A direct current to direct current converter, comprising: a first switch, configured to output a first voltage on a first output terminal in response to a turn-on voltage at a first control terminal, wherein the first control terminal is configured to selectively communicate with one of N > 2 different voltages; a second switch, configured to output a second voltage on a second output terminal in communication with the first output terminal in response to a turn-on voltage at a second control terminal, wherein the second control terminal is configured to selectively communicate with one of M > 1 different voltages; a first multi-level controller (215, 330, 430) in communication with the first control terminal, the first multi-level controller including N drivers, each of the n=1 to n=N drivers to selectively apply a different voltage V n of the N different voltages to the first control terminal, the first multi-level controller comprises a switching mechanism configured to selectively communicate the N > 2 different applied voltages with the first control terminal, and the N drivers comprise at least three drivers configured to selectively apply a voltage V1 at which the first switch is off, a voltage V 3 at which the first switch is on, and an intermediate voltage V 2 between V 1 and V 3; and a switch assembly controller configured to control timings of voltage changes at the first control terminal by controlling the driver switches of the drivers, and further configured to cause selective application of the voltages V 1, V 2 and V 3, including controlling a timing of the voltage change between V 2 and V 3 to avoid high stress conditions by providing a signal to the first multi-level controller to change the voltage from V 2 to V 3 if a measured value of a source/drain voltage at the first switch is below a threshold. a first switch, configured to output a first voltage on a first output terminal in response to a turn-on voltage at a first control terminal, wherein the first control terminal is configured to selectively communicate with one of N > 2 different voltages; a second switch, configured to output a second voltage on a second output terminal in communication with the first output terminal in response to a turn-on voltage at a second control terminal, wherein the second control terminal is configured to selectively communicate with one of M > 1 different voltages; a first multi-level controller (215, 330, 430) in communication with the first control terminal, the first multi-level controller including N drivers, each of the n=1 to n=N drivers to selectively apply a different voltage V n of the N different voltages to the first control terminal, the first multi-level controller comprises a switching mechanism configured to selectively communicate the N > 2 different applied voltages with the first control terminal, and the N drivers comprise at least three drivers configured to selectively apply a voltage V1 at which the first switch is off, a voltage V 3 at which the first switch is on, and an intermediate voltage V 2 between V 1 and V 3; and a switch assembly controller configured to control timings of voltage changes at the first control terminal by controlling the driver switches of the drivers, and further configured to cause selective application of the voltages V 1, V 2 and V 3, including controlling a timing of the voltage change between V 2 and V 3 to avoid high stress conditions by providing a signal to the first multi-level controller to change the voltage from V 2 to V 3 if a measured value of a source/drain voltage at the first switch is below a threshold.