development, train-the-trainer programs and for efforts in encouraging collaboration in education among VA facilities.
• Extensive knowledge of the Department of Veterans Affairs, both as a VA employee for seven years and as an external consultant for seventeen years. Dr. Williams has worked with VHA leadership at Central Office, VISN Directors, Clinical Leaders, and VAMC Directors as a retreat/meeting facilitator, as well as in the areas of organizational/leadership development and strategic planning. She has participated as an external consultant in many VHA transitions and organizational changes in recent years. One such consultation resulted in a VHA medical center (previously 2 separate facilities) receiving the Hammer Award for their collaborative efforts.
• Worked extensively with the Veterans Health Administration Office of Health Information since 2001 and has gained an overall understanding of the OHI organizational structure and IT Services delivery processes.
• Currently teaches communication skills to VISN/medical center supervisors through ongoing VHA Leadership Development Programs.
• Authored and published a book about effective communication in the workplace titled, "Working as One: Fundamental Conversations That Build Cooperation & Get Results” in October, 2007 (Available through Brown Books Publishing and all major bookstores.)
• Taught at both the secondary and university levels and worked as a peer facilitator for adults in transition. For seven years, served as Regional Coordinator for Management Training and Development for the Department of Veterans Affairs.
• Volunteered for Gennasarit, a local hunger center, served on the Board of the Medina Summit County Land Conservancy and former Board President of the Crown Point Ecology Center in Bath, Ohio.
• BS in Education from Ohio University, Athens, Ohio. MS in Guidance & Counseling from Youngstown State University, Youngstown, Ohio. PhD in Secondary/Higher Education from the University of Akron, Akron, Ohio.