About Me

I have spent over two decades working at the intersection of leadership, culture, and strategy - across sectors including corporate, conservation, public health, NGOs, and community-led contexts, primarily in Southern and East Africa.

People and organisations often reach out when:

Dare to Lead™ Dr. Brené Brown.

I am a certified facilitator of Dare to Lead™, and was personally trained by Dr. Brené Brown. Courage, vulnerability, values-based leadership, and grounded confidence are woven through everything I do.

I am drawn to moments where people are asked to lead without clear answers - when how we show up matters as much as what we decide. I am trusted to journey with leaders and teams through change - helping them find their footing, strengthen relationships, and move forward with integrity.

My practice spans boardrooms, retreats in wild spaces, and online sessions. I work with executives carrying strategic accountability, and with indigenous and local community leaders holding land, culture, and collective memory. I move fluidly across these contexts with the same presence, respect, and attention.

It matters deeply to me to meet people where they are, to hold space across differences of power, culture, and worldview, and to create conditions where different forms of knowledge are treated with respect and care.

As co-founder of Open Circles, I draw on African philosophies of dialogue and collective wisdom, alongside contemporary leadership and organisational practices. I work slowly enough to build trust, and decisively enough to support real movement. I hold a Master’s degree in Applied Ethics from the University of Stellenbosch. I am an accredited ICF coach and a licensed Enneagram practitioner.

I am based in Durban, South Africa and I am kept on my toes as a mother of two spirited and adventurous teenage girls.

“Thank you for leading us through two days that felt less like a retreat and more like a journey – one that brought light, clarity, and connection to a team finding its shared rhythm. Through your gentle guidance and deep wisdom, you created space for honesty, laughter and reflection. Together, you helped us see not only where we have been, but also where we might go – as one team, moving forward with purpose. I left the experience feeling grounded, renewed and inspired.”

Saira Johnson-Qureshi, Country Co-ordinator, US President’s Emergency Plan For Aids Relief (PEPFAR), South Africa