Dr. Lisa Williams is an academic trailblazer.  She is the first African American to receive a doctorate in Supply Chain Management from The Ohio State University, the first female professor to receive a multi-million dollar endowed chair and the first African American professor to earn tenure at Penn State University. She is first to become the highest-ranking person in her field of logistics regardless of gender or race.  She was the holder of two multi-million dollar endowments for her research, served on President Clinton’s Commission on Critical Infrastructure, and has spoken to audiences worldwide.

She garnered numerous teaching awards for her work in supply chain and logistics including Outstanding Female Faculty Member of the Year from Penn State University, designated as an Amazing Woman by University of Nevada Las Vegas (UNLV), the Trailblazer Awardby the American Marketing Association PhD. Project, and Trailblazer/Pioneer in Marketing Award from the Sam M. Walton College of Business.

Her research has been published in theJournal of Marketing Channels,Journal of Business Logistics, theTransportation Journal,The International Journal of Physical Distribution and Logistics Managementandthe International Journal of Logistics Management.  Her column ‘Profiles in Leadership’ has been published in theSupply Chain Management Review Magazine. 

Dr. Lisa Williams did the unthinkable when she left her high-ranking academic life to blaze a new trail as an entrepreneur. In 2003, Dr. Lisa founded the World of Entertainment, Publishing and Inspiration (World of EPI), growing the company into a multi-million dollar powerhouse. Through multiple doll lines, she creates unique sculpts to represent the beauty in multicultural children.The characters have beautiful full lips, custom-blended skin tones, hair textures and styles ranging from afro, afro puffs, wavy, braids and more representative articulated bodies. Today thePositively Perfect, Simply FreshandFreshandFresh Squad Doll Collectionsare sold at Amazon, Walmart, Target, Macy’s, Walgreens and Specialty retailers. Her Fresh Dolls were selected as Oprah's Favorite Thing and featured on LIVE with Kelly and Ryan to name but a few!

Earning a reputation for creating authentic representation to help children see their true beauty and brilliance, the company has been recognized throughout several industries. Walmart awarded Dr. Lisa theSupplier of the Year Award and featured her in a national ad campaign in 2020 highlighting modern history makers; she was honored with the Rising Star- Licensee/Manufacturer 2022  WiT Wonder Women Award; Dr. Lisa was tapped by Disney and Marvel to create product for Marvel’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever Fresh Fierce Collection (available at all major retailers), for which she was just honored with the industry’s highest honor, TOTY 2022 Doll of the Year Winner (known as "The Oscars" in the Toy Industry), which is a true testament to her unwavering commitment to create truly exquisite representations of strong, powerful Black women for children everywhere.

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