Halalisani “Lisa” Mbhele

Halalisani “Lisa” Mbhele is a Genetic Counsellor from KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, and is among the few professionals providing genetic counselling within the province’s public hospitals. Her journey into the field began with a desire to pursue a more person-centred career in science — though, as she often says, the full story is best heard in person. She has a deep interest in people, their stories, and the ways families find strength when faced with difficult diagnoses.

In her professional role, she works closely with patients and healthcare teams to interpret complex genetic information, often within resource-limited settings. This work has taught her resilience, creativity, and compassion, and has strengthened her passion for building systems that make genetic services more accessible to those who need them most.

She completed her Master’s in Genetic Counselling at the University of Cape Town, where she discovered the power of combining research with advocacy. Since then, she has contributed to strengthening genetic counselling services in KwaZulu-Natal and has played a key role in training nurses and clinicians to better understand genetic conditions and the principles of counselling — taking small but meaningful steps toward integrating genetics into public healthcare.

Beyond her professional commitments, she is a wife, mother, mentor, and faith-driven woman who believes in the dignity and purpose of every person. She values meaningful conversations shared over good food — moments that inspire growth, reflection, and hope.

Now, as she pursues the Postgraduate Diploma in Global Health Research at the University of Oxford, as a Mastercard Foundation Scholar, her goal is to explore practical ways to strengthen medical genetics and genetic counselling services and research across Africa. She is eager to learn from others who share a vision of equitable, people-centred healthcare and to use the knowledge she gains to help make that vision a reality.