Dr Stephanie Williams

Dr Stephanie Williams was appointed as Australia’s Ambassador for Regional Health Security in March 2020. As Ambassador, Dr Williams supports the advancement of Australia’s interests in the Indo-Pacific by fostering linkages between Australia’s world-class public health and medical research experts and partners in the region. In addition, she guides the implementation of the Partnerships for a Healthy Region initiative and the regional Vaccine Access Initiative – two major health initiatives for the Indo-Pacific region.

Dr Williams is a Public Health Physician and Epidemiologist who has been Principal Specialist Health at the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) since 2017. As Principal Specialist Health, she leads technical advice for health investments across the Australian development program.

Prior to joining DFAT, Dr Williams was a Medical Adviser in the Office of Health Protection in the Australian Government Department of Health. Her previous roles include: Public Health Registrar for Victoria’s Chief Health Officer; Epidemiologist in Global Health Security for the World Health Organization (WHO); and a medical doctor for Medicines 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 Australian National University (ANU). She is a Fellow of the Australasian Faculty of Public Health Medicine and a Visiting Fellow at the National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health at ANU. Dr Williams is currently serving on the Board of the Global Fund as an Alternate Member.