Board member Kamilah Williams-Kemp dedicated to reducing stigma
06/16/22 04:32:pm
Just a year after Kamilah Williams-Kemp joined the Rogers Behavioral Health Board of Directors, the pandemic struck.
“As incredibly challenging as it was, knowing that we were able to serve more people, albeit virtually, was a very proud moment, especially at a time when so many people were feeling isolated,” she says. “The Rogers team figured out ways to continue to provide the care and support they needed.”
The Mission of helping people reach their full potential for health and well-being is what attracted Kamilah to her role on the Board. She is passionate about reducing stigma, particularly in communities of color, and adds that she has a personal connection to raising mental health awareness, as a family member died by suicide many years ago.
As such, Kamilah was especially enthused about the recent projects from WISE – Wise Initiative for Stigma Elimination. A coalition of community partners led by Rogers’ Community Learning and Engagement team, WISE recently held a symposium on the intersection of race and mental health. The symposium was a culmination of the meetings, podcasts, and blogs on the topic that took place throughout 2021.
“This proactive outreach, knowledge, and empathy go a long way in raising awareness of resources and bridging divides,” Kamilah says.
Kamilah sits on two Rogers Board committees: Governance and Nominating and Advocacy and Outreach. In her role, she enjoys providing guidance and support to Rogers’ administration to ensure we are fulfilling our Mission.
“It’s a really special relationship because we serve as a sounding board and accountability partner for the most senior leaders of the organization,” Kamilah explains. “It’s helpful for them to have people who are equally committed to the organization but with different perspectives.”
Some of her favorite parts of being a board member are hearing not only the patient Mission moments, but also stories from Rogers team members sharing what they find meaningful about being part of the Rogers family.
“When I hear people talking about how important the Mission is to them and what drives them, it reinforces to me how proud I am to be affiliated with Rogers,” she says.
Get to know Kamilah
Kamilah has held various leadership roles at Northwestern Mutual over the last two decades. She is currently the vice president of risk products, where she oversees the performance of the company’s insurance products.
In addition to the Rogers Board, Kamilah serves on the Rocketship Public Schools Wisconsin Board of Directors and the African American Leadership Alliance Milwaukee Board of Directors. She is also a member of the global Executive Leadership Council, which is comprised of African American leaders dedicated to advancing equity, diversity, and inclusion at their companies.
Kamilah enjoys mentoring others to help them reach their full potential and performing public speaking engagements about financial security planning for communities of color.
Kamilah has been recognized as an influential business leader in various publications, including Black Enterprise and Savoy magazines.
She and her husband, Jason, are parents to Jason, 12, and Cameron, 4. They live in River Hills, Wisconsin, and enjoy skiing, golfing, playing tennis, and exploring new travel destinations.
A fun fact about Kamilah is that, as a member of Northwestern University’s dance team, she performed at the Rose Bowl during her senior year of college.
