Guest Speakers
Dr Matshidiso Moeti
Dr Matshidiso Moeti is a trailblazer in global health, celebrated as the first woman to hold the position of Regional Director of the World Health Organization (WHO) in the African Region. Across her transformative decade of leadership, she repositioned WHO as a proactive, responsive and results-driven institution in Africa, championing accountability and impactful health solutions.
With the launch of her Transformation Agenda in 2015, which became a model for many global WHO reforms, she reignited pride in WHO and propelled the Organization towards substantial improvements in disease outbreak responses, maternal health, and support for country operations. Her efforts led to multiple milestones, including the certification of the African Region as free from indigenous wild polio in August 2020.
Dr Moeti has been a catalyst for cultural change within WHO, championing gender equity, women leadership and an enabling, harassment-free workplace. She established the Africa Women Health Champions initiative with the UN Volunteers Programme (UNV), increasing the presence of women, creating opportunities for their transition to professional positions and to be prepared, mentored and supported for leadership. She has partnered with WomenLink Health to build the capacity of WHO AFRO women leaders through training and mentoring. Her focus on digital health innovations and equitable access to care has been vital in aligning WHO’s work with the African vision for the achievement of universal health coverage.
She is renowned for having led WHO’s “3 by 5” Initiative in the African Region at the height of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, supporting the empowerment of nurses to initiate antiretroviral therapy, significantly increasing access to treatment, and saving lives.
With a career in public health spanning 45 years, Dr Moeti’s expertise in health policy, strategy development and global health governance has consolidated her legacy as a transformative health leader. Her life-long dedication to improving health and well-being on the African continent will continue to inspire WHO, its partners and Member States into the future.
Dr Moeti’s academic credentials include a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degree from the Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine at the University of London, and a MSc in Community Health for Developing Countries from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Her career began in Botswana’s Ministry of Health, before moving on to roles with UNICEF and UNAIDS. Joining WHO in 1999, she rose through the ranks, holding several senior positions, including Deputy Regional Director, Director of Noncommunicable Diseases and WHO Representative in Malawi.
Laimi Ashipala – Non-Communicable Diseases Programme Officer, World Health Organization (WHO), 2025 Southern Africa Leadership Journey Cohort Member
Laimi S.N. Ashipala is a seasoned healthcare professional with a Bachelor’s in Medicine from Stellenbosch University and an MSc in Public Health from the University of South Wales.
An alumna of the Kofi Annan Global Health Leadership Fellowship, she has a solid foundation in clinical and Public Health. Starting in 2011, Laimi practiced clinical medicine before transitioning to leadership roles, including Director/Commissioner for Health at the Ministry of Safety and Security, where she led policy development and donor-funded HIV programs.
Currently, at WHO, she leads efforts to combat Non-Communicable Diseases through population focused, cost-effective policies.
Moderator
Akhona Tshangela – Director, Southern Africa
Ms. Akhona Tshangela is a public health professional with over 15 years experience, including as a pioneer at the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, where she co-chaired the science, regulations, and standards technical working group during the COVID-19 response. She holds a Master’s in Public Health from the University of Pretoria and a Bachelor’s in Human Genetics from the University of Cape Town. As the Southern Africa Director for WomenLift Health, Akhona is dedicated to promoting inclusivity and the vital role of female leadership in public health decision-making. Learn more
Speaker Series: Navigating Women’s Leadership and Advancing Gender Parity and Equity: A Conversation with Dr. Matshidiso Moeti
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WomenLift Health is committed to expanding the power and influence of talented women in health—enabling them to lead with impact, strengthen health systems, and advance health equity. The Southern Africa Hub’s Speaker Series offers a platform for rich, intergenerational conversations with women leaders who are shaping health and development.
This upcoming event features a dynamic conversation between three women in public health leadership:
- Matshidiso Moeti (former WHO Regional Director for Africa),
- Akhona Tshangela (Southern Africa Director, WomenLift Health), and
- Laimi Ashipala (Non-Communicable Disease Officer at WHO and 2025 Southern Africa Leadership Journey cohort member).
This dialogue will reflect both shared and unique perspectives, offering powerful insights for leaders at various stages of their journey.
Event Overview
In this 75-minute virtual event, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti will join Laimi Ashipala and Akhona Tshangela for a powerful intergenerational conversation on navigating leadership and advancing gender equity in health. The dialogue will explore lived experiences, lessons from the field, and strategies for leading through institutional and systemic change. An interactive Q&A will follow, offering participants the opportunity to engage directly with the speakers and reflect on their own leadership journeys.
Event Agenda
-
14h00 – 14h05: Welcome & Framing the Session
-
14h05 – 14h45: A moderated dialogue with Dr Matshidiso Moeti, Laimi Ashipala and Akhona Tshangela (Moderator)
-
14h45 – 15h10: Audience Q&A
Attendees will be invited to submit questions in advance and live
-
15h10 – 15h15: Closing and Thank You’s
Context of the Discussion
Women in health leadership navigate layered and often demanding landscapes—shaped by institutional expectations, societal norms, and unequal access to decision-making spaces. Leadership is not a linear or uniform journey, and the diversity of women’s lived experiences offers essential insights for shaping equitable systems.
This Speaker Series session creates space for intergenerational reflection, honest dialogue, and shared wisdom—amplifying the value of learning across career stages and lived realities.
By centering diverse perspectives, we move closer to building a stronger, more inclusive future for health leadership.
RSVP Details
Please remember RSVP for this engaging session.
This virtual event will be conducted in English and is free of charge.
After confirming your attendance, you will receive a calendar confirmation.
Share this event https://bit.ly/3TOz9IH
Guest Speakers
Dr Matshidiso Moeti
Dr Matshidiso Moeti is a trailblazer in global health, celebrated as the first woman to hold the position of Regional Director of the World Health Organization (WHO) in the African Region. Across her transformative decade of leadership, she repositioned WHO as a proactive, responsive and results-driven institution in Africa, championing accountability and impactful health solutions.
With the launch of her Transformation Agenda in 2015, which became a model for many global WHO reforms, she reignited pride in WHO and propelled the Organization towards substantial improvements in disease outbreak responses, maternal health, and support for country operations. Her efforts led to multiple milestones, including the certification of the African Region as free from indigenous wild polio in August 2020.
Dr Moeti has been a catalyst for cultural change within WHO, championing gender equity, women leadership and an enabling, harassment-free workplace. She established the Africa Women Health Champions initiative with the UN Volunteers Programme (UNV), increasing the presence of women, creating opportunities for their transition to professional positions and to be prepared, mentored and supported for leadership. She has partnered with WomenLink Health to build the capacity of WHO AFRO women leaders through training and mentoring. Her focus on digital health innovations and equitable access to care has been vital in aligning WHO’s work with the African vision for the achievement of universal health coverage.
She is renowned for having led WHO’s “3 by 5” Initiative in the African Region at the height of the HIV/AIDS epidemic, supporting the empowerment of nurses to initiate antiretroviral therapy, significantly increasing access to treatment, and saving lives.
With a career in public health spanning 45 years, Dr Moeti’s expertise in health policy, strategy development and global health governance has consolidated her legacy as a transformative health leader. Her life-long dedication to improving health and well-being on the African continent will continue to inspire WHO, its partners and Member States into the future.
Dr Moeti’s academic credentials include a Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery degree from the Royal Free Hospital School of Medicine at the University of London, and a MSc in Community Health for Developing Countries from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. Her career began in Botswana’s Ministry of Health, before moving on to roles with UNICEF and UNAIDS. Joining WHO in 1999, she rose through the ranks, holding several senior positions, including Deputy Regional Director, Director of Noncommunicable Diseases and WHO Representative in Malawi.
Laimi Ashipala – Non-Communicable Diseases Programme Officer, World Health Organization (WHO), 2025 Southern Africa Leadership Journey Cohort Member
Laimi S.N. Ashipala is a seasoned healthcare professional with a Bachelor’s in Medicine from Stellenbosch University and an MSc in Public Health from the University of South Wales.
An alumna of the Kofi Annan Global Health Leadership Fellowship, she has a solid foundation in clinical and Public Health. Starting in 2011, Laimi practiced clinical medicine before transitioning to leadership roles, including Director/Commissioner for Health at the Ministry of Safety and Security, where she led policy development and donor-funded HIV programs.
Currently, at WHO, she leads efforts to combat Non-Communicable Diseases through population focused, cost-effective policies.
Moderator
Akhona Tshangela – Director, Southern Africa
Ms. Akhona Tshangela is a public health professional with over 15 years experience, including as a pioneer at the Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention, where she co-chaired the science, regulations, and standards technical working group during the COVID-19 response. She holds a Master’s in Public Health from the University of Pretoria and a Bachelor’s in Human Genetics from the University of Cape Town. As the Southern Africa Director for WomenLift Health, Akhona is dedicated to promoting inclusivity and the vital role of female leadership in public health decision-making. Learn more
WomenLift Health is committed to expanding the power and influence of talented women in health—enabling them to lead with impact, strengthen health systems, and advance health equity. The Southern Africa Hub’s Speaker Series offers a platform for rich, intergenerational conversations with women leaders who are shaping health and development.
This upcoming event features a dynamic conversation between three women in public health leadership:
- Matshidiso Moeti (former WHO Regional Director for Africa),
- Akhona Tshangela (Southern Africa Director, WomenLift Health), and
- Laimi Ashipala (Non-Communicable Disease Officer at WHO and 2025 Southern Africa Leadership Journey cohort member).
This dialogue will reflect both shared and unique perspectives, offering powerful insights for leaders at various stages of their journey.
Event Overview
In this 75-minute virtual event, Dr. Matshidiso Moeti will join Laimi Ashipala and Akhona Tshangela for a powerful intergenerational conversation on navigating leadership and advancing gender equity in health. The dialogue will explore lived experiences, lessons from the field, and strategies for leading through institutional and systemic change. An interactive Q&A will follow, offering participants the opportunity to engage directly with the speakers and reflect on their own leadership journeys.
Event Agenda
-
14h00 – 14h05: Welcome & Framing the Session
-
14h05 – 14h45: A moderated dialogue with Dr Matshidiso Moeti, Laimi Ashipala and Akhona Tshangela (Moderator)
-
14h45 – 15h10: Audience Q&A
Attendees will be invited to submit questions in advance and live
-
15h10 – 15h15: Closing and Thank You’s
Context of the Discussion
Women in health leadership navigate layered and often demanding landscapes—shaped by institutional expectations, societal norms, and unequal access to decision-making spaces. Leadership is not a linear or uniform journey, and the diversity of women’s lived experiences offers essential insights for shaping equitable systems.
This Speaker Series session creates space for intergenerational reflection, honest dialogue, and shared wisdom—amplifying the value of learning across career stages and lived realities.
By centering diverse perspectives, we move closer to building a stronger, more inclusive future for health leadership.
RSVP Details
Please remember RSVP for this engaging session.
This virtual event will be conducted in English and is free of charge.
After confirming your attendance, you will receive a calendar confirmation.
Share this event https://bit.ly/3TOz9IH