Our Team

Janice BleazardTrustee Janice Bleazard is a practising advocate and member of the Cape Bar. She has an LL.M. from New York University, an LL.B. from UCT and a B.A. (Honours) in History from UCT. Prior to joining the Bar, she clerked at the Constitutional Court of South Africa for Justice Skweyiya, and worked with Equal Education to establish the Equal Education Law Centre in Cape Town of which she is also a Trustee.

Zephne LadbrookTrustee Zephne Ladbrook is Chief Executive Officer of the Otto Foundation. She holds a BA (Hons) (Stell) in Philosophy, and a BA (Hons) (Wits) in Psychology. Zephne has been spearheading the Otto Foundation's strategy development and project implementation since its inception in 2017.

The Otto Foundation is an education-focused philanthropic organisation established in 2016. They support primary schools in becoming (i) sites for quality education; and (ii) safe and nurturing spaces for children. They have a particular focus on improving early literacy and fostering a love of reading among learners from disadvantaged communities, understanding that access to books and excellence in reading is a critical element underpinning a good education.

Michelle LouwTrustee Michelle Louw is the Financial Director of a group of companies operating in the petroleum industry. She is responsible for the financial and corporate reporting of the group as well as compliance with laws and regulations. She is an alumnus of The University of Cape Town, and is a qualified CA(SA), with 8 years of post article experience in the petroleum sector. She is a registered SAICA member.

Xolisa GuzulaTrustee Xolisa Guzula is a lecturer in language and literacy studies at the University of Cape Town with a focus on multilingualism and multiliteracies in education. She is a co-founder of a network of reading clubs across the country. She has also written seven children’s books and translated many others from English to isiXhosa. She is a member of Bua-lit Language and Literacy Collective, working on social justice in language and literacy education.

Roné McFarlaneTrustee Roné McFarlane is the Senior Manager of Development and Research at Equal Education She previous;y worked as the Research Advisor to Cambridge University's Faculty of Education and interned at the BBC in London. Roné holds an MSc in Comparative and International Education from Oxford University, which she obtained with distinction as a Chevening scholar. Roné serves on the organising committee for the Education Fishtank, a collective that hosts regular education seminars. She is also a house leader for the NPO Echo Youth Development, who provide houses for youth making the difficult transition out of childcare facilities.

Christina WatsonTrustee Christina Watson has more than 30 years’ experience in the education industry and is the CEO of one of southern Africa’s foremost educational publishers, Via Afrika. She believes that children’s access to education affects all our lives and will determine South Africa’s development in years to come. As such, Watson contributes to broadening learners’ futures by creating educational spaces in which learners and educators develop technological skills in meaningful ways.

Tina Boateng-AkuokoTrustee Tina Boateng-Akuoko studied Financial Accounting at the University of Cape Town and graduated with Honours in 2007. She completed her articles at Deloitte and Touche and qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 2010. She has worked at Absa in various roles since May 2011. In 2012, she spent a year at Barclays Capital in London, UK. Tina co-founded her passion project, Ethnikids (Pty) Ltd – a company born out of a passion for books and Tina’s belief in the power of literacy to emancipate a nation from the shackles of poverty.

Botshelo MotubaTrustee Botshelo Motuba completed an Honours degree in International Relations from Wits University and has a passion for African development. Whilst at Wits, she became a member of the Golden Key International Certificate for academic excellence. She has also worked as a Johannesburg Junior City Councillor. Botshelo has engaged the marketing and media industry as a Communications Specialist and is currently completing a project about Western Sahara (the last colony in Africa). She continues to evolve in the Communications industry and focuses on influencing dialogue and setting the African agenda.