Get In Touch
Building K, Agri-Park, Farm 468, Portion 128, Baden Powell Dr, Lynedoch, Stellenbosch, 7603
info@teachthenation.org
Ph: 072 872 6848

Meet the Team

David Oliphant
Chief Executive Officer

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David, the Co-Founder and CEO of Teach the Nation. Although David comes from an engineering background and obtained a bachelor’s degree in construction engineering, completing his master’s degree in construction management specializing in sustainable housing from the University of Cape town. For over 12 years, he has passionately worked in the social development sphere leading him to co-found Teach the Nation since 2020. He is a current Young African Leadership Initiative (YALI) Alumni.

Emillie Oliphant
Chief Operation Officer

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Emillie is one of Teach the Nation Co-Founder and Chief Operation Officer. She was a previous project writer and Manager for the Commission for Environment in Mauritius, securing funding to develop sustainable livelihoods for Fisherwoman in Rodrigues Island, Mauritius. She also has a background as a Training Coordinator for Small and Medium enterprises in Rodrigues Island, specializing in Sustainable livelihood. She is currently completing her Masters in Climate Change and Development at the University of Cape Town. She is a current Young African Leadership Initiative Alumni (YALI)

Moses Madziba
Head of Training and Support

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Moses is the Head of Training at Teach the Nation and is responsible for ensuring the leadership development programme constantly caters to the needs of all fellows. Previously he was a graduate recruiter. Throughout his career, he specialized in managing community development projects and graduate programs. He holds an advance diploma in Project Management from WITS University and is a current Nelson Mandela Washington fellowship alum.

Nerina Josephs
Head of Talent Management

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Nerina Josephs is the Head of Talent Management at Teach The Nation and is responsible for ensuring that high potential candidates (novice teachers and graduates) are recruited from under-resourced schools and various universities in South Africa for the Leadership Development Program. She has spearheaded community projects focused on the empowerment of teenage girls from disadvantaged communities and has spent most of her career working for corporate organisations in the petrochemical, financial services, and retail industry. She has extensive experience in project management, logistics & distribution, marketing & sales, change management and stakeholder management. She holds a BA Degree in Psychology and BTech in Project Management

Nokuthula Fakude
Finance Administrator

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Nokuthula is the finance administrator and plays a crucial role in ensuring that the organization's finances are managed meticulously. hold a BCom degree in Finance and Accounting, reflecting my dedication to financial management and accounting principles.

Mericia Van Niekerk
HR & Operations Officer

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Mericia is the HR and Operations Officer and works with all internal HR matters and handles assisting with payroll, culture structure, employee development, coordination and operations. She has over 6 years of experience within the recruitment and HR sector and has experience in fraud investigation and sales. She holds a certificate in Public Management, a Diploma in Beauty Therapy, a Sage Certificate and is currently completing her Human Resources Management Diploma

Cherly Jaftha
Recruitment Officer

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Cheryl is a Recruitment Officer and is responsible for conducting presentations at schools to recruit novice teachers for the Leadership Development Fellowship. She is the PGCE coordinator. She has 25 years of teaching experience and has been a lecturer and Curriculum Developer at CUT and has been a Teaching and Learning Manager at UFS. She holds an MEd specialising in ICT in Education.

Jason Wicks
Senior Recruitment Officer

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Jason is a senior recruitment officer and is responsible for overseeing the development and implementation of all recruitment strategies and processes. He supports in the interviewing, managing and onboarding of all prospective fellows, ensuring they experience a smooth and fair application process. Along with this, he works alongside the marketing department to create and distribute TTN's Recruitment Marketing content.

Kirstin Klink
Marketing Coordinator

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Kirstin is the Marketing Coordinator and is responsible for content creation, Social Media Management and Graphic Design. She has previous experience as an office administrator. She holds a degree in Marketing and Business Management.

Angie Nord
Senior Leadership Development Coach

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Angie is a Senior Leadership Development Coach and handles the implementation of key aspects of the coaching framework and coach's fellows through their 2-year leadership development. She has previous experience lecturing Tourism Management, Marketing, Hospitality and Events Management at various institutions of higher education and training. She holds a BTech in Tourism Management from CPUT and is a qualified assessor and moderator.

Cindy Gamanie
Senior Leadership Development Coach

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Cindy is a Senior Leadership Development Coach and handles the implementation of key aspects of the coaching framework and coach's fellows through their 2-year leadership development. She has previous experience as a chef at various hotels and restaurants and as an educare teacher. She has a CAIA (Culinary Art Institute of Africa) Associate Diploma and a N4-N6 in Educare.

Bruce Oom
Leadership Development Coach

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Bruce is a current a leadership development coach where he coaches fellows through the 2-year leadership development fellowship. He is also the SME (subject matter experts) lead. He has experience in various fields, including environmental management, communications management and teaching in High School specialising in Physical Science. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Chemistry and Applied Chemistry, a Bachelor of Science Honours degree in Chemistry, and a Master of Science degree in Environmental Geochemistry. Additionally, he is currently a certified Professional Coach, having completed my certification at the University of Cape Town Graduate School of Business.

Andrew Young
Virtual Assistant

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he enhances the team’s productivity through efficient administrative remote support. He works directly with the CEO and assists him in managing diverse tasks remotely. He has strong organizational abilities and a commitment to delivering high-quality results. He has an Honours degree in International Business and Trade from the African Leadership University.  

Correta Mkansi
Leadership Development Coach

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Correta Mkansi is a leadership development coach and coach’s fellows through their 2-year leadership development. She has previous experience as an Environmental Monitor. She is a Teach the Nation alum and was a volunteer teacher through her leadership development fellowship. She holds a BSc in Life and Enviromental Science and a PGCE.

 

Robin Williams
Leadership Development Coach

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Robin is a leadership development coach and coach’s fellows through their 2-year leadership development. She has previous experience as a facilities manager and has experience in addictions management care. She holds a higher certificate in Social Auxiliary Work and is currently pursuing a BA in Environmental Management.

Sihle Mathebula

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is an environmental professional with over 30 years of experience in management, risk control, and ISO standards implementation. She has held senior roles at major organizations, reducing workplace incidents and enhancing environmental performance. She is skilled in project management, stakeholder engagement, waste management programs, and ensuring regulatory compliance. She holds a National Diploma in Nature Conservation.

Our Board Members

Sipho Hlela

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Sipho is currently the Sales Director at Delta- V. He is a former diversity, equity, and inclusion Director at Meltwater, showcasing his adaptability in the dynamic African market as Managing Director for Kenya and Chairperson for both the company's Employment Equity Forum in South Africa and the EMEA Diversity & Inclusion Council.

MoAfrika wa Mokgathi

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MoAfrika wa Mokgathi is a distinguished South African artist, leader, and advocate for social justice. Her multifaceted career encompasses writing, performance, cultural curation, Arts Administration and radio broadcasting. wa Mokgathi's leadership extends to advocacy. She co-founded and currently serves as Managing Director of the Hear My Voice and the South African Poets Guild, promoting poetry and literature.

Yolande Walker

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With over a decade in asset management, Yolande Walker thrives on fostering relationships and optimizing processes for enhanced returns. A natural communicator, she excels at building lasting connections and has been pivotal in growing flagship funds to bestseller status in South Africa.

Yolande is deeply passionate about driving change in social wellbeing. Personally spearheading fundraising initiatives, she has raised over R11 million for non-profit causes, making a tangible impact on communities.

Junita Moonsamy

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With over two decades of experience, Junita is a trailblazing leader in the financial sector, consistently redefining standards and breaking barriers in a traditionally male-dominated industry. She has successfully led high-performing, global teams across South Africa, Australia, Dubai, the Middle East, Poland, and London, showcasing her expertise in strategy and business growth.

Junita’s skillset includes writing sales manuals, developing effective strategies, and delivering meticulous reports.

Cheslyn Jacobs

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With a remarkable 15-year career in financial inclusion, Cheslyn has been a driving force in transforming community banking and expanding access to financial services.

Starting his journey at Standard Bank of South Africa, Cheslyn played a pivotal role in community banking growth. Since joining TymeBank in 2012, he has been instrumental in the commercialization of innovative value propositions, alternative sales channels, and service delivery.

Ria De Villiers

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Ria De Villiers is currently the CEO of EDUCATION CHANGE (Pty) and a board member of the associated Non-Profit Company. Her impactful work includes a key role as a consultant for the DBE-E3 programme, where she empowered learners, teachers, and school leaders in effective program implementation.

Ria’s dedication to promoting diversity, equity, and inclusiveness in education aligns seamlessly with our mission. With a remarkable career spanning five decades, Ria has made significant contributions at every level, from ECD teacher training to mentoring leaders in major corporations like ABSA, MTN, and Daimler Chrysler.

Subethri Naidoo

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Subethri Naidoo is currently the CEO of NextUp, an innovative startup dedicated to transforming young lives. Her career also includes a significant role at the National Treasury as Head of Strategy, where she shaped key financial policies. Throughout her career, Subethri has brought her expertise to prestigious organisations such as the World Bank, USAID, and DFIDSA, working on impactful projects across Southern Africa.