My career has spanned almost four decades across business, entrepreneurship and community development, and I have always believed that leadership is not about status or recognition, but about creating opportunities for others to succeed, especially women. I am the Head of ORT Jet, the enterprise development division of ORT South Africa, and also serve as Business Development Manager for ORT South Africa.

ORT South Africa is focused on education, skills development, entrepreneurship and creating meaningful pathways to employment and economic participation. Through ORT Jet, we support entrepreneurs with mentoring, business development, training, networking and access to specialist expertise, helping them build stronger and more sustainable businesses.

As a woman in leadership, I see my role as one of service, empowerment and responsibility. I work to create environments where people feel supported, challenged and confident enough to grow into their own leadership potential. I believe in setting high standards while leading with empathy, integrity and purpose.

For me, the true measure of leadership is not what I achieve personally, but the people I develop, the businesses I help strengthen, the opportunities I create and the leaders who continue to make an impact long after my involvement. I especially want to set an example for other women. I believe in the concept of “Lift as you Rise” This means that everything I do must also inspire other women and I would love to see the number of women in leadership positions in South Africa, increase significantly. This can happen if women work together. At ORT Jet, our team is made up of strong, amazing women. We learn together, we grow together and we help inspire business owners, together.

I believe I was nominated because they believe in both the importance of the work ORT Jet does and the way I have led that work over many years. ORT Jet is built on people giving their time, expertise and experience to help entrepreneurs succeed, so to be nominated by the mentors themselves is especially meaningful to me. As a servant leader, I have always believed that leadership is about enabling others to grow. My role has been to build a strong community around our entrepreneurs – bringing together mentors, specialists, funders, partners and business leaders who can provide the guidance, networks and opportunities that small businesses need to become sustainable.

What I am most proud of is not one individual achievement, but the ecosystem we have built. Over almost a decade of leading ORT Jet, I have helped strengthen and grow the programme, expand its network, support hundreds of businesses, create meaningful mentoring relationships and ensure that entrepreneurs have somewhere to turn when they face challenges. I believe I may be deserving of this award because my leadership has always been focused on impact beyond myself. I measure success by the businesses that survive and grow, the entrepreneurs who gain confidence, the jobs and opportunities they create, and the mentors who continue giving back. To me, that is what women in leadership should represent: using your position, experience and influence to open doors for others and create lasting change.

My vision as a leader is to help shape a generation of young South Africans who leave school not simply expecting to find a job, but believing they have the ability to create opportunities for themselves and for others. I believe education must go beyond academic results. Young people need to be taught critical thinking, entrepreneurship, problem-solving, resilience, grit and gumption. They need the confidence to take initiative, adapt when circumstances change, learn from failure and recognise opportunities where others may only see obstacles. South Africa faces enormous challenges, particularly around youth unemployment, and I believe entrepreneurship and an entrepreneurial mindset must form part of the solution. We need to start developing these skills while young people are still at school, rather than waiting until they enter the workplace. With this vision in mind, we have begun an initiative with King David High School focused on introducing learners to entrepreneurship, leadership and the mindset required to navigate an increasingly changing world.

Going forward, I would like to see this thinking embedded far more widely in education. My role as a leader is to continue connecting education, business and mentorship so that we develop young people who are not only work-ready, but opportunity-ready – resilient, resourceful and courageous enough to help build the South Africa they want to live in.

Over the past few years, I have tried to lead in a way that encourages people not only to succeed, but to develop a genuine love of lifelong learning. I believe that if people continue to learn, upskill and challenge themselves, they give themselves the best chance to advance their careers, grow their businesses and remain relevant in a rapidly changing world. This is particularly important with AI. I encourage people to embrace AI as a tool that can enhance the way they work, think and solve problems. Those who fail to embrace it risk becoming irrelevant very quickly, while those who learn to use it responsibly can open new opportunities for growth and innovation. One of my greatest achievements has been helping to build ORT Jet into a trusted, go-to place for SMEs looking for real, practical and measurable help.

A moment that stayed with me was seeing someone post on Jewish Joburg Mommies that they were battling with their business. Many of the comments encouraged that person to contact ORT Jet. For me, that was incredibly meaningful because it showed that the community recognises ORT Jet as a place where entrepreneurs can turn for genuine support and solutions. Mentors and corporates also approach us because they respect the work we do and want to be part of the solution.

Clive Butkow, who sits on our Tuesday panel, told me that being part of the panel has added value to his own life and that he genuinely enjoys working with ORT Jet. Our business radio show on Chai FM also shares the real, often bumpy journeys behind entrepreneurial success. If there is one message I want people to take from my leadership, it is this: keep learning, embrace change, have grit and gumption, and never give up.