Olajide Williams

Olajide Williams is a professor and chief of staff of the Department of Neurology at Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons. A specialist in stroke and cerebrovascular diseases, Williams serves as an attending physician at New York-Presbyterian Hospital and a clinical neurologist at Columbia University Irving Medical Center. He earned his medical degree from University of Lagos, Nigeria, and completed his neurology residency and neuromuscular fellowship training at The Neurological Institute of New York. Williams also holds a Master of Science from Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health.

Williams is recognized for his work in stroke disparities and community-based behavioral intervention research. He is founder and chair of Hip Hop Public Health, an organization that develops and implements multimedia public health interventions to engage young people in the health of their families and communities. Williams serves as principal investigator for multiple National Institutes of Health investigator-initiated awards, including a Center for Stroke Disparities Solutions in New York.

As a clinician-educator, Williams is a member of the Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons Virginia Apgar Academy of Medical Educators and an inaugural member of the Academy of Community and Public Service. He teaches courses on clinical practice and neuroscience to medical students and is engaged in addressing healthcare disparities and promoting diversity and inclusion in academic medicine. Williams is co-director of the Columbia Wellness Center, where he leads initiatives such as the Community Health Worker Stroke Prevention program and the Tailored Approaches to Stroke Health Education research program.

Williams has published numerous scholarly articles and the book "Stroke Diaries." He has received international, national, and regional awards, including the European Stroke Research Foundation Investigator of the Year award, two Columbia University Outstanding Teacher of the Year awards for the Major Clinical Year, the American Heart Association’s Trailblazer award, and a National Humanism in Medicine award from the Association of American Medical Colleges. Williams has been named on Fast Company Magazine’s 100 Most Creative People list, Root 100’s most influential Blacks in America list, and New York Magazine's Best Doctors list. He serves on several nonprofit boards, including the Board of Directors for the Partnership for a Healthier America. Williams is recognized for his leadership in public health communication, particularly for leveraging music and multimedia to address health inequities, and is a frequent speaker at national and international conferences on health disparities and innovative health education.