Professor Paul Kelly has had a distinguished career as a public health physician, clinician and researcher, working in the Australian Capital Territory, Northern Territory, Western Australia, United Kingdom, Timor-Leste and Malawi. He is an acknowledged expert in population health and infectious disease epidemiology, especially COVID-19, influenza and tuberculosis. He served as Australia’s Chief Medical Officer from June 2020 to October 2024 with responsibility for advising the Australian Government and National Cabinet on Australia’s public health response to the COVID-19 pandemic. He was responsible for the health and well-being of every person in Australia at a time of unprecedented national emergency.