2011 Peace Nobelist ___ Johnson Sirleaf

ELLEN

This Liberian leader made history as Africa's first elected female head of state before winning the Nobel Prize for her work in women's rights and post-war recovery. Her first name shares roots with a Greek word meaning "light."

This clue refers to Ellen Johnson Sirleaf, who won the Nobel Peace Prize in 2011 for her nonviolent struggle for women’s safety and rights in Liberia. She was the first elected female head of state in Africa, serving as Liberia’s president from 2006 to 2018. The blank in the clue signals her first name, "Ellen," which fits the answer space. The Nobel reference narrows it down to her specifically.