Kiah Williams
Co-founder at SIRUM
“My father inspires me. He grew up in a one-room shack with my grandfather who was illiterate, but my father put himself through college with incredible sacrifices.”
Read Kiah’s full profile below
What do you do every day?
I am one of the three cofounders of SIRUM, which is a technology based social enterprise. I like to think that we are the “match.com” for unused medicine. We use technology as a peer-to-peer model to serve families who need medicine. At SIRUM we asked the question, “how can we have something so vital as medicine go to waste?”
What were your moments of fear and challenges in your career?
My biggest moment of fear was making the leap to working on SIRUM full-time especially, when I had an amazing job and coworkers at the Clinton Foundation. I really enjoyed my experience there, I had great mentors, and I loved having a positive impact with my work. However, it was scary to take that leap into the financial unknown and not having a safety financial nest from a trust fund or my family. I came from West Philadelphia and a lower income background, but still had amazing opportunities in my life like going to Stanford. I still couldn’t help but think, “Am I going to end up broke on the street?” I ended up making the leap and I am so glad I did. I was attracted to SIRUM because I was able to add value to the social mission and growing the organization to be a financially sustainable enterprise.
What are some of the latest innovations in science that you are most excited about?
Right now is an interesting time to be in healthcare because of the changes with the Affordable Care Act. Specifically, I am excited about the use of electronic health records and digitizing health information. With the amount of data and possibilities using big data has so many opportunities for providing better healthcare. It is my hope that in this digital revolution people can lead healthier lives.
Where did you grow up?
I grew up in West Philadelphia, but I was born in Michigan.
Who was your favorite teacher and why?
One of my professors at Stanford was an outspoken lady who tells it like it is. She became an incredible mentor for me and challenged me to go outside my comfort zone. When I first arrived at Stanford I wasn't ready for the academic freedom and rigor. At an early point in college, I wasn't doing that well, but Dr. Bernard went in on me and made me realize what Stanford had to offer and pushed me to learn from the incredible faculty there. She opened my eyes about what I could do in college that I couldn't do in high school. From her motivation, I pursued an interdisciplinary major that combined both studying the hard sciences and sociology.
What is your unique talent?
I read incredibly quickly. I once read a 300 page book in a couple of hours!
Is there a current book or book you love?
I love reading Harry Potter, the Mistborn Trilogies, and I’m just an overall fan of English literature.
What is your favorite website or fun activity?
I love reading Harry Potter, the Mistborn Trilogies, and I’m just an overall fan of English literature.
Who inspires you?
My father inspires me. He grew up in a one-room shack with my grandfather who was illiterate, but my father put himself through college with incredible sacrifices.
