The Department of Health and Aged Care
Dr Stephanie Williams PSM currently serves as a Special Advisor to Australia’s Chief Medical Officer on matters relating to the establishment of the Australian Centre for Disease Control. Prior to her current role, Stephanie served as Australia’s Ambassador for Regional Health Security for 2020–2023, advancing Australia’s interests in the Indo-Pacific by fostering linkages between Australia’s world class public health and medical research expertise and partners in the region.
Dr Williams is a Public Health Physician and Epidemiologist who was the Principal Specialist Health at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) between 2017 and 2023. As Principal Specialist for Health, she led technical advice for health investments across the Australian development program.
Stephanie has held senior roles with the Office of Health Protection in the Department of Health and Aged Care (2011–2017), as Public Health Registrar for Victoria’s Chief Health Officer (2010–2011); Epidemiologist in Global Health Security for the World Health Organization (WHO) (2010); and a medical doctor for Médecins Sans Frontières and the WHO. Dr Williams holds a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery from Monash University, a Master of Public Health and Tropical Medicine from James Cook University, and a Master of Applied Epidemiology from the Australian National University (ANU). She is a Fellow of the Australasian Faculty of Public Health Medicine.
