Michelle Andrews is an environmental scientist with over 30 years of experience in the public sector, including at the then Department of State Development and the Environmental Protection Authority. She has also worked as a senior policy advisor for several State Government Ministers.
Ms Andrews was the director general at the Department of Communities from February 2019 to May 2021. As part of that appointment, she was also appointed chief executive of the Housing Authority; Country Housing Authority; and the Disability Services Commission which are all part of the Department. Ms Andrews became director general at the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation on 31 May 2021.
Prior to all that, Ms Andrews was the deputy director general leading the policy and reform division at the Department of the Premier and Cabinet in Western Australia. She headed the secretariat supporting the State Government's Service Priority Review. This wide-ranging independent review examined the functions, operations and culture of the Western Australian public sector. The final Service Priority Review report provided a blueprint for reform to the State Government.
Ms Andrews was also the deputy director general of strategic policy at the former Department of Mines and Petroleum where she focused on resource development policy and strengthening the department's relationships across government with industry and the community.
She was deputy chair of the Minerals Research Institute of Western Australia and is on the board of the Western Australian Biodiversity Science Institute.
