Rachel Stephen-Smith was first elected to the ACT Legislative Assembly as a Member for Kurrajong in 2016, after a 20-year career in public policy across Federal and ACT Governments and non-government organisations. Rachel was appointed a Minister in the Barr Government following her election, and currently holds the portfolios of Health, Families and Community Services and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Affairs. Rachel has a Bachelor of Economics (Hons) from the Australian National University and a Master of Real Estate Development from the University of Maryland in the United States.
Rachel knows that good government is driven by clear values, sound evidence and strong community engagement. As a lifelong Canberran, Rachel is passionate about seeing Canberra continue to grow as a vibrant, sustainable and inclusive city.