Helena is an avid wildlife photographer and hiker, often seeking adventures in the great outdoors.
With a diverse background and extensive experience in community development, conservation, eco-tourism and environmental education, Helena brings a wealth of knowledge to our organisation. Helena’s professional journey includes serving as the Director of Conservation with Pangolin.Africa and managing a cross-border safari enterprise. Her expertise extends to species conservation, non-profit governance and programme management, acquired through her various leadership roles. As a former Social Ecologist for Wilderness Safaris, Africa’s largest ecotourism operator and the CEO of WESSA (The Wildlife and Environment of Society of South Africa) Helena has played a significant role in managing biodiversity, water, community, and education initiatives across the SADC region.
Her dedication to conservation is evident through her research contributions, particularly in the community development space and the relationship between communities and protected areas. Furthermore, Helena’s involvement as the co-chair of the Southern African IUCN Pangolin Specialist Group underscores her commitment to wildlife conservation.
