Dr. Shisana has been appointed the first woman and the first black President and CEO of the South African Human Sciences Research Council on 1 August 2005. She is a public health professional with extensive research, management and policy development experience spanning over 19 years.

Before accepting the position as CEO, she served as Executive Director of the Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS and Health at the Human Sciences Research Council where she headed a national program and Africa-wide network on the Social Aspects of HIV/AIDS and Health Research Alliance (SAHARA). She has also served as Professor and Head of Department of Health Systems Management and Policy at the Medical University of Southern Africa.

Dr. Shisana is a former Executive Director of the World Health Organization for Family and Community Health, where she oversaw HIV/AIDS, reproductive health, women’s health and child and youth development programmes. At the national level, Dr Shisana served as the first Director General of the South African Department of Health, the first woman to head the national health services. She has previously served as a Specialist Scientist at the South African Medical Research Council.

She co-coordinated the establishment of the School of Public Health at the University of the Western Cape, which has been in operation since 1993. She also served as the Chief Statistical Advisor to the District of Columbia responsible for public health, mental health and social services research.

She obtained her Doctor of Science degree in Behavioral Sciences at the Johns Hopkins University, School of Public Health, an institution that admitted her to the Society of Scholars- an honor given to public health graduates who have made significant contributions to public health. She is also a founding member of the South African Academy of Sciences.

Over the last five years, Dr. Shisana was the principal investigator and main author of several reports emanating from large studies, and has written numerous chapters in books and articles in scientific journals.