Paula Gil Leyva studied nursing before she joined MSF in 2003, with her first mission as a nurse in Angola. Since then she has worked in Mozambique, the Central African Republic, Angola again, and more recently in Spain, during the response to the COVID-19 pandemic in the country. Over the course of her fieldwork, she has held various positions, including field coordinator, medical coordinator, and project coordinator, before diversifying her experience and working in human resources, including as human resources coordinator. In addition to her nursing degrees, Paula holds a postgraduate degree in Gender and Equality studies from Universidad Autónoma de Barcelona. She was elected President of MSF Spain in October 2021.