Natalie Pearse commenced her career in the Australian Public Service in 2000 and has since held strategic roles across national security, spanning operations, intelligence, and policy—both domestically and internationally.

Appointed in 2020 as the Director of Protective Security Policy, she leads the development of the Protective Security Policy Framework (PSPF), ensuring its effective governance and delivery across non‑corporate Commonwealth entities.

Under her leadership, her team manages the Protective Security Board and the Government Security Committee—central forums for coordinating protective security across government. She also spearheads the negotiation of international treaties related to the exchange and protection of classified information—including AUKUS information-sharing agreements—and maintains the tailored security caveats governing classified information and assets for the Australian Government.

Natalie holds a Master of Laws and a Bachelor of Arts (Languages), and is proficient in several languages—skills that enrich her capacity to collaborate across domestic and international security environments.