Dr. Theresa Tam

Dr. Theresa Tam is a physician whose expertise is in immunization, infectious disease, emergency preparedness and global health security. Dr. Tam was named Canada's Chief Public Health Officer (CPHO) in June 2017, the first woman to hold this role. As the federal government's lead public health professional, she provides guidance to help protect the people of Canada against health threats, advance health equity and promote healthier communities, using the best available data and evidence.

Since her medical training at the University of Nottingham, Dr. Tam has championed the reduction of health disparities so that everyone in Canada has a chance to lead healthy lives, physically and mentally. She is an advocate for health equity and a leader in Canada’s efforts to address the ongoing opioid crisis.

As Canada's national public health leader, she played an instrumental role in helping to guide Canada's response to the COVID-19 pandemic, including the rollout of the largest vaccination campaign in Canadian history. She also played a leadership role in Canada's response to other public health emergencies, including severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS), pandemic influenza H1N1, the Ebola virus and mpox. Internationally, Dr. Tam has served as an expert on a number of World Health Organization committees.

“My career has been anything but a straight line from A to B; but I can say that my love for science and affinity for viruses has been a constant. I was always open to opportunities that were out of my comfort zone. Ultimately, I followed my interests and passions, evolved my knowledge through constant learning, and ended up doing something I love.”