Council
Prof Heila Sisitka
Current President
Professor Heila Lotz-Sisitka now holds a Tier 1 South African National Research Foundation/Department of Science and Technology Chair in Global Change and Social Learning Systems, and is a Distinguished Research Professor at Rhodes University. Her Chair is based in the Environmental Learning Research Centre at Rhodes University, South Africa which she has been directing for over 15 years. The current focus of the Chair’s research is transformative social learning and green skills learning pathways in areas of biodiversity, the water food nexus, climate change, social and environmental justice, and just sustainability transitions.
Heila has served on over 20 national and international research and policy programmes and scientific committees focusing on education, transformative learning and sustainability and is regularly invited to present keynote contributions in this area, to date having done over 90 keynotes in more than 45 countries around the world.
Associate Prof Presha Ramsarup
Prof Presha Ramsarup is Director at the Centre for Researching Education and Labour at the University of Witwatersrand, Johannesburg. She is a Senior Research Associate at the Environmental Learning Research Centre at Rhodes University and Honorary Associate Professor at the University of Nottingham. Her research work focuses on learning pathways for sustainable development and sustainability and her work is focused on skills for a just transition. She is currently engaged in several research programmes focused on transitioning the Vocational Education and Training in Africa. She was the President of Environmental Education Association of Southern Africa from 2019 – 2025. Dr Ramsarup has been a member of EEASA for over 25 years.
Mr Solly Mosidi
Mr Solly Mosidi currently holds the position of Executive Director: Social Services at Midvaal Municipality, joining in August 2012 to date. In this position oversees the provision of community services in this municipal area. Prior to this he was the Managing Director of SMM & Associates Consultants, a firm specialising in Tourism, Environment and Human capital development Consultant. Before this, from September 2006 to January 2008 he was appointed as the Chief Executive Officer of the Mpumalanga Tourism and Parks Agency.
Mr Mosidi’s expertise includes Tourism Policy Development, Human Capital Development and Environmental Education and Sustainability. Mr Mosidi is a member of the Environmental Education Association of Southern Africa, Travel & Tourism Industry Professionals, Tourism and Biodiversity Conservation, World Tourism & Travel Network | Innovation and the Future of Tourism, Green Business Network South Africa and the European Ecotourism Network.
Dr Tiffany Banda
Ms Louise Matschke
Associate Prof Lausanne Olvitt
Lausanne Olvitt has over 20 years’ experience in the field of environmental education. Currently, she is an Associate Professor of Education, based in the Environmental Learning Research Centre (ELRC) at Rhodes University. Lausanne teaches across a range of environmental education and general education qualifications in the Faculty of Education, and supervises Masters and Doctoral research projects.
Prior to joining Rhodes University in 2004, Lausanne worked as a high school English teacher for several years before joining the Wildlife and Environment Society of South Africa (WESSA) coordinating Share-Net – a project that developed low-cost, environmental education resources. Lausanne has been an active member of the Environmental Education Association of Southern Africa (EEASA) since 2004, serving on the EEASA Council from 2007 – 2009, editor of the EEASA Bulletin from 2008 – 2009 and most recently as Deputy Editor of EEASA’s academic journal, the Southern African Journal of Environmental Education, from 2015 – 2020. Lausanne is now the Journal Chief Editor
Dr Charles Chikunda
Clinton Nesengani Elelwani
Nesengani Elelwani Clinton is currently working as a Researcher at the Centre for Researching Education and Labour (REAL) at the University of the Witwatersrand. He began his professional journey in research in 2021, where he developed a strong interest in the intersections of education, labour, and sustainability. In 2022, he enrolled in a Master of Education programme at the University of the Witwatersrand. His postgraduate research focused on workplace learning, with a particular emphasis on how employees acquire knowledge and skills to reduce food waste at a company level. Clinton’s research reflects a commitment to exploring how education and training can contribute to sustainable development, especially in organisational and work-based learning environments. He is particularly interested in the role of workplace learning in promoting sustainable practices, and how employees make sense of, internalise, and apply sustainability-related knowledge in their day-to-day work. His work aims to contribute to the broader field of sustainability education, with a focus on practical and context-sensitive approaches to learning and change within the workplace.
Ms Victoria Hepplethwaite
Victoria Hepplethwaite is currently a Researcher at the Centre for Researching Education and Labour at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits REAL) in Johannesburg South Africa, a position she has held for 3 years. Her work is primarily focused on skills for the Just Transition, where she works to understand which sectors are affected by climate change and the green transition in the country, how the sectors are transforming, how occupations are changing, and what the implications for skills then are. Prior to this role she served as the National Coordinator for Zambian Women in Agricultural Research and Development.
Victoria is further a PhD Candidate at the Wits REAL Centre, where her study is focusing on the skills ecosystem required to support a sustainable transition of South Africa’s solar energy sector. She additionally has a Master of Science in Environment and Natural Resources Management, and a Bachelor of Education in Environmental Education from the University of Zambia.
Mr Maletje Mpowana
Maletje Mponwana is involved as a cluster lead in the Regenerative African Youth Futures Project: which is project that aims to amplify African Youth voices in relation to sustainability; and as a coordinator of the YOMA Green Learn 2 Earn Scaling Project: focused on developing digital access to learning opportunities for youth. Maletje is part of the Wageningen University River Commons, Riverhood Project, where PhD students across different continents are involved on river and water related research to understand and support innovative, community-based river co-governance initiatives. Maletje has vast experience in community based developmental work, facilitating processes of learning & collaboration between local government & traditional leadership; online course development & facilitation; youth mentorship and has worked with various youth groups for the last 10 years.
Associate Prof Ravhee Bholah
Ravhee Bholah, PhD, is an Associate Professor of Science Education at the Mauritius Institute of Education, Mauritius, with over 15 years of experience leading initiatives in Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). He has coordinated numerous national and regional ESD projects and provided strategic support to the Ministry of Education and other government bodies. Dr. Bholah’s research spans science, health, and brain-based education, as well as climate change and sustainability education. A Fulbright and Higher Education Commission scholar, Dr. Bholah is actively engaged in research and has published extensively, while also reviewing scientific papers for international peer-reviewed journals, books, and conference proceedings. He has been an active member of EEASA since 2003 and served as the convener of the 39th International Virtual EEASA Conference hosted in Mauritius in 2021.