Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is a Liberian politician and economist. She was born on October 29, 1938, in Monrovia, Liberia, and is currently alive.

Sirleaf was a co-recipient of the 2011 Nobel Peace Prize, sharing the honor with Leymah Gbowee and Tawakkol Karman for "their non-violent struggle for the safety of women and for women's rights to full participation in peace-building work." Her political career is highlighted by her historic achievement as the first woman to be democratically elected head of state in Africa.

Educated in the United States, Sirleaf held various high-level government positions in Liberia during the 1970s, including Minister of Finance. Throughout the decades of civil conflict and military regimes, she was a fierce pro-democracy opponent, enduring periods of imprisonment, house arrest, and exile. During her exile, she held influential positions at the World Bank and the United Nations Development Programme, solidifying her expertise in economics and governance.

Following the end of Liberia's second civil war, Sirleaf won the 2005 presidential election and was inaugurated in 2006. Her presidency, which lasted until 2018, focused heavily on national reconciliation and the reconstruction of the war-shattered nation. Her major achievements include successfully securing relief from the country's $4.6 billion in external debt, attracting substantial foreign investment, and implementing policies to strengthen the position of women in society. She is internationally known as a leading promoter of peace, justice, and democratic rule.