We’re excited to welcome MCW colleague Vesper Williams to the Clinical and Translational Science Institute (CTSI) in a newly created role designed to strengthen and support the people who make clinical research happen every day. Williams will join the CTSI as the Medical College of Wisconsin’s first Associate Director for Clinical Trial Operations and Workforce Development.

This new role is about more than improving systems—it’s about giving clinical research staff a dedicated resource to help navigate those systems and succeed within them. Williams will provide strategic and operational leadership for the CTSI Clinical Trials Office and the Adult Translational Research Unit (A-TRU), ensuring excellence in clinical research operations, compliance, and staff development. She will also lead efforts to strengthen training, professional development, and standardized competencies for MCW’s clinical research workforce.

“I plan to bring a fresh perspective, enthusiasm, and a focus on continuous process improvement to the role,” shares Williams, “I hope to establish the CTSI as a cultural hub and home for research at MCW.”

Williams will work with leadership and teams across MCW and beyond to identify opportunities to make clinical trial operations more efficient, transparent, and consistent. She will also play an important role in institutional initiatives such as ACTIVATE, which is transforming how clinical trials move from initial intake through activation at MCW. She will serve as an architect and catalyst for institutional improvement in clinical trial processes, strengthening the overall clinical trial portfolio at MCW.

“I’m very excited to work with this new group of colleagues and to build systems and processes that support MCW’s dynamic research environment, foster collaboration, and help propel the CTSI’s mission forward.” says Williams.

Williams has been a dedicated staff member at MCW for nearly 18 years and served as the Research Operations Manager for the Department of Ophthalmology & Visual Sciences since late 2019. In that role, Williams directed the department’s research operations across clinical, translational, and basic science programs. She also led change management initiatives across five MCW departments. In addition, Williams has served on an MCW IRB Committee for 16 years and have spent the last six years as Vice Chair for IRB Committee #2. Outside of work, she enjoys family time, cooking, and traveling.

Please join us in welcoming Vesper Williams to CTSI—and in making the most of this exciting new resource for our clinical research community.