Dr Mitchell Smith has demonstrated extraordinary commitment to humanitarian service in the fields of refugee health and public health.
Dr Smith was the inaugural Director of the NSW Refugee Health Service, which he led for more than 25 years. He has also made a significant contribution to public health management through his key roles in communicable disease control, both as medical advisor to the Emergency Operations Centre in South Western Sydney during the COVID-19 pandemic, and recently as Acting Director of the South Western Sydney Local Health District Public Health Unit.
Dr Smith is recognised for his clear, concise and calm approach. Embedded across his whole career is compassion, kindness, a commitment to equity and a dedication to vulnerable populations, including people from refugee and asylum seeker backgrounds in South Western Sydney and across NSW.
The 2026 Staff Member of the Year Award is proudly sponsored by LeasePLUS
