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Ken Williams and Dr. Emilia Williams desire to see the students in this rural community exposed to educational opportunities that extend beyond their existing communities. Ken is a 1985 graduate of Ruffin High School and Emilia is a 1983 graduate of Long Beach Polytechnic High in Long Beach, California. They realize that all students have the ability to reach their fullest potential given the opportunity to be exposed to new environments and new learning experiences. |
Ken Williams & Dr. Emilia Williams
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Ken Williams is a native of Colleton County and a 1985 graduate of Ruffin High School, where he proudly held the distinction of Salutatorian of his graduating class, and the reputation of a standout scholar-athlete. Ken was a two-time, All-Region and SC All-State Football and Basketball player his junior and senior years. Ken attended The Citadel and earned a bachelor degree in business administration in 1989. After graduation, he was commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant in the United States Army and was stationed in Germany. He served one tour in Desert Shield/Dessert Storm, where he received numerous awards for his valor. He was the youngest commander in his battalion at Fort Knox, Kentucky, commanding an infantry company as a 1st Lieutenant. After serving five years in the military and receiving an honorable discharge, Ken was heavily recruited by several Fortune 500 companies. A 14-year tenure in healthcare sales with Johnson and Johnson, as well as employment with Sepracor and Microsoft, helped build an impressive résumé for Ken. Currently, he is the vice president of sales for M2 Information Systems, overseeing sales revenue for the company. In 2005, Ken was honored by the National Urban League as one of the top 40 Black executives in the USA under the age of 40. Presently, Ken and his wife, Emilia, reside in Kauai, HI. Despite a busy career and travel schedule, Ken still finds time to volunteer at the local Salvation Army and Kauai Humane Society. He is also a member of OMEGA PSI PHI FRATERNITY, INC. He has an enduring love for sports. He trains in mixed martial arts and boxing and is an avid weight lifter. Ken and his wife both enjoy downhill skiing, scuba diving, and traveling to various countries to experience other cultures. Emilia Williams is a native of Long Beach, California, where at the early age of 12, she developed an interest in medicine. She recalls her 7th grade science teacher recommended she attend a science summer camp at the University of California, Irvine Medical School. Today, Emilia is living her dreams as an accomplished surgeon in Kauai, Hawaii. Emilia attended Long Beach Polytechnic High School. After high school, she earned a full academic scholarship to Johns Hopkins University where she was a premedical student. After graduating in 1987, she attended medical school at the University of Illinois, College of Medicine in Rockford, Illinois. Dr. Williams has always enjoyed working with her hands and developed an interest in surgery. She was accepted into a General Surgery Residency for surgical training at the Ochsner Clinic in New Orleans, Louisiana, followed by additional training and specialization in surgical oncology at Moffitt Cancer Institute at the University of South Florida. In 1999, Emilia completed her formal training and became an assistant professor of surgery at West Virginia Medical School. She enjoyed teaching medical students and surgery residents so much, that she accepted another teaching position in Seattle, Washington at Virginia Mason Medical Center. In 2005, Emilia and her husband, Ken Williams, moved to Hawaii and began a medical practice to provide surgical cancer services on the Island of Kauai. Although Emilia is very busy with her surgical practice, she finds time to develop other interests like dance, scuba diving, downhill skiing, and international travel to name a few. Emilia is also a member of DELTA SIGMA THETA SORORITY, INC.
NATIONAL ADVISORY BOARD MEMBERSJanet Halyard Williams [East Coast] - is a native of Colleton County and a 1962 graduate of Ruffin High School, Ruffin, South Carolina. Janet was an accelerated student who participated in numerous activities in school, but her love was oratory. One of her fondest memories is winning second place in the school oratorical contest. Diligent studies earned Janet the opportunity to graduate from high school one year earlier than planned. After graduation, she attended Mather Junior College in Beaufort, South Carolina, earning an Associate Degree. Years later, she gained employment at Sunbeam Appliance Company and was the first to integrate their office personnel in 1964. In 1977, Janet became employed at Westinghouse Electric Corporation in Hampton, South Carolina where she maintained the position of Communications Coordinator. In 1991, she left the manufacturing arena and branched out into the human and social services field, working with the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control in Lancaster South Carolina. Relocating to Colleton County, Janet worked with the Department of Social Services in Beaufort and Colleton Counties. Janet later left Colleton County and transitioned to South Orange, NJ where she completed college and earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in Social and Behavioral Science with a minor in social work. She continues to work hard in pursuit of a Masters Degree in Public Administration. Janet is currently a Youth & Transitional Counselor for a private non-profit organization in Litchfield and East Hartford, Connecticut. Despite Janet’s busy schedule, she still finds time to spend with her family, especially her four grandchildren, and makes frequent trips to South Carolina – the place she still calls “home.” Martha Dauway - [West Coast] |
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