Dr. Doris Macharia

Doris Macharia is a global health leader and physician with more than two decades of experience advancing HIV prevention, treatment, and health equity across Africa and beyond. As the President of the Elizabeth Glaser Pediatric AIDS Foundation (EGPAF), she leads with clarity, compassion, and a lifelong commitment to ensuring that no child is born with HIV and no mother is left behind.

Her journey began in Kenya during the height of the HIV epidemic. As a young physician, she treated patients in Nairobi hospitals where there were no antiretroviral therapies, and few answers. That early heartbreak became a turning point. “You could manage the symptoms,” she says, “but not the cause.” When she joined the CDC to work in Kibera, one of Africa’s largest informal settlements, she saw what was possible when health care is rooted in trust, equity, and access.

Macharia has since held senior leadership roles at organizations including FHI360, RTI, UNICEF, and ICAP at Columbia University. She has designed and led large-scale programs spanning HIV, tuberculosis, reproductive health, and maternal and child health, impacting millions of lives across more than 20 countries.

At EGPAF, her leadership is grounded in lived experience, informed by science, and driven by the belief that communities know what they need, we just need to listen. A passionate advocate for women in leadership, Dr. Macharia believes representation is power. “Leadership isn’t about having all the answers,” she says. “It’s about building trust so others can help you find them.”

She lives in Washington, D.C. with her husband and daughter and still draws strength from the stories of the women and families she has served throughout her career.