Deputy Director

Ian Williams, PhD, MS

Ian Williams, PhD, MS is Deputy Director for the Office of Readiness and Response (ORR).

Prior to joining ORR, Dr. Williams served as Chief of the Outbreak Response and Prevention Branch in the Division of Foodborne, Waterborne and Environmental Diseases for the National Center for Emerging and Zoonotic Infectious Diseases (NCEZID). In this role he was responsible for leading national responses to investigate, control, and prevent foodborne enteric disease outbreaks in the United States.

Dr. Williams is a nationally and internationally recognized subject matter expert in the epidemiology, prevention, control, and public health emergency response to enteric diseases. He has served as a senior advisor on science issues for outbreak investigations and has led investigations resulting in specific product recalls of hundreds of foods. These investigations have resulted in major changes that have increased the safety of the nation’s food supply.

Dr. Williams has demonstrated in his 30 years’ experience the ability to lead, direct, and manage public health emergency responses. He has served in leadership roles in a number of major responses where the CDC Emergency Operation Center has been activated, including most recently as a Deputy Incident Manager for the COVID-19 response.

Dr. Williams is a graduate of CDC’s Epidemic Intelligence Service Program. He earned a PhD in Infectious Disease Epidemiology from the Johns Hopkins School of Hygiene and Public Health and a Master of Science degree in Preventive Medicine from the Ohio State University.

Dr. Williams is also an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Epidemiology in the Rollins School of Public Health at Emory University.