Directors

Non-profit • Community • Education

Our Leadership & Team

 Meet the leadership and staff driving the Carl Ballot Foundation’s mission to empower wellness in education and community.

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Our Leadership

Meet the leadership guiding our mission.

Dale N. De Klerk

Certified Yoga Teacher
Founder of BeingMe Yoga Studio & BeingMe Yoga School (Johannesburg)

Dale de Klerk’s journey with yoga began over 20 years ago, initially as a morning routine.

This practice quickly grew into a vital source of calm, energy, and direction in his life. In 2010, Dale was diagnosed with colon cancer, a challenging period during which yoga and yogic breathing became his essential healing tools.

He views his recovery and chemotherapy as a “blessing.”

Read more about Dale

Gillian Mead

Experienced Financial Professional & Certified Yoga Teacher

 Gillian Mead is a highly experienced financial professional and certified yoga teacher who seamlessly integrates strategic insight with mindful leadership in her work.

Her passion for continuous learning and personal growth enables her to empower business owners and executives to work more intelligently, lead with greater strength, and live with enhanced clarity

Read more about Gillian

Vish Chetty

Business Leader & Growth Strategist

 Vish Chetty is a seasoned business leader and growth strategist with over 18 years of experience in financial services, fintech, and digital transformation throughout Africa.

As the Managing Director of Nexfin Solutions, he is dedicated to developing scalable, data-driven ecosystems that empower both businesses and communities to thrive.

Read more about Vish

Celeste J. Higgins

Enterprise IT, Customer Success & Strategic Partnerships.

Celeste J. Higgins stands as a distinguished client-focused leader with over 25 years of expertise in enterprise IT, customer success, and strategic partnerships.

Her exceptional ability to convert challenges into growth opportunities, drive digital adoption, and cultivate resilient partner ecosystems across Sub-Saharan Africa sets her apart.

Read more about Celeste

Get in Touch

  • +27 83 449 7040
  • info@carlballotfoundation.org
  • 27 Northwold Drive, Saxonwold, Johannesburg, 2196
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Gillian Mead

 Gillian Mead is a highly experienced financial professional and certified yoga teacher who seamlessly integrates strategic insight with mindful leadership in her work. Her passion for continuous learning and personal growth enables her to empower business owners and executives to work more intelligently, lead with greater strength, and live with enhanced clarity.

With extensive experience in finance and executive management, Gillian is acutely aware of the pressures inherent in high-performance settings as well as the toll of burnout. Through her coaching and training, she assists clients in simplifying complex issues, regaining their focus, and making deliberate choices that foster both professional success and personal well-being.

Beyond her professional endeavours, Gillian enjoys trail running, discovering new places with her dog, Vader, and seizing every chance to learn something new. Her philosophy is rooted in the principles she embodies—resilience, balance, and forward momentum.

Celeste J. Higgins

Celeste J. Higgins stands as a distinguished client-focused leader with over 25 years of expertise in enterprise IT, customer success, and strategic partnerships. Her exceptional ability to convert challenges into growth opportunities, drive digital adoption, and cultivate resilient partner ecosystems across Sub-Saharan Africa sets her apart. Her leadership philosophy centres on achieving high-growth outcomes through robust client relationships and effective team collaboration.

Leading multimillion-dollar projects for market expansion, fostering ecosystems for co-created value, aligning initiatives with organisational goals for customer satisfaction, and nurturing emerging leaders in tech-driven environments.

Celeste is passionately committed to empowering others, inspired by purpose-driven leadership. Her engagement with the Carl Ballot Foundation reflects her dedication to enhancing learner well-being, inspiring educators, and fortifying community ties. She aims to leverage partnerships and data-informed programmes to secure meaningful outcomes, focusing on:

Promoting learner well-being and community integration while ensuring effective governance and clear reporting, and encourage inclusion and collective achievement.

Celeste is keen to collaborate with organisations devoted to transforming community engagement and promoting sustainable growth for both learners and educators. Her vision encompasses a future where partnership-driven initiatives lead to tangible improvements in educational and community landscapes. Through her leadership, she aims to bridge gaps, create inclusive environments, and ensure that educational success is accessible to all. With a commitment to transparency and accountability, Celeste seeks to foster environments where innovation and collaboration thrive, ultimately driving lasting impact across the regions she serves.

Vish Chetty

 Vish Chetty is a seasoned business leader and growth strategist with over 18 years of experience in financial services, fintech, and digital transformation throughout Africa. As the Managing Director of Nexfin Solutions, he is dedicated to developing scalable, data-driven ecosystems that empower both businesses and communities to thrive.

Vish embraces a leadership style grounded in empathy and collaboration, firmly believing that diversity and inclusion are vital for spurring innovation and ensuring sustainable growth. He has driven initiatives focused on:

  • Expanding financial access
  • Empowering entrepreneurs
  • Promoting equal opportunities across gender and cultural lines

Widely recognised for his skill in aligning strategy with real-world impact, Vish seamlessly integrates business excellence with a profound commitment to people. His leadership philosophy is simple yet powerful: by creating an environment where every voice is heard, we unlock collective potential and lay the foundation for a more inclusive and prosperous future for all.

Dale de Klerk

Certified Yoga Teacher
Founder of BeingMe Yoga Studio & BeingMe Yoga School (Johannesburg)

Dale de Klerk’s journey with yoga began over 20 years ago, initially as a morning routine. This practice quickly grew into a vital source of calm, energy, and direction in his life. In 2010, Dale was diagnosed with colon cancer, a challenging period during which yoga and yogic breathing became his essential healing tools. He views his recovery and chemotherapy as a “blessing.”

In his quest to deepen his knowledge of yoga, Dale completed his teacher training in 2013. Since then, he has taught yoga to students aged 2 to 93 in various places, including gyms, private studios, corporate settings, schools, and rehabilitation centres.

Today, Dale continues to inspire and empower others through yoga at his home studio in Saxonwold, at The Wilds, and through regular workshops and retreats. His mission is to spread the transformative power of yoga, providing individuals and schools with tools that have significantly influenced his own life.

Dale completed a Vinyasa Flow Teacher Training of 200 hours in 2013. In 2015, he undertook a 200-hour African Kemetic Yoga Teacher Training. The following year, he attended the Teen Yoga UK 2-Day Conference. By 2018, Dale had completed 20 hours of Teen Yoga Training. In 2019, he finished a 100-hour Yin Yoga Teacher Training and also a 100-hour Teen Yoga Teacher Training with Teen Yoga UK. In 2021, Dale participated in Laughter Yoga. He completed a CPR course in 2022, followed by a 20-hour Trauma-Sensitive Yoga Teacher Training and a 20-hour Kids Yoga Teacher Training. Since 2013, Dale has been a registered teacher at Virgin Active. In 2023, Dale’s BeingMe Yoga School became registered with the Young Yoga Institute (YYI). Dale offers a variety of yoga styles, including Alignment (influenced by Iyengar), African Kemetic Yoga, Trauma-Sensitive Yoga, Vinyasa Flow, Yin Yoga, Teen Yoga, and Kids Yoga.

Dale’s dedication to yoga is a testament to his personal resilience and an invitation for others to explore the profound benefits of this ancient practice.