The first female President of Liberia was Ellen Johnson Sirleaf. She served as President from 2006 to 2018, becoming the first elected female head of state in Africa. Sirleaf was a prominent economist and had held various positions in the Liberian government and international organizations before her election as President. Her presidency was marked by efforts to rebuild Liberia after years of civil war and economic instability, as well as efforts to promote women's rights and gender equality.