Professor Jacqui Webster

Australia

Head of Advocacy and Policy Impact Director of World Health Organization Collaborating Centre on Salt Reduction Professor, Faculty of Medicine, UNSW Sydney

BA (Sociology) MA (Development Studies) PhD (Public Health)

Jacqui is responsible for a program of research on food policy and is the academic lead to the Thought Leadership program at the George Institute and a Professor at the University of New South Wales. 

She is also Director of the World Health Organization Collaborating Centre on Population Salt Reduction at the George Institute with a remit to support countries to achieve the new global targets to reduce salt by 30% by 2025. This includes providing direct support to countries, producing and disseminating resources and extending the evidence base. 

Jacqui’s primary research interests are implementation science, public health advocacy, stakeholder engagement and evaluation of salt reduction interventions. She has extensive experience of implementing complex public health interventions including in the UK, The Netherlands, The Pacific Islands, Mongolia, Vietnam and Australia. Her current focus is translating her experience of implementing effective salt reduction programs globally to broader food and health programs. Jacqui was awarded her PhD from Sydney Medical School at University of Sydney in 2011. She currently supervises a number of students at UNSW and provides guest lectures on public health advocacy and food at a number of Universities.

Jacqui is currently supported by an Australian Heart Foundation Future Leaders Award Level 2 on Strengthening and monitoring food policy interventions. She receives additional funding from the National Health and Medical Research Council, the National Heart Foundation, the Victorian Health Promotion Foundation, the World Health Organization and the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations for work in this field.