Julia Smith is a Visiting Fellow at the Health Economics AIDS Research Division, at the University of KwaZulu-Natal in Durban, South Africa, and a Master’s candidate in the Department of Peace Studies at the University of Bradford, in the UK. Julia is currently a Rotary International World Peace Fellow. Previously, Julia worked as the Director of Communications for the BC Persons with AIDS Society in Vancouver, Canada. She has also spent a number of years working in Kenya for the Emmanuel Rescue Center, a home for street children, and as Gender and Development Officer for the Canadian Co-operative Association. Her current research and writing interests include: AIDS and gender, sexual and reproductive rights, social and economic rights, HIV and AIDS care.

Alan Whiteside has an MA from the University of East Anglia and a D Econ from the University of Natal. He began his professional career as an Overseas Development Institute Fellow working as a Planning Officer (Economist) in the Ministry of Finance and Development, Gaborone, Botswana from 1980 to 1983.
In 1983 he joined the Economic Research Unit of the University of Natal as a Research Fellow. In 1998, he established the Health Economics and HIV/AIDS Research Division and is its the Director. His main research interest at present is the economic and development impact of HIV/AIDS.
In 2000 Alan co-authored, with Clem Sunter, AIDS: The Challenge for South Africa, published by Human and Rousseau/Tafelberg. In 2002 he wrote (with Tony Barnett) AIDS in the 21st Century: Disease and Globalisation published by Palgrave MacMillan. He has carried out training around the world and worked in much of Africa, Ukraine and parts of Asia. In 2003 he was appointed by Secretary General Kofi Annan as one of the Commissioners on the Commission for HIV/AIDS and Governance in Africa. Other academic appointments include: Visiting Professor School of Medicine Liverpool University, Leverhulme Visiting Professor University of Southampton and Visiting Fellow University of East Anglia. He is an elected Member of the Governing Council of the International AIDS Society and a member of the Governing Council of Waterford Kamhlaba College.