Vivian Lin is the Chair of Public Health and was Head of the School of Public Health from 2000-2005. Since arriving in Australia in 1982, she has worked in NSW Health, Victorian Health Department and its successor, National Occupational Health and Safety Commission and Commonwealth Department of Health and Family Services. During this time, she has had responsibility for policy, planning, and program development across a wide range of health issues, including health promotion, ethnic health, Aboriginal health, aged care, health technology, pharmaceuticals, intergovernmental relations, regional planning, and health export. From 1997-2000, she was Executive Officer for the National Public Health Partnership.

Professor Lin is presently on leave and based in Manila, as Director of Health Systems Division for the World Health Organization for the Western Pacific Region.