Marita Hefler

Marita Hefler has a diverse work experience in the field of tobacco control and public health. Marita currently holds the position of Editor-in-Chief at BMJ's Tobacco Control journal, a role they have been in since 2024. Prior to this, they worked as a Senior Editor and News Analysis Editor at the same journal from 2012 to 2021.

Marita also had significant roles at the Menzies School of Health Research, where they served as an Associate Professor and Tobacco Endgame Program Lead in the Global & Tropical Health Division. Marita started this position in 2021 and is still currently employed there. Before that, they were a Senior Post-doctoral Research Fellow and Lecturer in the Wellbeing & Preventable Chronic Diseases Division from 2013 to 2021.

In 2014, Marita took on a temporary position as the Principal Health Advisor at the Northern Territory Government's Department of Correctional Services. Their main responsibilities included liaising with NT Health for the delivery of primary health care services in correctional centers and implementing health promotion programs during their time from June to December of that year.

Marita also has experience with The Fred Hollows Foundation, where they worked as a Consultant in various roles, including Project Management Trainer and Project Final Evaluation, in 2013 and 2012 respectively. Marita also served as a Workshop Co-Facilitator and Researcher at Southeast Asia Tobacco Control Alliance & WHO in 2012.

Prior to these roles, Marita worked as a Consultant Independent Evaluator at MIWATJ HEALTH in 2011, a Research Officer at the University of Sydney from 2010 to 2011, a Consultant Trainer for the NSW Association for Youth Health & NSW Cancer Council in 2009, and a Health Promotion Officer at NSW Health from 2005 to 2009.

Marita Hefler holds a PhD in Public Health from the University of Sydney, which they completed from 2007 to 2017. Prior to that, they obtained a Master of Public Health degree from UNSW in 2003-2004. In 2001-2002, Marita completed a Graduate Diploma in International Social Development, also at UNSW. Marita began their education journey by earning a Bachelor of Asian Studies (Vietnamese) from The Australian National University between 1994 and 1997, with a focus on Political Science, Asian History, Vietnamese, and Development Studies.