Kamla Persad-Bissessar became the first woman to hold the office of Prime Minister of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago in 2010 and served through 2015. 

Kamla Persad-Bissessar was born in 1952 and studied at the University of the West Indies, Norwood Technical College (England,) and the Hugh Wooding Law School. Consequently, she was awarded a B.A. (Hons.), a Diploma in Education, a B.A. of Laws (Hons.) and a Legal Education Certificate. In 2006 she obtained an Executive Masters in Business Administration (EMBA) from the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business, Trinidad.

 While in England pursuing studies, she worked as a social worker with the Church of England Children’s Society of London. She taught at the St. Andrew High School in Kingston, Jamaica and at the Mona Campus in Jamaica. Later, she taught at the St. Augustine campus of the University of the West Indies in Trinidad.She was also a Consultant Lecturer at the Jamaica College of Insurance.After lecturing for a total of six years, Mrs. Persad-Bissessar then became a full-time Attorney-at-Law.

In 1987 Persad-Bissessar entered the political arena, serving as an alderwoman for. for St. Patrick County Council. She became an opposition senator for the United National Congress from 1994 to 1995.  In 1995, Persad-Bissessar becameshe the Member of Parliament for Siparia and has been ever since. She served as Attorney General, Minister of Legal Affairs and Minister of Education between 1995 and 2001. 

The United National Congress returned to the Opposition benches in 2002 and on April 26th, 2006, Mrs. Persad-Bissessar was appointed Leader of the Opposition, the first woman to ever hold that position in the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago. Mrs. Persad-Bissessar was appointed Leader of the Opposition a second time on February 25, 2010, almost one month after she was elected political leader of the United National Congress. 

In 2019, Kamla Persad-Bissessar was named the thirteenth most influential female leader around the world by Time magazine. She is currently serving as the Leader of the Opposition of Trinidad and Tobago as the political leader of the United National Congress political party, and has been since 2015.