Shalene Curtis-Micallef was appointed Deputy Minister of Health for Canada in January 2026.

She holds a law degree from Osgoode Hall Law School and a Bachelor of Business Administration from the University of Ottawa. She is a member of the Law Society of Ontario.

Throughout her career, Shalene has held a number of senior leadership positions within the Government of Canada. Prior to joining Health Canada, she served as Deputy Minister of Justice and Deputy Attorney General of Canada. Earlier roles included Associate Deputy Minister of Justice, Assistant Deputy Minister of the Tax Law Services Portfolio, Deputy Assistant Deputy Minister for the Policy Sector, and Executive Director and Senior General Counsel for the Health Portfolio.

She has played a key role in the development of public policy and legislative reforms across a range of areas, including public health, food safety, tobacco control, health regulation, and justice policy.

In her current role, Shalene is responsible for supporting the development of national health policy and advancing initiatives to strengthen healthcare systems and improve health outcomes for Canadians.