Abigail Williams-Butler, PhD, LCSW, MS, is an Associate Professor at the Rutgers University School of Social Work. Her work uses an interdisciplinary perspective to broadly focus on understanding the developmental trajectory of marginalized children, youth, and families with a three pronged focus on: 1) strengths-based science to identify mechanisms to promote positive developmental outcomes, 2) examining the intersectional nature of development and factors that influence this development over time, and 3) identifying innovative approaches towards trauma-informed care for youth and families involved in child-serving systems. Her global work in Ghana focuses on practice and policy change regarding the Trokosi system. In 2025, she received an International Collaborative Research Grant from Rutgers Global for her project titled, “Understanding Barriers to Well-Being: The Trokosi System in Ghana”. 

Her work has been funded by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality, the New Jersey Department of Health, the New Jersey Department of Children and Families, the National Child Traumatic Stress Network, the Institute for the Study of Global Racial Justice, and RU Global.