author/mother/mentor/educator/elder/adventurer

I represent 4+ generations of working women … My great-grandmother, who lived to be 107 years (born in the 1880’s!), was quite an inspiration. A midwife with no formal education, she used to always ask me, starting at age 12, what did I want to be when I grew up? I never knew, but she kept asking me for years! She would say, are you going to be a doctor or a teacher—those were her only two options. ​Turns out she envisioned, stated and put out to the universe this purpose for me. Because years later, I realized she was correct, and her vision for me became true.

For most of my life, I have been known as Dr. Hughes and Professor Hughes, both a doctor and a teacher.  Trained as a biologist, then as a public health professional with a specialty in epidemiology, focusing on maternal and child health– I have more than 35 years of experience spanning government, non-governmental organizations, corporate—pharmaceutical industry, academia, and as a global advisor/consultant, with most of these experiences being in senior management positions. Being the first person and especially first female in my family to have an opportunity to achieve a postgraduate degree, I got my PhD not just for myself but for my family, community and ancestors who did not have the chance or opportunity to achieve advanced education, so it meant all the more...