Class 25 (2026-2028)
Hayat Ahmed Ali, Ethiopia
University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill – School of Global Public Health
Child Health | Pediatric Cardiology | Healthcare Leadership
Dr. Hayat Ahmed Ali served as an Assistant Professor at the Addis Ababa University and a Pediatric Cardiologist at Tikur Anbessa Specialized Hospital, Ethiopia's largest tertiary referral center. She is a Medical Doctor with specialty in Pediatrics and Pediatric Cardiology. With years of experience spanning clinical practice, academic medicine and healthcare leadership, Dr. Ali has dedicated her career to advancing pediatric health care in resource-limited and underserved settings.
Her professional journey is rooted in a commitment to the holistic, multidisciplinary care of pediatric cardiac patients. During her service as a chair of the Pediatric cardiology Unit, she oversaw clinical services, subspecialty training and curriculum development. She also played a pivotal role in coordinating international surgical and interventional missions that provided life-saving care to children with congenital heart diseases. Her dedication to mentorship was recognized by pediatricians in the class of 2025, who honored her with the "Best Attending Senior of the Year" award.
She is a 2021 Mandela Washington Fellowship alumna in Public Management at the University of Minnesota, which has exposed her to the merits of servant leadership. Dr. Ali has served two terms as the public relations officer on the executive board of the Ethiopian Pediatric Society advocating for equitable healthcare for neonates, children, and adolescents. Her research portfolio focuses on improving care for children with heart defects and strengthening secondary prevention strategies for Rheumatic Heart Diseases. She has also participated in a research scholarship at Emory University for collaborative research in chronic illnesses.
As a Rotary Peace Fellow at the University of North Carolina, Dr. Ali will pursue an MPH in Maternal, Child and Family Health. She aims to bridge the gap between complex clinical management and sustainable health policy reforms through implementation science and global collaborations to improve health outcomes for mothers and children worldwide.