Our Team
The following dedicated people currently support our growth and success. By generously contributing their expertise, vision and commitment, they help fulfill the hopes, dreams and goals of our students and their communities while they fulfill their own dreams and goals.
Listed Alphabetically
Current Management
Marcia Abrahams
Director of Development and Training
Dr. Melanie Brown
Executive Director, Board of Directors
Priscilla David
Managing Director, English Faculty, Board of Directors
Wilco Van Eeden
Head of Student Development and Faculty Member
Debby Silver
Board of Directors
Bhongolwethu Sonti
Board of Directors
Lisa Wimmers
Finance Director
Mark Dawson
BDV Platinum (Auditors)
Ricardo Wyngaard
Non-Profit Lawyer
Current Staff
Fatiema Cornelius
Senior Administrator, Graduate
Bradley Koen
Administrator, Graduate
Jodine Swart
Placement Officer, Graduate
Current Faculty (Partial List)
Lehlohonolo Suping
Brigid Comrie
Simon Conradie
Wade Anthony January
Daniel Meyer
Debra Poneman
Barry Welsh
Liz Welsh
David Yutar
Lukho Noyila
Our deepest gratitude goes to the following companies, organizations and individuals for their specific contributions in helping to found and sustain the Communiversity.
Partners (Current and Past)
- Ikamva Labantu
- Uniting Reformed Church, Hanover Park
- False Bay TVET Colleges
- College of Cape Town
- University of Cape Town
- Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT)
- University of the Western Cape (UWC)
- Northlink College
- The TM Centre of Cape Town
- ABSA Bank (Ready to Work Program)
- Bank of America (Worth Finance Education Program)
- Projects Abroad
- Tore’s Foundation
- The Vrygrond Community Centre Trust, Vrygrond, Cape Town
- YMCA Achievers Camp/Ricardo De Reuck Strandfontein, Cape Town
- Virgin Active Gym Westlake Branch Cape Town
- AVA Action Volunteers Africa
- South African Institute for Entrepreneurship (SAIE)
- K2S (Knowledge to Share) Foundation, The Netherlands
- Department of Employment and Labour Services, Cape Town
- On The Ball College (computer specialists)
- Peace Jam/Peace Jam South Africa (Nobel Laureate Lehmah Gbowee)
- Assitej
- Cape Leopard Trust
- TETA – Transport Education and Training Authority
- 9 Miles Project
- HOSA (Hope Southern Africa)
- Expanded Public Works Programme Cape Town
- ICDL/Jennifer Van Niekerk
- Junior Achievement Worldwide/South Africa
- The Entrepreneurial Hub (False Bay TVET College)
- Tsogo Sun Hotel Cape Town
- Computers4Kids/Russell Pengelly, CEO
- Surf Emporium/Roxy & William Davis
- GapYear SA/Jessica Gould
- The FunDza Literary Trust
- Cape Town Environmental Education Trust (CTEET)
- Woolworths
- Nedbank/Old Mutual
- Cinnabon South Africa
- Pick n’ Pay Cooking School
- Builders Warehouse
- Creda Communications
- The Golding Foundation (Peter Golding)
- Snowlene Catering (Gloria Baartman)
- Hot Water
- The Seawinds Sports Grounds
- Peak Perfomance Tutors
- Bread Rev
- WBHO Construction
- Vrygrond Taxi Association
- University of Western Cape Dental Faculty
- Westlake Community Centre
- Omnicor
- Butterfly Arts Project
- Cape Town Science Institute
- Virtuosity Academy
- Alexander Forbes
- National Youth Development Agency (NYDA)
Friends and Advisors
- Roy and Debby Silver
- Fredric Sapirstein
- Norman and Vivien Magasiner
- Andrei Magasiner
- Tanya Magasiner
- Shelagh Gastrow
- Taryn Swales
- Mark Gamble
- Moira Mohan
- Alexa Sanchez
- Mosa Le Roux
- Diana Davidson and Lawrence Sheaff
- Len and Di Nyenes
- Anita and Lee Warner
- Dr. Rashi and Margaret Glazer
- Leonard and Lesley Goldman
- Dr. Veronica Butler
- Dr. Steve Guich
- Debra Poneman
- Steve and Sheila Terry
- Mitchell and Renee Posner
- Jeanie Karth
- Pearl Firer
- Helen and Dana Lieberman
- Peter Ross
- R. Robert LoPinto
- Wendy Lucas-Bull
- Carol Allen-Payne
- Jeff and Sue Rosenberg
- Mea Lashbrooke
- Jeremy Schuster
- Jaclyn Alexander
- Christine Downton
- Nik Rabinowitz
- Annie Lennox/Make It Happen
- Sam Hendrikse
- Siv Ngesi
- Stewart Van Graan
- Ari Zelezniak
- Stanley Ginsburg
- Balu and Ian Nivison
- Tina Thomson
- Bob Roth
- Maurita Mosinkie
- William Leadbetter
- Pierre Fabe
- Warren Blank and MaryAnn Cooke
- Taryn Kahn
- Steve Reid
- George Lys
- Zoe Wright
- Linamandla Deliwe
- Guy Harris
- Sandra Raubenheimer
Media Group
- Catherine Aalto
- Michelle Blumenau
- Michael Cacioppo
- Jim Freeman
- Eva Gilliam
- Nick Johnson
- Zach Nichols
- Brian Smith
- Peter Voigt
- Tim Wege
Co-Founding Team
Since 2012, the following people helped to found The Communiversity, generously supporting the creation of this cooperative enterprise. We honor their commitment, their compassion, their wisdom and their unifying vision for a future of fulfillment and success for our students and their communities.
Listed Alphabetically
Management & Staff
- Marcia AbrahamsDirector of Development
- Dr. Melanie BrownExecutive Director, Board
- Gill ConnellanManaging Director, Board
- Fatiema Cornelius Senior Administrator
- Dr. Colin FirerBoard of Directors
- Chantel KlinckProgram Director, Board
- Edwina Luck FieldingProgram Administrator
- Gary Newton SpeelmanTechnology Administrator
- Jodine SwartAdministrative Assistant
- Lisa WimmersFinance Director
Faculty
- Marcia Abrahams
- Jolene Adams
- Gloria Baartman
- Dr. Melanie Brown
- Brigid Comrie
- Michael Cupido
- Priscilla David
- Branwyn Damons
- Roxy and William Davis
- Mninawa Dlelepantsi
- Dr. Jill Farrant
- Pat Featherstone
- Pearl Firer
- Marwaan Galant
- Jon Geidt
- Dee Gillett
- Stanley Ginsburg
- Jeannie Karth
- Sven Karth
- Chantel Klinck
- Cherith Langenhoven
- Capricorn Link
- Moira Mahon
- Asheeqah May
- Norman Mentoor
- Charles Mitchell
- Jo Monson
- Kate Patience
- Len Nyenes
- Carol Allen-Payne
- Russell Pengelly
- Solly Philander
- Juliegha Sadek
- Kevin Smith
- Henry Titus
- Ricardo van Der Merwe
- Liticha van Neel
- Brendon Voogt
- Barry Welsh
- Liz Welsh
- Marion Whitehead
- Dr. Wendi Wise
- David Yutar
Advisors
- BDV Platinum
- Dr. Veronica Butler
- Brigid Comrie
- Rhona Dubow
- Stanley Ginsburg
- Dr. Rashi & Margaret Glazer
- Lenny Goldman
- Dr. Steve Guich
- Sue Ingram
- Faranaaz Johnston
- Melanie Judge
- Thandi Lewin
- Robert LoPinto
- Wendy Lucas-Bull
- Janet McCutcheon
- Zukile Melani
- Dr. Mary Metcalfe
- Hlengiwe Mkhize, Deputy Minister
- Sheryl Ozinsky
- Yvonne Poolman
- Tarryn Rice
- Jeff and Sue Rosenberg
- Peta Axelsson
- Jonathan and Kathy Rudney
- Jonathan Schrire
- Tricia Sibbons
- Debby Silver
- Roy Silver
- The Vrygrond Community Trust