Meet the Team

Pangolin.Africa is a registered non-profit organisation dedicated to the survival of the most highly trafficked wildlife species on Earth – the African pangolin.

With one pangolin poached from the wild every five minutes, the situation facing the African pangolin has reached a tipping point. If we don’t act now, this animal could disappear in our lifetime.

Through our three-pronged approach of publicity, participation, and protection, our projects enable global partners in tourism, conservation, and business to contribute to research, protection, and rehabilitation of this vulnerable species.

Toby Jermyn
Toby JermynDirector & Executive Board Member

Toby hails from the United Kingdom but has been living in South Africa for over 20 years. He studied Marine Zoology and Zoology at Bangor University in Wales and holds a FGASA level one guiding qualification. Toby is currently the owner and director of Pangolin Photo Safaris, a company dedicated to catering for photographers of all levels of experience on safaris in Africa and beyond.

Toby’s passion for wildlife conservation and boundless enthusiasm for technology-driven marketing has led him to found Pangolin.Africa which aims to make a significant impact on the survival of this amazing animal across the continent.

Sadicka Hajwanie-Timm
Sadicka Hajwanie-TimmFinance Manager & Executive Board Member

A born and bred Capetonian, Sadicka has worked in the tourism industry for the last 14 years. She previously held the position of Head of Finance for one of South Africa’s largest destination management companies as well as Financial Manager for a corporate travel company owned by Africa’s largest Media Publication house.

Sadicka obtained a degree in Cost and Management Accounting at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology and is currently in the process of obtaining her qualification from The Chartered Institute of Management Accounts (CIMA).

In addition to taking on the role as Pangolin.Africa’s Financial Manager she is currently the Financial Manager for the Pangolin Photo Safaris Group.

Helena Atkinson
Helena AtkinsonConservation Projects Manager & Executive Board Member

Helena has been working as a conservationist, wildlife photographer and guide for the last 12 years. She has a master’s degree in Conservation Ecology and has spent a lot of time in the field, working specifically with the challenges around human and wildlife conflict. She has been involved with several conservation projects in Africa, including heading up the conservation unit at the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa. She has extensive experience in the NGO sector, particularly in the areas of governance requirements, and project development & implementation. Helena is also a member of the IUCN SSC Pangolin Specialist Group.

Helena divides her time between pangolin conservation projects and leading photographic safaris with her husband, renowned photographer Grant Atkinson.

Janine Southwood
Janine SouthwoodBoard Member

Janine has been in the tourism industry for more than 20 years, and currently heads up The Personal Collection at Thompsons Africa.

“Born in Africa, I am blessed to part of a continent like no other. Should you soul be an African one, you will immediately reorganise you truly belong here, and during the course of your journey through life, Africa will steal your heart. To fully describe my love of Africa and how it captivates me would be the start of an incredibly long love story. The conservation of our wildlife and our magnificent landscapes is what drives me to fight to preserve each animal’s right to be here for a long time to come.”

Ntokozo Mbuli
Ntokozo MbuliBoard Member

Accomplished television producer and presenter Ntokozo Mbuli is not only the brains behind some of South Africa’s award-winning content, but her passion for the natural world drives the extensive work she does beyond the television medium, in the conservation and sustainability space. With just over 20 years of television production experience, creating content across genres for all broadcasters, Ntokozo’s 11-year career in front of the camera on environmental TV shows, has clearly been accompanied by an even more successful behind-the scenes career.

Jillian Blackbeard
Jillian BlackbeardBoard Member

Following her return to Botswana in 2011 Jillian worked in the tourism industry, joining Botswana Tourism Organisation in 2014 and serving as Executive Director for Marketing from 2016 until 2019. She was part of the implementation of tourism diversification strategies to develop tourism product diversification and promote the country globally. She is a founding member of the Tlhokomela Botswana Endangered Wildlife Trust and the Wildbird Trust supporting the Into the Okavango project. Jillian frequently speaks at global conferences on topics ranging from wildlife tourism, sustainable tourism, circular economy and innovative partnership in African marketing.

“The privilege of living with free roaming, naturally safe wildlife cannot be reserved for this generation only, we need to individually act as part of a greater whole today to ensure that this continues forever”.

Machel van Niekerk
Machel van NiekerkNorthern Cape Project Manager

Wildlife conservation and environmental education is Machel’s lifelong passion. As a qualified veterinary nurse, she has more than 30 years’ experience with rehabilitating wild animals and birds including pangolins, aardwolf, bat-eared foxes and raptors.

Machel recently completed a wildlife rehabilitation course at N/a’an ku sê Wildlife Sanctuary in Namibia and has also received pangolin-specific rehabilitation training at the Johannesburg Wildlife Veterinary Hospital in South Africa.

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