Ellen Mpangananji Thom

A national of Malawi, Ellen brings over 30 years of experience in public health, having held leadership roles across WHO’s AFRO and EMRO Regions. Her expertise encompasses Reproductive, Maternal, Neonatal, Child, and Adolescent Health, Nutrition, and HIV prevention and control. Ellen joined WHO Pakistan in 2019 to lead the Director-General’s flagship program on Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights. Over the past five years, she has gained in-depth knowledge of Pakistan’s public health landscape and challenges. She also provided strong leadership as an Acting WHO Representative during the leadership transition in WHO CO Pakistan in late 2023 and early 2024. Ellen’s career began in Malawi, where she worked with government entities, NGOs, and UN agencies at both sub-national and national levels. She also served in WHO’s AFRO sub-regional office in Harare, Zimbabwe, overseeing 20 countries in Eastern and Southern Africa. Ellen holds a Master’s Degree in International Health from Edinburgh, Scotland.