Sheila Leatherman

Sheila Leatherman is a Professor of Global Health Policy at the UNC Gillings School of Global Public Health, serving as a Gillings Global Advisor. Her career spans over 50 countries, focusing on health system performance evaluation and quality improvement in low-resource settings. She holds dual honors: Commander of the British Empire (CBE) and Honorary Fellowship of the Royal College of Physicians (UK). Currently advising WHO on healthcare quality agendas, her work emphasizes crisis response in fragile states through initiatives like the Gillings Humanitarian Health Initiative (HHI).

• Education: BA in Anthropology (Tulane University, 1972), MSW in Social Work (University of Arkansas, 1974)

Research interests include humanitarian health systems, quality measurement in conflict zones, and integrating microfinance with community health programs. Her 2020 WHO publication addresses healthcare in vulnerable settings, while recent projects focus on maternal/child health in Sierra Leone and global polio eradication monitoring. Awards include the 2019 Presidential Distinction Award for work in LMICs.

• Awards: National Academy of Sciences membership (2002), Polio Transition Board appointment (2020)

Leads the HHI to build capacity for humanitarian health responses through education, internships, and advocacy. Collaborates with international partners to mainstream crisis healthcare standards and improve service delivery in adversity.