Andrew Williams
- Associate Professor, Public Health Program
Contact Info
- Email: andrew.d.williams@UND.edu
- Office: 701.777.6718
Office Address
School of Medicine & Health Sciences Room E161
1301 N Columbia Rd Stop 9037
Grand Forks, ND 58202-9037
Curriculum Vitae
Websites
Biography
Andrew D. Williams is an Associate Professor in the Public Health Program at the University of North Dakota's School of Medicine and Health Sciences, where he has been on faculty since 2019. He also serves as Principal Investigator and Executive Director of the North Dakota Perinatal Quality Collaborative, leading multiple federally-funded initiatives to improve maternal and infant health outcomes across the state.
His research focuses on understanding and addressing health disparities affecting Indigenous communities and rural populations, particularly in the areas of maternal mortality, prenatal care access, and the impact of adverse childhood experiences on perinatal health outcomes. He currently leads several major research projects, including the Stress and Health in American Indian Pregnancies (SHAIP) Study, which examines associations between maternal trauma and birth outcomes among American Indian women in North Dakota.
With over 40 peer-reviewed publications, Dr. Williams has made significant contributions to understanding how social determinants like racial residential segregation, environmental exposures, and structural inequities influence maternal and child health outcomes. His work has been recognized with numerous awards, including the 2019 NIH Fellows Award for Research Excellence and inclusion in Prairie Business's "40 Under 40" list.
Beyond research, Dr. Williams is deeply committed to training the next generation of public health professionals, mentoring numerous graduate students and teaching courses in epidemiology and research methods. He actively serves on editorial boards, grant review panels, and professional committees, while maintaining strong partnerships with tribal communities and state health organizations to translate research findings into actionable public health improvements.
Dr. Williams completed a postdoctoral fellowship in the Epidemiology Branch of the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. He completed his PhD in Maternal and Child Health from the School of Public Health at the University of Maryland in 2017. He earned his M.P.H. in Community Health from New York University and his B.S. in Mass Communications from Minnesota State University Moorhead.
PH 550 Research Methods in Population Health
PH 552 Epidemiology 2
PH 594 MPH Applied Practice Experience
IH 751 Applied Epidemiology
Maternal and Child Health
Pregnancy outcomes
Stress
Racial disparities
Structural Inequalities
Recent peer-reviewed publications
^student/trainee author
^Ingle C, Anderson R, & Williams AD. “Intersections of Sexual Orientation, Gender Identity, and Race/Ethnicity and Odds of Reporting Depression and Anxiety Symptomology in the Household Pulse Survey.” Journal of Mental Health. (in press).
^Stiller T, ^Kihlstrom AC, ^Sultana N, Njau G, Schmidt M, Stepanov A & Williams AD. “Use of telehealth did not mitigate persistent disparities in prenatal care access among American Indian women in North Dakota.” Journal of Rural Health. July 12, 2025. http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/jrh.70056
^Shropshire S, & Williams AD. “The protective effect of frequent religious service attendance on pregnancy loss.” Discov Public Health 22, 7 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s12982-025-00400-4.
^Kihlstrom AC, ^Stiller T, ^Sultana N, Njau G, Schmidt M, Stepanov A & Williams AD. “The impact of marriage on breastfeeding duration: Examining the disproportionate effect of COVID-19 on marginalized communities.” Int Breastfeed J20, 1 (2025). https://doi.org/10.1186/s13006-024-00698-x
Martinez V, Yen IH, Alvarez C, Williams AD & Ha S. “Exposure to environmental chemicals and infertility among US reproductive-aged women.” Int. J. Environ. Res. Public Health2024, 21(12), 1541; https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph21121541
^Schultz K, Ha S, & Williams AD. “Gestational Diabetes and Subsequent Metabolic Dysfunction: An NHANES Analysis (2011-2018).” Metab Syndr Relat Disord. 2024 Apr 17. https://doi.org/10.1089/met.2023.0269
Recent conference presentations
Oral Presentations
Williams AD. “Areas lacking obstetric care and screening for drivers of maternal morbidity and mortality.” Society for Pediatric and Perinatal Epidemiologic Research’s 38th Annual Meeting. Boston, MA. June 9-10, 2025.
Husna A, Antwi J, & Williams AD. “Development and implementation of a discharge plan for substance-exposed infants in North Dakota.” 2025 National Network of Perinatal Quality Collaboratives Annual Meeting. May 5-7, 2025. New Orleans.
Antwi J, Husna A, & Williams AD. “Extending perinatal quality improvement to non-birthing facilities in rural Northern Plains communities.” 2025 National Network of Perinatal Quality Collaboratives Annual Meeting. May 5-7, 2025. New Orleans.
Williams AD, Shenassa E, & Pasternak B. “Physician Density, Racial Residential Concentration, and Adverse Perinatal Outcomes: A Hierarchical Study.” Society for Pediatric and Perinatal Epidemilogic Research 2025 Virtual Meeting. April 8, 2025.
^Labuhn M, & Williams AD. “Adverse Childhood Experiences and Utilization of Preventive Healthcare among Children in Rural Communities in the United States (NHIS 2022).” Society for Pediatric and Perinatal Epidemiologic Research’s 37th Annual Meeting. Austin, TX. June 17, 2024.
Poster Presentations
^student/trainee author
Martinez V, Bradman A, Young ME, Williams AD & Ha S. “Association between maternal residence in ethnic enclaves and adequate prenatal care utilization among Latinas in California.” Society for Pediatric and Perinatal Epidemiologic Research’s 38th Annual Meeting. Boston, MA. June 9-10, 2025.
^Siegle R, ^Schroeder M, Lutz D & Williams AD. “Examining the rural-urban divide in VBAC rates: A multi-state study.” Society for Pediatric and Perinatal Epidemiologic Research’s 38th Annual Meeting. Boston, MA. June 9-10, 2025.
^Schroeder M, ^Siegle R, Lutz D & Williams AD. “Stress and Pregnancy Outcomes: Investigating the Link between Stressful Life Events and Stillbirth” Society for Pediatric and Perinatal Epidemiologic Research’s 38th Annual Meeting. Boston, MA. June 9-10, 2025.
Antwi J, Husna A, ^Bergeron R, ^Parisien K, & *Williams AD. “Higher Postpartum Diabetes Screening Rates Among Rural Women with Gestational Diabetes in North Dakota (2017-2021).” Society for Pediatric and Perinatal Epidemiologic Research’s 38th Annual Meeting. Boston, MA. June 9-10, 2025.
Husna A, Antwi J, ^Bergeron R, ^Parisien K, & *Williams AD. “Postpartum Depression Screening disparity among American Indian Women in urban & rural setting of North Dakota.” 2025 Society for Epidemiologic Research Conference. Boston, MA. June 10-13.
University of Maryland
Ph.D. Maternal and Child Health
New York University
M.P.H. Community Public Health
Minnesota State University Moorhead
B.S. Mass Communications: Public Relations
Associate Professor, Public Health Program, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of North Dakota (July 2025 - Present)
Assistant Professor, Public Health Program, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of North Dakota (September 2019 - June 2025)
Postdoctoral Research Fellow, Epidemiology Branch, Division of Intramural Population Health Research, Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development, National Institutes of Health (June 2017 – June 2019)
Graduate Research Assistant, Department of Family Science, School of Public Health, University of Maryland (August 2012 – June 2017)
Project Coordinator, North Dakota Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Center, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine and Health Sciences, University of North Dakota (December 2009 – July 2012)
Current grants support
Extramural funding
North and South Dakota Perinatal Quality Collaborative. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Statewide Perinatal Quality Collaboratives. 1 NU58DP007252-01-00. 2022-Present. My Role: Principal Investigator/Executive Director (4% effort). Award to date: $275,000. Purpose: Build capacity for the North and South Dakota Perinatal Quality Collaborative to implement quality improvement projects. A 5-year award, with a two-year focus on perinatal substance use disorders, then reducing maternal hemorrhage, followed by a project to reduce primary cesarean deliveries, with community and maternal mortality review committees to inform the year-5 project.
COVID-19 Health Disparities. North Dakota Department of Health. G21.255. July 2021 – Present. My Role: Principal Investigator (2% Effort). Award to date: $135,516. Purpose: To examine health disparities in pregnancy outcomes during the COVID-19 pandemic. We are also examining use of telemedicine services among pregnant women in North Dakota, as well as the impact of COVID-19 hospital policies on social support during delivery and postpartum.
Stress and Health in American Indian Pregnancies (SHAIP) Study. NIH/NIGMS. 1P20GM139759 (sub award: 5898). Principal Investigator: Donald Warne (2021-2022); Jonathan Geiger (interim 2022-current). 2021-Present. My Role: Project Leader (50% Effort). Award to date: $536,320. Purpose: To examine the association between maternal Adverse Childhood Experiences and obstetric and infant health among American Indian women and their infants in North Dakota.
Completed grants support
Internal funding
Maternal stress in pregnancy and placental function. University of North Dakota School of Medicine and Health Sciences. 2020-2021. My Role: Principal Investigator. Total award: $50,000. Purpose: To examine the association between maternal perceived stress during pregnancy and placental function, as measured by placental pathology report and blood plasma analytes collected between 30-32 weeks gestation.
Research-related awards
Telehealth and pregnancy outcomes among American Indian women in North Dakota. NIH/NIMHD. 1 L60 MD017794-01. NIH Loan Repayment Program. My Role: Principal Investigator. Purpose: To determine if telehealth is a mechanism with which AI/AN women in ND can more easily access prenatal care early in pregnancy, thus reducing disparities in early prenatal care and obstetric outcomes in this high-risk population.