Council Members
Michael Lawrence
I am governance, strategy and change management consultant and participates
on several boards, many of which are in the NGO\NPO sector. I am passionate
about conservation and environmental education and would like to improve on
the governance within the society as well as achieving meaningful and
sustainable transformation goals.
Mike Harper
I am Strategy Director of Old Mutual Emerging Markets until I retire at end
2011. I have spent the past year on a growth strategy for Old Mutual South
Africa to further develop its operations in Africa, Latin America and Asia,
including a detailed ten year financial growth plan. I also serve on the
Board of Mutual & Federal. I am a keen hiker, have been a member of BotSoc
for over 30 years and have served as Deputy Chairman of the Botanical
Society for the past 3 years. I am a Bankenveld branch member, and was for
many years until 2006 a Kirstenbosch branch member.
Ted Oliver
Dr Oliver joined the BotSoc as a life member during the 50th anniversary celebrations in 1963. He has served on council for many years since the early 1970’s, was chairman of the Flora Conservation Committee, the Publications Committee, the constitutional ad hoc committee in the 1970’s, and started the Honours & Awards Committee in 1989. In the 1970’s he designed the current emblem of the society. He was awarded Hon Life Membership in 2000 and the Marloth Medal in 2003. As president of the society he is interested in the values of the past and the way forward for the society in the new South Africa.
Ted studied at the University of Cape Town and then joined the Botanical Research Institute (later the SA National Biodiversity Institute) in 1963 with postings as curator of their Stellenbosch Herbarium, curator of the National Herbarium, Pretoria, and South African Botanist at the Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew, London, before retiring from the Compton Herbarium, Kirstenbosch, in 2003. He is currently a research associate with the Dept of Botany & Zoology at Stellenbosch University.
Ena McIntyre
Associate member: Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators of
South Africa (ACIS). Retired from a career in Accounting and Business
Administration in the construction sector in 1994, self employed 1998 -
2002. BotSoc member since 1995 and BotSoc volunteer since 1998 serving as
Branch Chairman until 2007, since 2007 Regional Representative. BotSoc
Council member 2002 – 2008 (Vice Chairman 2004 – 2008), Treasurer 2008 -
2011 (re-elected). Interested in people and life in all its guises
especially in the transformation context; natural history and conservation;
philosophy; business and finance. Other: LifeLine Garden Route member and
volunteer since 2008 involved in community development programmes.
Richard
Boon
I have been a member of the Botanical Society of South Africa since 1991 and
served as Chairperson of the Coastal-KZN Branch from September 2002 to
October 2005. I have also previously been a member of the Society’s
National Council Committee from September 2003 to September 2005.
I am the Manager of the Biodiversity Planning Branch in the
Environmental Planning and Climate Protection Department of the
eThekwini Municipality. Our work involves preparing and mainstreaming
plans to conserve biodiversity and the supply of ecosystem goods and
services, as well as the implementation of these projects.
Julian Sonn
Prof. Sonn is Head of Leadership and Transformation at University of Stellenbosch and is passionate about conservation and environmental education.
Jaques van Coppenhagen
Jaques has a background in conservation and horticulture, and h as previously worked in the biodiversity sector within government. H e is a past chair of the society in Pretoria.
Antonia (Toni) Xaba
Toni is a qualified horticulturist currently holding the position of Director :Farmer Settlement with the Western Cape Department of Agriculture. Prevciously, she held the position of Curator of the Harold Porter National Botanical Garden, where she was responsible for the revitalisation of the ecosystem based thematic gardens, a visitor facility improvement and development initiative to enhance eco-tourism and awareness. She also held the position of Outreach Horticulturist, managing the Kirstenbosch National Botanical Garden’s Outreach Greening Programme which focusses on establishing indigenous and food gardens at schools and in communal areas in marginalized communities. Ms Xaba also worked for the National Water Conservation Campaign, managing National Water-Wise Gardening projects initiated in the national botanical gardens, municipal open spaces and nurseries nation-wide.
Staff
Zaitoon Rabaney
Zaitoon has a BSocSc (Hons) from the University of the Western Cape. She
has been with BotSoc since 1996 when she took on the position of Membership
Secretary. She was then promoted to Executive Secretary, and therafter
Executive Manager.
Simisha Pather-Elias
I work closely with the Executive Director and manage the
society's portfolio of projects, as well as the website. I am passionate
about conservation issues, especially climate change and sustainable
development, and have a MSc in Science (Engineering) from the Energy
Research Centre at UCT.
Colette Chung
I have a diploma in Internal Auditing from CPUT and have completed the SAP
accounting package training. I have worked in several large organisations. Colette is responsible for the financial management of the society
and works very closely with the Treasurer, which she enjoys.
Simone van Rooyen
I have been with the society for 10 years and wears many hats
including membership administration, participating in the Veld & Flora
committee and handling of the Veld & Flora content and advertising.
Nasera Baker
I process new applications and renewals for membership, and assist members
with payments and printing new cards. I enjoy what I do and the
interaction with the members.
Karen Carstens
Karen is one of the head office staff working for the Bankenveld branch and
stationed at the Walter Sisulu National Botanical Garden. She is mainly
involved with branch administration & activities & membership related
matters.
Zikhona Mdalase
Zikhona is BotSoc's conservation administrator but is seconded to the
Custodians of Rare and Endangered Wildflowers (CREW). Responsible in the
CREW office for processing specimens, updating the plants database, general
administration work and environmental education. I am currently in my 2nd year of studies in Nature Conservation through UNISA.
Isabel Johnson
I am the Programme Manager for CREW (Custodians of Rare and Endangered
Wildplants) in KwaZulu-Natal. CREW engages with volunteers from civil
society to monitor threatened plant species. I am also studying the Hilton
Daisy (Gerbera aurantiaca), an endangered grassland species endemic to the
mistbelt grasslands for a doctoral thesis at UKZN
Moosa Behardien
Moosa is our Office Manager and assists with the day to day running
of the office.
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