From Playground Queen to Trailblazing Surgeon: The Story of Dr. Maisa O. Al-Sebaei
A Childhood of Courage and Leadership
Long before she became Saudi Arabia’s first female oral and maxillofacial surgeon to earn the American Board, Maisa Al-Sibai was already shaping communities, starting with a playground in 1970s Michigan. At just five years old, she noticed the bullying, chaos, and cliques that ruled recess. Her solution? She broke barriers by changing her name to “Lisa” to fit in, then reorganized the playground, stood up for bullied kids like Ali, and became its unofficial leader. It was the first sign of the resilience and empathy that would define her leadership style.
Defying “No”: The Fuel Behind Her Ambition
Maisa grew up in a family of pioneers. Her grandfather was one of Mecca’s earliest educators and writers, and her parents were scholars. Yet despite this academic pedigree, she faced discouragement when she chose a male-dominated specialty. Professors told her maxillofacial surgery was “too difficult” and “only for men.” One even compared her odds to “a snowball surviving in hell.” Rather than break her, these words lit her fire. She set her sights on becoming the first Saudi woman in her field and did just that.
Building a Career Without Sacrificing Family
Maisa married her classmate, Dr. Imad Al-Badawi, and together they raised three children while pursuing degrees in Boston. She refused to choose between family and career: two babies during residency, a third after returning to Saudi Arabia. She juggled emergency surgeries with homework sessions, sometimes asking colleagues to help her children study while she treated patients. Inspired by her mother, who earned her PhD while raising four children, Maisa learned that with creativity, organization, and support, women can indeed “have it all.”
Breaking Bias, One Patient at a Time
Returning home, Maisa was met with skepticism not from her university, but from patients. Many questioned her competence simply because she was a woman. One father refused to let her operate on his son unless her male resident assisted. These comments stung, but she made a choice: to be a creator, not a victim. Over time, her patience and skill earned her the trust of both male and female patients, with some now insisting she be their surgeon.
Crisis Management as a Leadership Model
Maisa’s leadership shines brightest under pressure. A near-death incident at work revealed flaws in her institution’s emergency protocols. Instead of venting frustration, she documented the event, wrote a preventive plan, and put it on her boss’s desk. Days later, she was appointed head of a new department to manage critical situations. Starting with only a small room and a nurse, she built a full system of training modules, mock drills, and response protocols that later drew praise from accreditation bodies.
Shaping the Next Generation of Leaders
Today, Maisa is not just a surgeon and department chair; she’s a teacher, mentor, and systems builder. She embeds empathy, communication, and crisis preparedness into her students’ training. Inspired by her experience at the Misk leadership program, she’s now working on launching a national training center for dental emergencies and protocols in collaboration with Saudi health authorities, a project she hopes will be mandated like basic life support certifications.
Lessons on Balance, Resilience, and Growth
Maisa believes the secret to balancing family and an ambitious career is not perfect time management but creativity, resilience, and a strong support system. She also stresses that age should be seen as experience, not limitation, and encourages professionals, especially women, to keep learning, stay current, and challenge outdated assumptions. Her journey proves that persistence, empathy, and courage can reshape entire systems, one patient, one student, and one protocol at a time.
For Maisa, leadership isn’t a title, it’s a practice. It’s being the person who steps up when something goes wrong, the mentor who opens doors for others, and the pioneer who refuses to let “no” be the last word. Her story is a testament to what happens when determination meets purpose: barriers break, systems improve, and future generations rise stronger.
Catch the full episode with Dr. Maisa Al-Sibai on our YouTube channel and on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and Anghami.
