William Sullivan

William Sullivan is a Professor in the Department of Family Medicine at Georgetown University School of Medicine and holds the Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. Chair in Bioethics at the Kennedy Institute of Ethics. He is an Adjunct Professor in the Research Program of the Department of Family and Community Medicine at the University of Toronto. His work focuses on advancing ethical clinical and public healthcare practices for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities (PWIDD).

• Ph.D. in Philosophy from the University of Toronto

Dr. Sullivan’s research integrates bioethics, clinical practice, and policy to address healthcare disparities for individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities. He has developed the G-O-A-LS framework (Goods, Options, Agents, Life Systems) to systematically resolve ethical disagreements in clinical and public health decision-making. His current projects involve international collaborations to update consensus guidelines for the primary care of adults with IDD.

• Joseph P. Kennedy Sr. Chair in Bioethics (2023)
• Fellow of the Canadian College of Family Physicians (CCFP)

At Georgetown, Dr. Sullivan teaches undergraduate courses in the Department of Philosophy, co-listed in Disabilities Studies, emphasizing case-based learning to mentor students in ethical decision-making frameworks. He also contributes to the Pellegrino Center for Clinical Bioethics and leads efforts to enhance healthcare standards for people with disabilities through global partnerships.