As the first democratically elected female head of state, Ellen Johnson Sirleaf has been at the forefront of female leadership in politics. She became Liberia’s president in 2006 and served in the office until 2018. In that time, she navigated her country through a difficult reconciliation and recovery process after its bloody and decade-long civil war. At the same time, she improved conditions for all women in Liberia, improving their access to education, healthcare, and economic empowerment. Those efforts have won her international acclaim and they’re a shining example of what every elected official should aspire to and what their constituents should be looking for. She’s continued working for the public good since leaving the presidential office, working with the World Health Organization on pandemic preparedness and response.
