Retired astronaut Dafydd (Dave) Rhys Williams is the President and Chief Executive Officer of Southlake Regional Health Centre in Newmarket, Ont. Dr. Williams has been a SMARTRISK Ambassador since 1995.

Most recently, he was Professor of Surgery and Director of Medical Robotics at McMaster University and Chief Medical Officer, Patient Safety and Quality at St. Joseph’s Healthcare System in Hamilton, Ont. Dr. Williams has held various leadership positions both in healthcare and within space agencies.

Dr. Williams joined the Canadian Space Agency in 1992. During his career, he logged more than 687 hours in space, with a record-setting 17 hours and 47 minutes performing spacewalks. Having also lived and worked in the world’s only underwater ocean laboratory, he became Canada’s first dual astronaut and aquanaut in 2001.

Between his two spaceflights, he held the position of Director of the Space and Life Sciences Directorate at the Johnson Space Center in Houston, Texas. With this appointment, he became the first non-American to hold a senior management position within NASA. He concurrently held a six-month position as the first Deputy Associate Administrator for Crew Health and Safety in the Office of Space Flight at NASA Headquarters in 2001.

A SMARTRISK Ambassador since 1995, Dr. Williams shares our philosophy on managing risk. He has spoken at a number of SMARTRISK functions on “taking risks, not chances” in space.

See Dr. Williams’ website at www.astronautdavewilliams.com