Denise Brooks-Williams | Woman of Achievement & Courage Award Honoree
- Year: 2025
- Location: WomanUp and Celebrate Southeast Michigan
Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Henry Ford Health
Denise Brooks-Williams is an accomplished healthcare executive with more than three decades of leadership in hospital operations, system integration, and healthcare transformation. As Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of Henry Ford Health, she oversees a $12 billion health system, 13 hospitals, over 550 care sites, and 50,000 employees, ensuring operational excellence while advancing healthcare accessibility, financial sustainability, and patient-centered innovation.
A skilled strategist and operator, Denise has successfully led multimillion-dollar infrastructure projects, expanded hospital networks, executed complex mergers, and championed health equity initiatives. She was instrumental in securing the $3 billion “Future of Health: Detroit” project, a landmark partnership with Michigan State University, the Detroit Pistons, and the Gilbert Family Foundation, which will deliver a cutting-edge hospital tower, expanded emergency department, and a world-class research facility.
