Profile

Dr. Cynthia Williams is an Assistant Professor in the School of Global Health Management and Informatics at the University of Central Florida. She holds a BS in Exercise Physiology from the University of Florida and a BS in Physical Therapy from Florida A&M University, and earned both an MHA and a PhD in Health Services Research from UCF.

Dr. Williams brings an interdisciplinary background that enhances her ability to serve the community and lead impactful, community‑engaged research. Her work focuses on telehealth, health equity, aging, and chronic disease management, with a particular emphasis on individuals and low‑income minority groups who experience vulnerabilities within the healthcare and public health systems. She is committed to strengthening partnerships through education, research, and service, and to communicating her findings to broad audiences.

Dr. Williams work centers on telehealth, health equity, aging, and chronic disease management. An interdisciplinary scholar and community‑engaged investigator, she partners with state agencies, nonprofits, and long‑term care organizations to co‑design and evaluate real‑world solutions. Her projects include studies informing Florida’s adoption of telemental health in case management, text‑message support for maternal mental health among Medicaid recipients (expanded to a fatherhood program), and digital communication strategies in senior living during COVID‑19 to support social wellness and technology uptake.

Dr. Williams’ telehealth research examines equitable access and utilization among populations experiencing vulnerabilities (e.g., heart failure, COPD, diabetes). Findings indicate lower telehealth use among older adults on Medicaid, non‑Hispanic Black individuals, and those with heart failure; during COVID‑19, utilization increased among People of Color yet equity gaps persisted, with vulnerable communities more likely to use audio than video visits. She also contributes to a multi‑site study on cognitive decline and leads work on the Greenhouse Model of memory care and older adults’ digital communication preferences, with ongoing collaborations exploring nutrition, micro bacteria, social frailty, and cognition.

A former home health physical therapist and home care business president, she brings clinical and administrative expertise to program design, evaluation, policy translation, and community partnership building, advancing impactful, equity‑focused research.

• Telehealth/Telemedicine
• Health Equity
• Aging
• Chronic Disease Management