With a huge passion for wildlife conservation and education, I love working with schools and colleges to develop field trips for their students. Collaborating with teachers and professors, I help them put together an immersive experience where students work alongside professionals to learn how wildlife conservation works in southern Africa.
As a Director of African Conservation Experience, I am also responsible for our finances, legal obligations and compliance. Although that doesn’t sound as exciting as facilitating school trips, I get great satisfaction in ensuring that our organisation complies with very high standards, so that all of our travellers are financially protected and safe when travelling with us.
Born and brought up in South Africa, I developed a keen interest in wildlife and conservation. After completing a bachelor's degree in Biological Sciences at Oxford University, I spent a year teaching marine ecology in the USA; there I developed a passion for experiential education and the development of field courses.
I went on to undertake a PhD in Ecology, again at Oxford University, which took me back to South Africa for my research. Through collaboration with professors in South Africa, I researched and published papers in international scientific journals on ecology.
Alongside my work with African Conservation Experience, I also teach biology at the International School of Amsterdam and help train educators from around the world. My connections with schools and teachers from across the globe coupled with my academic background in ecological research means that I have a great insight into what students, educators, school principals and parents are looking for in experiential school trips.
