Assistant Professor
Community Health and Prevention
kofoworola.williams@drexel.edu
Download CV

Degrees

PhD, Social and Behavioral Sciences, Virginia Commonwealth University
MPH, Environmental and Occupational Health, Dornsife School of Public Health, Drexel University
CAS, Global Health, Syracuse University
BS, Biology, Syracuse University

Bio

Dr. Kofoworola D.A. Williams is a social and behavioral scientist and mental health disparities researcher whose work focuses on promoting mental health and well-being among Black men.

Her research examines how Black men recognize and experience their mental health, navigate support systems, and engage with mental health resources within their social, cultural, and community contexts. Using mixed methods and community-engaged research approaches, she studies the roles of coping, trust, help-seeking, social support, and community assets in shaping mental health outcomes. Her work is grounded in a strengths-based perspective that emphasizes cultural assets and community capacity as critical drivers of mental health promotion and equity.

Through partnerships with community organizations, stakeholders, and Black men themselves, Dr. Williams develops and evaluates culturally responsive strategies to improve mental health engagement and access to care. Her research also explores how digital technologies, social media, and other innovative approaches can expand the reach of culturally relevant mental health support, with the goal of advancing mental health equity and suicide prevention.

Prior to joining Drexel, Dr. Williams completed an NRSA T32 postdoctoral fellowship in digital mental health at Northwestern University's Center for Behavioral Intervention Technologies (CBITs). Her contributions to health disparities research have been recognized through honors including NIMH's Health Disparities Research Loan Repayment Award and selection to the NIMHD's Health Disparities Research Institute.

Dr. Williams earned her PhD in Social and Behavioral Sciences from Virginia Commonwealth University, where she was a Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) Doctoral Scholar. She also holds an MPH from Drexel University's Dornsife School of Public Health, a Certificate of Advanced Study in Global Health, and a BS in Biology from Syracuse University.

Research Interests

Dr. Williams's bio outlines specific research interests within the scope of her research program.

Publications

See Dr. Williams's full list of publications on PubMed