Sharon Kleintjes completed a MA Clinical Psychology (UCT, 1991); an MPhil in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (UCT, 2004), a Diploma in Strategic Health Management (Foundation for Professional Development, Pretoria, SA, 2004) and a PhD (UCT, 2012). Sharon worked in the Western Cape Provinceā€™s Department of Health as a clinical psychologist and programme manager for mental health (1990-2004), a research manager at the HSRC (2004-2006), and as a researcher (2006-2010) and postgraduate course convener (2011) in the Department of Psychiatry & Mental Health, UCT before her appointment as principal psychologist at Valkenberg Psychiatric Hospital, Cape Town (2012-18). She was appointed as the Vera Grover Chair and Professor of Intellectual Disability in the Department of Psychiatry & Mental Health at UCT in March 2018. Her primary research interest is in public mental health policy and service development and service user involvement in their recovery.