Professor Mimmie Claudine Watts is a distinguished public health strategist, academic leader, and entrepreneur with a career spanning over two decades in Australia and globally.

A Harvard-trained executive, she serves as Associate Professor at Federation University Australia, where she was Director of Industry partnerships, IHW, and led the Master of Health Leadership program, blending business acumen with health innovation. She teaches health leadership, health policy, and research in practice in the MBA (Health Leadership Stream) at Federation University, in addition to postgraduate student supervision.

As a Commissioner for the Victorian Multicultural Commission, for her State of Victoria, she championed inclusive policies and migrant health equity, advising government on systemic barriers. Some of her prominent statutory governance roles include serving on the Boards of Western Health (overseeing three major Public Hospitals), AMES Australia, Victoria University Council, Women’s Health West, and as a Commissioner.

She is the Chair of the Australian Chapter of the African Science Research & Innovation Council (ASRIC), African Union Commission, Policy committee, World Federation of Public Health Associations, among others, where she continues to shape global health policy.

An accomplished entrepreneur, Watts fosters cross-sector collaborations through initiatives like VMware’s “Virtualize Africa with the African Union and Universities in Africa. She served on the State Committee/Board of the Australian Arab Chamber of Commerce, was active with the Australian African Chambers of Commerce, and is a member of the Board of The Global Circle of Business Women,  driving sustainable trade and education ventures. Her book, Sahara: Piercing the Thatch Ceiling, highlights her advocacy for migrant women and the importance of inclusive leadership. She co-manages her fashion line La Guapa Outerwear.

A sought-after speaker, Prof Watts has addressed UN Forums (General Assembly in New York and Geneva), the Dakar Academy of Sciences, Senegal, and African Health Excon Egypt, merging public health expertise with diaspora-led economic development. Her research on migrant health, leadership, Early Motherhood, AI ethics, and pandemic resilience informs policy and industry practice.

Prof Watts embodies transformational leadership, bridging academia, government, leadership, and business to advance health equity and inclusive growth.

“Education, fair leadership, and healthy policies are the pillars of human emancipation,” Prof. Watts.