TEAM

LESLEY ROCHAT
AOCA Executive Director and Founding Member

Lesley Rochat is a graduate of the University of Cape Town, South Africa, where she studied dramatic arts, followed by studies in Environmental Science and Cosmology through UNISA. Given her passion and growing concern for the ocean environment she founded AfriOceans Conservation Alliance (AOCA) in 2003. AOCA achieved major success through the M-Sea Programme, a unique shark conservation campaign designed by Lesley. She is an avid diver, a PADI Divemaster, and a well-published travel and environmental journalist and underwater photographer. She is the author of educational and children's books and the creative director and driver of numerous educational and awareness initiatives from campaigns such as the award winning Rethink the Shark campaign, to educational programs for children. She is the CEO of Blue Pulse Pictures, a production company which has produced many marine related documentaries, including the award winning Sharks in Deep Trouble. Lesley's efforts in marine and shark conservation are recognized internationally, as such she is a member of the Women Divers Hall of Fame and the International League of Conservation Photographers. More on Lesley.

DR. LEONARD JOSEPH VICTOR COMPAGNO
AOCA Director and Scientific Advisor

Dr Compagno was the Head of the Shark Research Centre and Curator of Fishes , Iziko - South African Museum. He is an internationally recognised expert on sharks who obtained his Ph.D. from Stanford University in the United States. He is a foremost world expert on systematics, morphology, evolution, paleontology, zoogeography, diversity, natural history, and conservation of sharklike fishes. He won the Harvard University and Stanford University Scholarships in Biology for graduate work and is also the winner of numerous awards and fellowships. He is the regional vice-chairperson of the IUCN Shark Specialists Group and a research consultant for Fisheries Division of FAO of the United Nations. He has published over 200 papers, popular articles, reports, web site reports, books and book chapters. His major books include Sharks of the Order Carcharhiniformes, the 1984 FAO catalogue of world sharks, the revised 2001 FAO catalogue of world sharks, and a field guide to southern African cartilaginous fishes co-authored with D. A. Ebert and M. J. Smale.

HORST KLEINSCHMIDT
AOCA Director

Horst Kleinschmidt has been an activist all his life. He fought against apartheid and for the rights and dignity of the oppressed people of his country. For this he went to jail and then into exile. "Now that we have attained our freedom we have many other challenges," says Horst. "One of them is to make our society a kinder and more humane one. That includes learning to live in harmony with our environment. The animal kingdom in South Africa has had a raw deal for hundreds of years. Many people now champion the cause of terrestrial animals. Having been an IWC Commissioner, the plight of the world's oceans became apparent to me." After an extensive political history, Horst served Deputy Director-General, Marine and Coastal Management, Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism 2000 - 2005. He is widely credited with having re-allocated fishing quota's from being a white domain to one that is broadly representative. Since April 2006 he is the Managing Director of Feike, a private company that gives advice on natural resource management, primarily in the marine sector ( www.feike.co.za ). Aside from an outstanding accolade of post graduate degrees and awards, Horst was also knighted "Order of the Polar Star", First Class, by the King of Sweden.

DR MALCOLM J. SMALE
AOCA Director and Scientific Advisor

Dr Smale is a leading shark research specialist, an accredited lecturer to the Dept. of Zoology, University of Port Elizabeth and an Honorary Associate of the South African Institute for Aquatic Biodiversity (formerly J.L.B. Smith Institute). He is a member of the American Elasmobranch Society, the IUCN Species survival commission, the Southern African Shark Specialist Group, the South African Institute of Ecologists and Environmental Scientists, the Zoological Society of London and the Zoological Society of Southern Africa. He has published more than 50 peer-reviewed as well as more than 25 popular articles or book chapter contributions, and several unpublished reports and environmental assessment contributions. He is also a registered diver scientist who has participated in at least six research expeditions and is the Chief Diving Supervisor for the Port Elizabeth Museum.

PROFESSOR CHARLES GRIFFITHS
AOCA Director and Scientific Advisor

Professor Charles Griffiths is an Associate Professor in the Zoology Department and Director of Marine Biology Research Institute at the University of Cape Town. His main area of expertise is in the coastal marine ecology of Southern Africa. He has worked on a wide variety of taxa (anemones, molluscs, crustaceans, ascidians and fish) and disciplines, (taxonomy, physiology, population and community ecology, invasive alien species and fisheries/coastal management). He is an experienced taxonomist and has personally described 100 species new to science, as well as discovering several others named by specialists elsewhere. He is the author of four guide books on South African invertebrate life and has published 102 research papers. He is also a serious natural history photographer with some 2000 images published in a wide variety of textbooks and magazines.

TERRY CORR
AOCA Head of Education

Terry Corr is the Head of Education at AfriOceans and Project Leader of the AfriOceans Warriors Environmental Education Programme. He studied a BSc. in Natural Sciences at Stellenbosch University before qualifying with a National Diploma in Nature Conservation through UNISA. He has had a 20 year long career in Environmental Education, worked with over 40 000 school learners across social and cultural barrier around the Marine Environment, including running over 100 three day, two night tented camps for disadvantaged learners. He has won the Caltex Environmental Award and the Green Trust Award for Community Projects for the reconstruction of a Southern Right Whale, Misty, which now hangs suspended in Ushaka Marine World. He has recently completed an Advanced Certificate in Environmental Education through Rhodes University. It is his strong belief that environmental education must move from awareness into informed, responsible action.

VERONA SMITH
AOCA Education Specialist

Verona Smith (nee Rochat) is a born teacher and motivator. She completed her BA degree and Higher Diploma in Education and has taught for many years. She also has experience as an Estate Agent, Financial Consultant, guesthouse owner and a healer. She enjoys empowering and helping youth realize their full potential, believing that creating awareness about conservation must be followed through with an action plan. She was instrumental in setting up the Shark Centre in Kalk Bay with Lesley Rochat. This springboarded her to becoming the Head of Education for AfriOceans. Through this she and her team were able to reach and educate thousands of young people as well as adults. Her concern for our environment, animals and planet is what keeps her motivated to continue the hard work of reaching many more children and adults, and for this reason she is now an educator and outreach facilitator for AOCA. She says: “The youth have to take ownership of our planet, her fauna and flora; and realize that they are the future guardians of this world; and that they, individually, are the ones who can make a difference.”

ADAM CARNEGIE
AOCA Art Director

Adam Carnegie has a graphic design diploma from the Natal Technikon. His career began in Advertising at Ogilvy and Mather in 1989. As an art director he worked on many Blue Chip clients including Audi, VW, Woolworths, Board of Executors, Dunlop and Lion Match. Adam traveled extensively in Europe and spent 4.5 years in Greece. He was the Art Director and principle illustrator for the leading Children's magazine Ta Zainia. During this time he campaigned extensively for the Sea Turtle Protection Society. In 1997 Adam returned to SA and serviced the Advertising industry as an illustrator and Art Director. Since 2003 Adam has focused on environmental awareness and he has completed many children's books, all with an environmental and social upliftment theme. His latest brainchild is KELP a Focused Social Upliftment and Environmental Awareness Project. Maximizing a carefully thought out strategy, Adam believes there is no way to "Stop" the present global environmental situation – however by accepting and working with consumerism and brand dynamics consumers can be LEAD to make the SHIFT.

BAS VAN TONGEREN
AOCA Strategy and Communications

Bas van Tongeren recently moved from The Netherlands to South Africa. His passion for Africa and marine life trumped a passionate and successful 11 year career at Procter & Gamble, working on brands like Pampers, Pantene and Gillette. His extensive experience built up in strategic and commercial roles within the world’s largest consumer goods company bring great value to AOCA. Bas’s passion for the oceans started in early childhood, and resulted in him traveling and diving all over the world. Joining two shark research expeditions in Australia in December 2006 definitely founded his drive for shark protection. In SA he soon stumbled upon the work of Lesley Rochat and got on board the work of AfriOceans. He recently became father to a beautiful little girl called Merle, which not surprisingly means ‘clear blue sea’.

MONICA SOKUDELA
AOCA Environmental Educator

Monica was born in Philippi in the Western Cape.She graduated in 2005 from Sinethemba high school. In 2011, she graduated from Cape Peninsula University of Technology, with a National Diploma in Nature Conservation. Monica has worked with the Table Mountain National Park and Edith Stephens Nature Reserve. During her experiential learning she has been exposed to different approaches of natural resource management, conservation compliance, administrative and communication.She has worked with different communities coordinating various environmental education programmes namely Community Greening Project and being part of the People’s Trail Hike. Being exposed to people from different cultures has made her aware of the gap between the environment and humans. She believes that teaching environmental education can help to bridge this gap between environmental concerns and human needs, which in turn would promote a respect and care for our environment.

NAOMI MDAYI
AOCA Environmental Educator

Naomi is a 21 years old graduate from Tlhwahalang Secondary School in Northern Cape. She loved Biology in school and won the 2007 Biology Award for the Best Learner. Due to her excellence in Biology and passion for life science, she enrolled in Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) for a National Diploma in Nature Conservation. This was her first step to pursue her dreams in preserving our National Resources. During her practical year she became more involved in Environmental Education. She enjoyed standing in front of learners and sharing her knowledge about conservation. In 2011 Naomi completed her National Diploma in Nature Conservation. In 2012 she became an Environmental Educator with AfriOceans Conservation Alliance. She is currently enjoying becoming one of the AfriOceans Warriors, and protecting our oceans through Environmental Education.

ISHMAEL SABODIEN
AOCA Environmental Educator

Born in Simons town, Ishmael went to High school in Ocean View and graduated in 1984. He worked at the Cape of Good Hope Nature Reserve, then 1985, joined the South African Defence Force 1986-1987. He worked in the community with Youth Development Programs, Self Defence Classes, Gymnastics as a coach and in 1995 went on a Field Ranger Course worked for South African National park as a field Ranger. He studied further at UNISA in Tourism and become a tourist officer at South African National Parks. Ishmael then went to the Nature College S.A to do the advanced Nature studies FGASA and THETA Accredited course to become a Tour Guide in Cultural & Historical Nature Guiding. He has travelled to various Khoisan, areas in Oudtshoorn, Bloemfontein, Kimberly and Western Cape townships in our country to learn more about our forgotten history. He is actively involved with other Aboriginal Khoisan Tribes petitioning for the rights of the Khoisan.Together we can save our Environment no matter what culture we are. He believes the Environment is each and everyone’s concern.