Meet the Global Board Members – Thembalitsha Foundation

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

A few people of integrity can go a long way.

lindsay

Co-Chairman & Development
LINDSAY NGIDIWE

Lindsay Ngidiwe joined the TUSA board in 2016. She spent the first 15 years of her career working in Youth Development in Cape Town, South Africa. In this time, she connected with Thembalitsha’s School of Hope (a Secondary School that creates second chances for young people who have dropped out of the mainstream schooling system). Since her return to the States in 2016, she has supported Thembalithsa USA in their fundraising efforts. Lindsay is the Executive Director of Core Energetics and lives with her family in Illinois.

KiKI final

Co-Chairman & Secretary
KIRSTIN HENLEY

Kirstin Henley joined the TUSA board in 2019. Kirstin has spent many years serving the underserved population in the East and Sub-Saharan Africa in the field of medicine in general and pediatrics in particular. She was a volunteer in Thembalitsha’s original pediatric care orphanage, Athlone, which served those infected or affected by HIV/AIDS in 2005. She is currently working as a pediatric intensive care doctor with the at-risk pediatric population in San Antonio, Texas. Kirstin has dedicated her life’s work to healing and advocating for those without access to healthcare and the marginalized.

Helen

Director
HELEN BAXTER-SOUTHWORTH

Helen Baxter-Southworth joined the TUSA board in 2012. Helen came to South Africa in 2010 as part of a mission team to serve Thembalitsha and has volunteered annually in a variety of ways, including an organizational strategic assessment in 2015. Professionally, Helen is an organization development and change consultant and executive coach with particular interest in advancing women and people of color to positions of leadership.

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

A few people of integrity can go a long way.

Andre-Botha

Chairman
ANDRE BOTHA

Andre Botha is an experienced business leader with a strong background in operations, strategy, and business development across both corporate and entrepreneurial sectors. He is the COO at Mediatree, a leading financial events and communications agency, and Director of Over to Solar, a renewable energy company focused on residential and commercial solar solutions. Andre brings a practical, solutions-focused mindset to his role as Chairman, with deep expertise in organisational leadership, systems implementation, and corporate, social responsibility. He is passionate about ESG (Environmental, Social and Governance) and has led initiatives to embed sustainable practices across business operations, championing ethical governance and environmental responsibility. His commitment to sustainable development and community impact aligns closely with Thembalitsha’s mission. Andre lives in Guildford, Surrey with his wife and three children.

kimberly

Director
KIMBERLEY JOHNSTON

Kimberley Johnston joined Thembalitsha Foundation’s UK board in 2023. Kimberley lives in London but is originally a citizen of the world having grown up the daughter of a U.S. naval officer and living all over the U.S. and in Paris, Ecuador, Krakow and Valencia. She is a reformed lawyer who brings over 20 years of experience from the U.S. government, private practice and the financial sector. Kimberley’s passion for developing people has led her to become an executive coach, podcaster and facilitator in 2021. She is passionate about using her gifts to help others and has a massive desire to see more equity and equality in the world. She is married to a lovely Irish man she met in Poland and enjoys travelling, singing, dancing, photography, and running…. mostly after her two kids!

david

Director
DAVID WARTSKI

David Wartski completed a Bachelor of Arts (BA) and a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) at the University of Natal. He worked in the maritime department at Deneys Reitz (now Norton Rose) for 3 years before relocating to the UK where he cross-qualified and has worked as a maritime solicitor since 2000. David was one of the founders of Mays Brown, a boutique maritime law firm and is also a co-founder of a business process service company – Global BPO. He is a Director of both businesses and has served as a Director on the UK board of Thembalitsha Foundation since 2016 and has recently taken up the position of Chairman. David lives in Guildford with his wife and 3 children.

kate christe2

Director
KATHERINE CHRISTIE

Katherine Christie has been involved with Thembalitsha Foundation South Africa since 1997. She is a graduate of the University of Cape Town and has served on the governing bodies of non-profit organisations since 1993. She currently serves as a City Councillor in Cape Town. Her interest is job-creation – helping South Africans to find work and put on food on their tables, so that they are not dependant on hand-outs and grants.

anthony

South African Representative
ANTHONY GEARD

Anthony Geard serves as Thembalitsha Foundation’s Liaison to its TUSA Board. Anthony is the Chair on the Board of the Thembalitsha Foundation in South Africa. Anthony is personally involved in the expansion of services to Adelaide in the Eastern Cape. He studied at the University of Cape Town, completing a Bachelor of Business Science (Honours) degree and a Postgraduate Diploma in Accounting. Anthony subsequently qualified as a Chartered Accountant. He is also a CFA charter holder. He has worked at Investec Securities as an investment analyst since 1999 in Johannesburg, London and Cape Town. Anthony now lives in Somerset West with his wife and two children and has been involved with Thembalitsha since 2010.