Ms Rebecca Brown commenced as Director General of the Department of Jobs, Tourism, Science and Innovation (JTSI) in September 2018. In this role, she is also Chief Executive Officer of Tourism Western Australia. Ms Brown has overseen significant changes across JTSI to position the agency as critical to advancing the State Government’s key policy agendas, including growing local jobs, diversifying the State’s industry base and export potential and continuing to leverage the broader research, science and innovation community to advance outcomes for Western Australia.
She was appointed Acting Director General of the Department of the Premier and Cabinet from March 2020 to May 2021 to support the State Government’s early response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Ms Brown returned to her role as Director General of JTSI in June 2021.
Ms Brown has worked across both Federal and State government agencies in a range of senior roles across revenue and economic policy, social policy, resourcing and performance. This included overseeing the reform of the WA health system, including the establishment of a new governance model and the development of the Health Services Act 2016.
Ms Brown has held senior positions at both WA Treasury and the WA Department of the Premier and Cabinet, where she oversaw key reforms between the public and non-profit community sectors.
Ms Brown has an Honours Degree in Economics from the University of Western Australia and is a graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors.
