Community Wellbeing
Dr. William Cooke: Physician, Author, Advocate for Health Equity
William Cooke, MD, FAAFP, FASAM, AAHIVS, is a nationally recognized physician, author, speaker, and community leader dedicated to transforming healthcare through compassion, innovation, and advocacy. As a Fellow of the American Academy of Family Physicians and the American Society of Addiction Medicine, he specializes in Family Medicine, Addiction Medicine, and HIV Medicine, bridging the gap between medicine and public health.
As the founder and Medical Director of Foundations Family Medicine, Dr. Cooke has received national acclaim for his unwavering commitment to patient care, earning distinctions such as Family Physician of the Year and the prestigious Ryan White Distinguished Leadership Award. His expertise and compassionate approach have made him a sought-after voice on health equity, social determinants of health, and community resilience.
In his acclaimed book, Canary in the Coal Mine, Dr. Cooke explores the devastating 2015 Scott County HIV outbreak, offering a gripping and deeply personal examination of public health failures, human resilience, and the urgent need for systemic change. His insights extend beyond the page—he has been called upon by organizations, communities, policymakers, and major news outlets to share his expertise. In 2021, he testified before the U.S. Senate as an expert witness on health equity, social determinants of health, and America’s declining life expectancy.
Driven by a relentless passion for healing, justice, and advocacy, Dr. Cooke continues to shape the future of healthcare—one patient, one policy, and one conversation at a time.
