CARTERET COUNTY, NC – After a thorough nationwide search, Carteret County has hired Randall Williams, M.D. to lead its Health and Human Services Department. He will serve as Interim Consolidated Health and Human Services Director for the county’s largest department, which oversees public health and social services for the community.
Taking care of patients for more than 30 years, Williams has a distinguished career in public health and healthcare management. He has been a leader in several program areas, including the opioid epidemic, women’s and children's health care, decreasing maternal and infant mortality rates, improving health care in rural areas, and emergency preparedness and response.
Williams, a board-certified obstetrician gynecologist, was previously the state health officer and cabinet director of the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services (DHSS). There he was responsible for the oversight and management of the department and administration of its programs and services which protected the health and safety of Missourians. Williams also led the state’s COVID-19 response and planning efforts at the beginning of the pandemic.
“Dr. Williams is a well-respected physician who has a strong background in public health, and we are thrilled to welcome him to Carteret County,” said County Manager Tommy Burns. “We’re excited to add his knowledge and expertise to our Health and Human Services team, and we look forward to working with Dr. Williams to improve and protect the health and well-being of all who live, work and play in our county.”
Prior to his time with the Missouri DHSS, Williams served as state health director and deputy secretary of North Carolina Health and Human Services where he led operations for the Office of Rural Health and Community Care, which had a budget of approximately $20 billion and included more than 17,000 employees across its divisions. He was charged with promoting and supporting population health in North Carolina by providing senior management, leadership and public health expertise.
A native North Carolinian, he graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill with honors with a double major in History and Zoology, and went on to the UNC School of Medicine where he was a Holderness Fellow and co-founded the Students Teaching Early Prevention initiative. He then served as Administrative Chief Resident in Obstetrics and Gynecology at North Carolina Memorial Hospital.
Williams was in private practice in Raleigh, NC for 26 years and delivered over 2,000 babies. He has been active in many local, state and national public health organizations, in which he has served in numerous leadership roles. Williams has served as a volunteer in U.S. State Department and World Health Organizations sponsored endeavors, teaching physicians and helping clinical governance overseas. Serving mostly in conflict zones, his work has taken him to Afghanistan, Haiti, Iraq and Libya. He has been recognized as the Red Cross Humanitarian of the Year, Raleigh News & Observer Tar Heel of the Week and Triangle Business Journal Health Care Hero of the Year.
His new interim role will begin on Monday, July 18, 2022.
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