CAPT Sharon O. Williams-Fleetwood

Meet the New Chief Professional Officer for the Scientist Category

CAPT Sharon O. Williams-Fleetwood was selected as the Chief Professional Officer for the Scientist category effective August 1, 2009. As Chief Scientist Officer, CAPT Williams-Fleetwood is responsible for providing leadership and coordination of Public Health Service (PHS) scientist professional affairs for the Office of the Surgeon General and the Department. CAPT Williams-Fleetwood will provide guidance and advice to the Surgeon General and the Scientist Professional Advisory Committee (SciPAC) on matters such as recruitment, retention, and career development of PHS scientists.

CAPT Williams-Fleetwood currently serves as the Deputy Director for the Division of Health Assessment and Consultation at the Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry (ATSDR) in Atlanta, GA. In this capacity, she manages programmatic and administrative activities which ensure the best available science and public health practice are integrated into the assessment of exposures and engagement of communities living near hazardous waste sites.

CAPT Williams-Fleetwood received her Bachelor of Science degree in biology from Tennessee State University in Nashville, TN in 1975. She then entered the School of Graduate Studies at Meharry Medical College in Nashville, TN where she received her Ph.D. in pharmacology. She also completed postdoctoral research training in neuropharmacology in the School of Medicine at Emory University in Atlanta, GA.

CAPT Williams-Fleetwood began her career in the PHS Commissioned Corps as a toxicologist evaluating exposures at hazardous waste sites at ATSDR. In her 21 years at ATSDR she has held several technical and management positions in which she prepared health assessments and health consultations characterizing exposures for communities living near hazardous waste sites, developed approaches to reassess sites to ensure the effectiveness of exposure identification and interventions, and provided oversight and direction to division and state health department staff conducting public health assessment activities nationwide. CAPT Williams-Fleetwood’s exemplary PHS career has resulted in many notable accomplishments in which she provided critical leadership to address community environmental health concerns, shaped program policies and guidance, strengthened collaborations with key environmental health partners, provided technical expertise in the identification of exposures and the implementation of public health actions designed for communities living near hazardous waste sites and developed student programs.

CAPT Williams-Fleetwood’s memberships in professional organizations include the Society of Toxicology, the Commissioned Officers Association, and the Reserve Officers Association. She was assimilated into the Regular Corps in 2004 and has received numerous PHS awards for her exceptional leadership and service including an Outstanding Service Medal, a Commendation Medal, two Outstanding Unit Citations, an Achievement Medal and a PHS Citation.

Chief Professional Officers for the Scientist Category 1983 - Present