Kayla M. Williams

Kayla M. Williams is a veteran, author, and policy expert whose career spans military service, memoir writing, and government leadership. Williams enlisted for five years as an Arabic linguist, serving in a Military Intelligence company of the 101st Airborne Division (Air Assault). Although she did not support the invasion of Iraq, she participated in one of the earliest invasions. During her deployment to Iraq, Williams was among the first troops to interact with Iraqi civilians while navigating the challenges of being part of the small percentage of women in the Army. She graduated cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in English literature from Bowling Green State University and earned a Master of Arts in international affairs with a focus on the Middle East from American University.

Williams drew on her firsthand military experience to author two memoirs. Her book, "Love My Rifle More Than You: Young and Female in the U.S. Army," chronicles her service as a female soldier and details the hardships faced by both soldiers and Iraqi civilians during deployment. Her second memoir, "Plenty of Time When We Get Home: Love and Recovery in the Aftermath of War," explores her family's journey from trauma to healing after her husband sustained a traumatic brain injury in combat, highlighting the complexities of navigating care systems and their subsequent advocacy work.

Williams is an advocate for service members and veterans dealing with invisible wounds of war, including post-traumatic stress disorder, traumatic brain injury, and military sexual trauma, as well as for their families and caregivers. She is recognized as an authority on women in the military and gender integration. Williams spent eight years at RAND Corporation conducting research on military and veteran policies, focusing on support for wounded warriors, transitioning service members, sexual harassment and assault in the military, psychological and cognitive injuries, and recovery services.

Williams also served as director of the Center for Women Veterans at the Department of Veterans Affairs, advising on policies, programs, and legislation affecting women veterans. Prior to returning to the VA, Williams was senior fellow and director of the Military, Veterans, and Society Program at the Center for a New American Security. She has held roles supporting transition efforts at the Department of Veterans Affairs and was appointed assistant secretary for public and intergovernmental affairs at the VA. Williams is a senior policy researcher at RAND Corporation, focusing on optimizing policies and programs for veterans and military personnel. Her recognitions include the White House Woman Veteran Champion of Change award and the Lincoln Award.