Congratulations to Dr. Estell Williams, WIHSE Executive Director, emergency surgeon, community builder, and dedicated mentor, on being awarded the UW’s 2026 honoree for Black History Month!

UW and the Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity celebrate Dr. Williams for her inclusive leadership, mentorship of future doctors, and dedication to building community on and beyond campus. 

From the first grade, Dr. Estell Williams knew she wanted to be a doctor. The self-described science nerd isn’t quite sure where that came from, but she’s got a few guesses.

Maybe it’s the fact that she had a Black pediatrician growing up, one whose office walls were plastered with photos of Black patients and their families, making it look like a relative’s living room. Or all those times she tagged along with her cousin to nursing classes at a local community college, taking copious and detailed notes, even as a child. But ultimately, when Williams attended a summer program designed to introduce her to health careers as a teenager, she knew medicine was her calling.

Read more on Dr. Williams journey here.

(Originally featured by the Office of Minority Affairs & Diversity)