Lisa J. Messersmith

Lisa J. Messersmith is an Associate Professor in the Department of Global Health at Boston University School of Public Health (SPH) and an Affiliate Professor in Anthropology at Boston University College of Arts and Sciences. Her research focuses on gender, sexuality, HIV/AIDS, and sexual and reproductive health and rights in Sub-Saharan Africa and Southeast Asia. She holds a PhD and MA in Anthropology (UCLA) and an MPH (Johns Hopkins).

Dr. Messersmith leads studies funded by the NIH and other agencies, including interventions to improve HIV care retention in Uganda, address intimate partner violence in Tanzania, and explore HIV vulnerabilities among marginalized groups in Ghana. She previously directed the Vietnam AIDS Policy and Planning Project, training 850+ policymakers on rights-based HIV responses. Her work emphasizes structural and social determinants of health, policy implementation, and community engagement.

Her awards include Vietnam's Medal for the People's Health (2004) and a Fulbright Fellowship (1992–1993). She has held roles at UNAIDS, the Ford Foundation, and USAID, and has extensive field experience in over 15 countries. Her teaching includes courses on gender and global health inequities.