Gemma Van Halderen PSM GAICD is a highly experienced data professional, retiring from the Australian Public Service in 2025 after 40 years of national and international service.

Gemma held multiple senior leadership posts in the Australian Government, most recently as Chief Data Officer of the Australian Department of Social Services and Chair of the Government’s Chief Data Officer committee. From 2018-2022, Gemma worked for the United Nations as Director of the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific’s Statistics Division. For most of her career, Gemma held senior positions at the Australian Bureau of Statistics. In 2024, Gemma was awarded an Australia Day Public Service Medal (PSM) for better use of data for public policy purposes.

Gemma holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in mathematical statistics from the Australian National University, is a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors (AICD), regional editor of the Statistical Journal of the International Association of Official Statistics, and elected member of the International Statistics Institute. In 2025, she was elected to the Institute’s Council and invited to chair the Institute’s Capacity Development Committee.