Her Story
About Hannah
Hannah Williams is an organizational leadership and people development professional with more than a decade of experience advancing culture strategy, health policy, and organizational effectiveness across higher education, academic medicine, and government. As Senior Administrator at The George Washington University School of Medicine and Health Sciences, she leads initiatives that strengthen organizational performance, improve employee engagement, and support institutional excellence. Throughout her career, Hannah has built a reputation for creating new programs, designing scalable systems, and developing policies that enable organizations to thrive while advancing health equity and public service.
Before joining George Washington University, Hannah served in multiple leadership roles with the District of Columbia Government, where she helped redesign the District's local wellness policy framework, developed a citywide indoor air quality improvement initiative, and oversaw COVID-19 health and safety compliance across the education sector. Earlier in her career, she worked as an exercise physiologist in clinical settings, combining expertise in public health, wellness, and healthcare operations. She holds a Master of Public Health in Health Policy and Management from The George Washington University and a Master of Science in Nutrition and Exercise Science from Queens College, along with numerous professional certifications, including the SHRM Senior Certified Professional (SHRM-SCP) credential.
Guided by a strong Christian faith and a thoughtful, analytical approach to leadership, Hannah views her work as an opportunity to serve others with integrity, excellence, and compassion. She is particularly energized by building organizations from the ground up—establishing new initiatives, creating policies, mentoring future leaders, and developing sustainable systems before preparing others to carry the work forward. An advocate for lifelong learning and women's leadership, Hannah encourages emerging professionals to anchor their careers in a meaningful sense of purpose while continually expanding their knowledge through mentorship, leadership literature, and strategic business education.
Her Interview
Ten minutes with Hannah
01What do you attribute your success to?
I would say my faith. I was raised in a Christian home and encouraged by my father, who's a reverend, to question Christianity and decide for myself. I view my work as working for the Lord, showing up every day as an example of God's love and grace. Being committed to my faith contributes, and I'm very cerebral - I think things through, evaluate options quickly, see the big picture, anticipate challenges and build in controls. I also think playing sports helped with discipline and functioning under pressure.
02What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
Every time I'm ready to transition or grow my career, take a moment to sit back, reflect on the current role, and write down the things about that role that I know I do not want to be part of my next position. Having the destination but not the route is important - be flexible.
03What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
Knowing your why is the number one thing. You've got to know why you're doing it, something that can sustain you no matter what's happening around you. And don't stop reading - read books by other leaders, especially women leaders, and from the Harvard Business Review book list to learn perspectives, close gaps, and prepare for the business side of the work.
04What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest opportunities in my field is closing gaps—whether between people, ideas, resources, or access. By identifying where those gaps exist and working collaboratively to bridge them, we can create stronger connections, improve outcomes, and drive meaningful, lasting progress.
05What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
Integrity means being the same person day in and day out, doing what's right consistently whether anyone's looking or not. Character includes admitting when I'm wrong. Transparency allows people to trust me.
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