ClarLynda Williams-DeVane to lead ECU Center for Health Disparities
GREENVILLE, N.C. (5/28/2025) – Dr. ClarLynda Williams-DeVane has been named director of the Center for Health Disparities in the Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University beginning June 1. Williams-DeVane is not stepping away from her primary role as Chief Deputy and Deputy Secretary for Operational Excellence at the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services but folding the new duties into her existing roles.
Williams-DeVane is driven by a mission to ensure no one is denied quality health care due to their background, income or where they live. The center focuses on working across disciplines to understand the socioeconomic and environmental factors contributing to the ways people access health care while conducting innovative research, community partnerships and education.
“I am honored to join East Carolina University and further the Center for Health Disparities’ work to create a healthier North Carolina for everyone,” said Williams-DeVane. “My work has always championed data-driven decision-making to create meaningful, lasting change, and I look forward to the partnership at ECU to uncover and address public health challenges in North Carolina.”
At NCDHHS, Williams-DeVane advances data-driven policy solutions to meet community health strategies. She has led statewide efforts aimed at reducing health disparities, improving maternal and child health outcomes, and strengthening public health infrastructure. She oversees the following offices and departments: Human Resources; the NCDHHS Data Office; Budget and Finance; the Office of the Controller; Property and Construction; Information Technology; the Office of Strategy and Performance; the Office of Procurements, Contracts and Grants; and the Office of the Internal Auditor.
Williams-DeVane holds a Ph.D. in bioinformatics from North Carolina State University and a bachelor’s degree from North Carolina Central University. She was the founding chair of the data science and bioinformatics department at Fisk University.
“Dr. Williams-DeVane is the kind of leader who can catalyze academic public health for the benefit of communities all across our state,” said Dr. John Cavanagh, associate dean for research and chair of foundational sciences at the Brody School of Medicine. “This is a significant opportunity for our center to align with the state’s resources and our elected officials’ vision for improving health and wellness everywhere but especially in communities in our own backyard here at ECU.”
The Center for Health Disparities at ECU is an integral part of the university’s broader efforts to improve health outcomes in North Carolina through scientific study, outreach and interdisciplinary training. Under Williams-DeVane’s leadership, it will continue to expand its impact, focusing on translational research and building stronger connections with communities across the region.
Visit the Center for Health Disparities at ECU website for more information.
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The Brody School of Medicine at East Carolina University has trained physicians and health professionals for more than 50 years as the only allopathic medical school in North Carolina’s Atlantic Coastal Plain. The school’s mission is to increase the supply of primary care physicians to meet the state’s medical needs, especially in the east. It is consistently recognized as a Tier 1 institution for primary care and family medicine by U.S. News & World Report. It is one whose students graduate with low medical school debt load, according to data compiled by the Association of American Medical Colleges. Visit the Brody School of Medicine website to learn more.
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