Biography

Gelise began her career in advertising, moved into the arts, then found her vocation in public health and working with young women living with HIV to provide them with an education. With a Bachelor's degree in Communication from Queen Margaret University in Edinburgh she stared work in a direct marketing agency in Yorkshire. In the late 90’s she moved to Geneva, Switzerland with her husband and set up a communication consultancy, her clients were UN based agencies and she specialized in health subjects, namely communicable diseases, HIV, TB and malaria. Being a very well respected editor and public speaker with a thirst for knowledge, Gelise then went on to receive a Master's degree in Public Health from London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine (LSHTM). She now has a career with UNITAID and organization hosted by WHO, managing high value diagnostic grants in HIV and Hepatitis C and promoting innovation for health in resource limited settings. Gelise has gone on to start her own non profit organization, www.gelise.org, that uses art as a means to raise funds to inspire and fulfill the lives of young HIV positive women in Africa by funding their education. Each year she runs art projects to fund the organization, this August she is traveling to Kisumu Kenya to get the girls she funds painting. Despite her professional success, Gelise is extremely humble and extremely passionate for the human experience. She has aspirations to grow organizations based on education and enabling young women and girls living with HIV in Africa to grow their skills and profit where opportunities are lacking. Gelise prides herself on her communication skills and believes networking and education are essential to the growth of and continued positive changes in society. In her free time, Gelise is an avid painter, sailor and reader.