Petra Bester has extensive work experience in the public and private health sectors of South Africa, including managed healthcare from both the hospital and administrator’s perspective. After a clinical masters’ degree in Community Psychiatric Nursing and a PhD in Nursing, Petra Bester returned to the higher education context since 2010. Although a dedicated researcher and lecturer, Petra occupied managerial positions since 2013. From a senior lecturer, Petra became the academic manager for Health Sciences at the Unit for Open Distance Learning and therefore is experienced in the realities of distance education in sub-Sahara Africa. For the past eight years Petra Bester supported health system strengthening initiatives with a specific focus in health service management, health information systems, leadership and governance and health promotion. To date Petra supervised over 40 postgraduate students from various disciplines with a focus in health. She is the primary investigator of a community-university grant of the National Research Foundation and a member of Academy of Nursing South Africa (ANSA). Petra Bester co-developed the Social Greenhouse® (sustainable community development process) with Dr Christi Niesing and is an advocate for social justice and transdisciplinarity in community-integrated research. Petra has a keen interest in qualitative research methodologies. Petra is at present the director at AUTHeR.