BOARD OF DIRECTORS
Werner Cloete
CEO of Calling Education
Werner Cloete
Dr Philip Geldenhuys
Dr Philip Geldenhuys
Philip holds a PhD in Social Development from the University of Cape Town and was also a Visiting Researcher at the University of California, Berkeley in the USA. His research focused on school dropout amongst boys in low-income communities around Cape Town. Philip is the co-founder and current CEO of Triga Ventures, an entrepreneurial ecosystem that supports founders, funders and leaders inspired by their faith to address some of Africa’s most pressing problems. He also co-founded Community Keepers and Calling Education and served as the former’s CEO for ten years.
Willem Meyer
Willem Meyer
Jenene Petersen
Jenene Petersen
Jenene holds a MComm (Business Management) and has done various Leadership training courses in Community Transformation, e.g. Africa Leadership Institute for Community Transformation. She has experience in Financial Markets and Corporate Finance from her previous employment at Transnet Pension Fund and Absa Capital. She was promoted to Head of Intraday Liquidity and was also part of the team who pioneered the Dematerialisation of Money Market Instruments. She is currently with Atterbury Trust and is the Project Manager for a High School Bursary Program, MOI (Moedertaal Ontwikkeling Inisiatief). Her calling is to impact communities and education is an integral part of it.
Sammy Rabolele
Sammy Rabolele
Sammy is the founder and producer at Beyond the Eyes, a production company in Gauteng. He was educated at Potchefstroom Boys’ High and the University of Pretoria where he earned a BComm Investment Management degree. His passion for storytelling led him to a media production career. He has a history of youth work with Campus Outreach, where he also served on the board. He has a strong passion to see youth live out their callings to shape the South African story. He receives a group of learners from Calling Academy Stellenbosch and Kroonstad every year on their Called to Impact trip to Gauteng. He is also a mentor in the Triga Ventures network.
Cephas Dube
Cephas Dube
Cephas is a portfolio manager at Fairtree. He obtained his BComm (Actuarial Science) degree from the National University of Science and Technology (NUST) in Bulawayo in Zimbabwe. After spending a few years in the UK, he moved to South Africa where he completed a MComm in Economics at UCT. After a couple of years at Momentum working as an investment analyst, he moved to Fairtree. Cephas has an incredible backstory about the impact of education and cannot ignore the impact that a specific teacher had on the trajectory of his life. He lives in Cape Town with his wife and two children.
OTHER LEADERSHIP POSITIONS
Crena Krige
Financial Manager
Crena Krige
Adele Serfontein
Accountant
aserfontein@callingeducation.org.za
Adele Serfontein
Adele grew up in Paarl where she matriculated at Gymnasium High School. Thereafter she completed her B Comm degree as well as her Higher Education Diploma at Stellenbosch University. She taught Accountancy and Economic Management Sciences at different schools including Paul Roos Gymnasium and Stellenbosch High. She is married to Campher Serfontein and they have 3 children.
Raoul Hamman
Principal: Stellenbosch
Raoul Hamman
Raoul grew up in Whiteriver, Mpumalanga, where he initially attended school. Later he moved to Nelspruit High School to pursue his passion for tennis. After he matriculated he spent a year coaching at a tennis academy in England. He studied at the University of Potchefstroom where he completed his Undergraduate Degree in Education (BEd), followed by an Honours Degree in Educational Psychology and a Masters’ Degree (MEd) in Mathematics.
After completing his studies, Raoul spent six months as a touring tennis coach and six months teaching at Curro Nelspruit. He then moved to Cape Town where he spent seven years teaching at Durbanville High School. He joined Calling Academy in 2019 and loves the privilege of seeing the growth and development of the school and its learners.
Raoul enjoys spending time outdoors where he gets to appreciate some of what God created while running and cycling. He places a lot of value on discipleship and building relationships and considers his greatest joy to be a good husband, friend and teacher. He is happily married to Kristine.
Martin Botha
Principal: Kroonstad
Martin Botha
Martin is a born-again Christian and an English teacher who is passionate about Literature. He has been involved in Education for more than two decades, first working as a psychologist at the Child Guidance Clinic in Kroonstad, supporting the primary and secondary schools in the community, and then as a primary and secondary school teacher for the past 20 years.
Martin completed his school career in 1993 at Staatspresident Swart High School in Brandfort. He studied at the University of the Free State where he obtained a BA Degree in Human Movement Science, an Honours Degree in Psychology, as well as a Master’s Degree in Counselling Psychology. He furthered his qualifications with a Post Graduate Certificate in Education from UNISA. Before accepting the position at Calling Academy Kroonstad, as founding Principal in 2022, he taught English and Afrikaans at Kroonstad High School for 16 years where he was also the acting HOD for English Home Language as well as the Director of Hockey. Martin is married to Megan and they have a counselling practice called M&M Counselling. In his free time Martin loves to read and is always on the lookout to learn something new.
Ben Greyling
Principal: Paarl
Ben Greyling
Ben Greyling is a devoted husband and proud father of three. He completed his high school education at Boland Landbou before pursuing a degree in Sport Science at Stellenbosch University, where he also obtained his Honours in Marketing.
After university, Ben spent 11 adventurous years traveling the world while teaching, during which he completed a PGCE in Mathematics and Science, later adding his Mathematical Literacy (FET) extension. He also served as lead pastor for four years during this time.
Responding to God’s call, Ben and his family returned to South Africa, where they were led to Calling Academy—a place where his passion for faith, education and leadership converge.
He finds deep joy in seeing children grow, develop and mature into young boys and girls who are ready to take on the challenges of life.
Poloko Mosesi
Growth and Relations
Poloko Mosesi
Poloko was born in Maokeng, Kroonstad. She was part of the founding class of the Oprah Winfrey Leadership Academy for Girls where she completed her high school career. She holds a Bachelor of Social Science Degree and a Master’s Degree in Industrial and Economic Sociology from Rhodes University. Poloko is a Mandela Rhodes Scholar, Class of 2017. In her role as a Social Development Practitioner, she worked as a Programme Manager for an International NGO whose aim was to develop rural communities through Education. For four years she led the recruitment, educational and psychosocial development programme of orphaned youth from rural communities in South Africa. Prior to her current post, Poloko worked behind-the-scenes with the board of Calling Education and other interested parties in Kroonstad to conceptualize and eventually establish the Kroonstad Campus. Currently, Poloko is working as the Fundraising/ Marketing Co-ordinator/ Administrator, as well as the Sesotho teacher at Calling Academy. She is enjoying living in Maokeng with her family for the first time since she was only 12 years old.
Reinhard Appolis
Head of Youth Development involving Alumni Relations, Post School Pathways, Subject Choice Guidance
Reinhard Appolis
Reinhard was born and bred in Touwsrivier where he attended De Kruine Secondary School. After achieving outstanding matric results he went on to complete his BEd with FET Specialisation at CPUT. He further obtained a BEd Honours degree in Teaching and Learning completing his practical teaching stints at Zonnebloem NEST Secondary School and HTS Drostdy.
Reinhard is passionate about community transformation by creating academic opportunities. He started a non-profit organisation, MeantFoYou, to educate learners about tertiary study opportunities and sourcing funding. He is committed to student success inside the classroom as well as in life. He joined Calling Academy at the start of 2020 where he focuses on building meaningful relationships to create student success. He has dedicated his life to inspiring the next generation of learners to chase their dreams and aim to make them a reality.
Anke Stramrood
Executive Assistant
Anke Stramrood
Bio will be available soon...
STRATEGIC ADVISORS
Rev Cassie Carstens
Rev Cassie Carstens
Sean Farrell
Sean Farrell
Sean is a qualified chartered accountant who has worked in financial services for most of his
career. After completing his studies at Wits University and articles at Deloitte in Johannesburg
South Africa, Sean spent 3 years in the corporate finance team of Automakers South Africa
before joining Rand Merchant Bank (RMB) where he spent 12 years helping build, and eventually
lead, their Private Bank. He left RMB by the end of 2010 and moved his then young family (wife
Sue and 3 children – Liam, Katelyn and Chloe) to the Western Cape where they eventually
settled in the beautiful Winelands town of Stellenbosch.
In Early 2011, Sean joined the team at the Hereford Group as Group Chief Financial Officer and
also took the role of Chief Executive of the group’s asset management subsidiary – Seed
Investments. In early 2025, Sean successfully transitioned out of his operational role at Seed so
that he could free up time to spend on marketplace ministry opportunities. To this end, he has
taken on the role of an Associate Chair for C12 in the Western Cape and will be leading a forum
of 12 Christian CEO’s and business owners.
Sean has fulfilled many roles within the non-profit space including:
– Mentor at the Allan Gray Orbis Foundation: 2012 -2016
– Trustee and Chairman of The Bookery: 2013 – 2018
– Trustee and treasurer of Biblical Counselling Africa: 2022 – 2025
He has a heart to serve, and mentoring is a particular passion given his years of experience in
multiple diverse roles.
Sean is an avid mountain biker enjoying the many trails that Stellenbosch has to offer. As a
family they love nothing better than getting away (at least annually) into the bushveld and
Southern African game reserves where he gets to enjoy honing his skills as a wildlife
photographer.