When we think about our purpose, people, and science – our people are a core component of how we deliver moments that matter for people living with severe diseases. At UCB, our people bring their whole selves to work, enriching our environment with unique perspectives and experiences. How our people engage with each other and with society beyond UCB makes them better colleagues and employees. We’re pleased to spotlight some of our incredible employees.

Nicole Williams, a Portfolio Innovation Partner within the Immunology Strategy and Innovation team, runs Wellness 4U, an unbranded peer-to-peer Speaker Bureau focused on disease state education and managing patients holistically. But she didn’t start her career in disease state education. Nicole launched her career in financial services and then transitioned to the biopharma industry supporting hormone therapy and immunology products early in her pharma sales and training career.

Nicole left the biopharma industry to become an entrepreneur as an insurance agency owner while being involved in many local Atlanta-based non-for-profits. However, she missed the impact of healthcare. She sought opportunities to go beyond training and sales and further collaborate with stakeholders. She returned back to UCB Pharma in 2020 to have an impact and help deliver moments that matter to patients and the healthcare professionals serving them. 

Recently, Nicole has worked on a shared decision-making digital application with Dr. Betsy Wernli, President of Forefront Dermatology and conducted advisory boards with National Key Opinion Leaders in Dermatology and Rheumatology on health equity to understand further how we can reduce health disparities focused on disadvantaged patients across the nation. 

 “I look at the patient beyond their disease because you really get to know the patient’s story. That patient’s story, whether it’s Crohn's disease or psoriatic arthritis, really affects the patient’s daily life,” says Nicole. “If I can help patients get diagnosed faster or find the right treatment sooner, we know those patients will have better clinical outcomes and essentially better quality of life. That’s what motivates me every day.”

But Nicole’s impact goes further than her day job. Atlanta’s Mayor, Andre Dickens, noticed her commitment to honoring her family and those in the LGBTQ+ community, and in result, she was appointed to serve on the Mayor’s LGBTQ+ Advisory Board. Nicole hopes that by being an advocate, bringing awareness, and seeking to understand others, we can progress toward acceptance and equality for all.