Dr. Mary Shawa is a retired Principal Secretary for the Government of Malawi. She served as a Secretary in the Ministries of Health; and the Office of the President and Cabinet for Nutrition, HIV and AIDS; Gender, Children, Disability and Social Welfare; and Transport and Publ8c Works. Dr. Mary Shawa has represented Malawi at various fora as a delegate, leader of gelegation, resource person, facilitator and presenter. She has been instrumental in negotiating for the U.N. Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and AU agenda 2063 "The Africa We Want". She has chaired the AU Gender and Women Affairs; and Social Development Technical Working Groups. She has lectured at Lilongwe University of Agriculture and Natural Resources. She is a member of the RUFORUM Board Executive and she chairs the Finance and Administration Committee. She has verves on several boards and is one of the early RUFORUM initiators. Dr. Mary Shawa holds a PhD in Nutrition with a bias in socioeconomics; an MAc in Clinical Nutrition and Dietatics; and a Post Graduate Diploma in Good Resources Related to Community Development from Kings College, University of London; and a Diploma in Agriculture from University of Malawi, Binds College. She has worked for the Government of Malawi for 39 years.