Afaf I. Meleis, PhD, DrPS(hon), FAAN
Former Dean and Professor of Nursing and Sociology
University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing
Pennsylvania, USA
Alpha Eta Chapter #029
Xi Chapter #013
Afaf Meleis was Dean of Nursing at the University of Pennsylvania and Director of the School’s WHOCC for Nursing and Midwifery (2002-2014), following her 34 years at the University of California. She is an internationally renowned nurse scientist and sociologist, advancing knowledge in global health, women’s health, interprofessional education and the epistemological analysis of nursing. Much of her work is dedicated to uncovering voices of women and to developing Transitions Theory, used globally in policy, research and practice. She is the author of more than 200 articles, chapters and books. Her leadership in ICOWHI played a central role in partnering world leaders to improve women's lives. She co-chaired IOM's Global Forum on Innovation in Health Professional Education. She also co-chaired the Harvard-Penn-Lancet Commission on Women and Health, the results of which were published in the 2015 report, Women and Health: the key for sustainable development.