Craig Williams spent years in politics, serving as chief of staff for Maryland Gov. Larry Hogan and deputy chief of staff for former Gov. Robert Ehrlich. But he’s no stranger to health care.
In both those prior roles, he oversaw statewide health care priorities, including budgeting, legislation, policy and management issues. In these roles, Williams worked closely with the Maryland Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, the Department of Budget and Management, the Health Services Cost Review Commission, and the Maryland Health Care Commission, so moving to Johns Hopkins HealthCare last November to become vice president for health innovation and management solutions seemed like a natural fit.
“It’s a really exciting new role, with the recognition that our health system is changing rapidly,” Williams says. “Johns Hopkins Medicine and Johns Hopkins HealthCare are at the cutting edge of delivering innovative care and coverage for large populations. However, the changing environment in health policy requires us to be constantly nimble and to explore and invent new solutions.”
In this position, Williams is responsible for building a business unit to develop innovative products and services that improve individual and population health. He also coordinates with faculty members and Johns Hopkins HealthCare Solutions to enhance the solutions division’s efforts to drive clinically tested products and services to the marketplace.
“Some of the innovations we’re working on are expanding access to our population health data analytics program, the Johns Hopkins ACG System, and tailoring it to clients domestically and around the world,” he says. “We’re also working with internal partners to expand the on-site clinic services we provide to employers as well as a variety of solutions in chronic disease to improve health outcomes.”
Williams holds a bachelor’s degree in English and political science from Bethany College in West Virginia and a master’s degree and Ph.D. in political science from the University of Oklahoma. His doctoral work included concentrations in congressional studies, public policy analysis and political theory.
His career began in the late 1990s in the Washington office of then-U.S. Rep. Ehrlich, where his duties included representing Ehrlich on the Energy and Commerce Committee and its Subcommittee on Health, covering Medicaid and all health-related matters. When Ehrlich was elected governor, Williams followed him to the State House as his deputy chief of staff and deputy chief of policy. From 2007 to 2014, Williams served as director of public policy for biotechnology firm Amgen, where he was responsible for health policy analysis in all 50 states.
“This role is an exciting opportunity for Johns Hopkins to build a larger platform to connect with entrepreneurs and the larger health system, and deliver applied products and services to a marketplace hungry to improve population health,” Williams says.
