Management Team

Annah Moyo-Kupeta

Annah Moyo-Kupeta is the Executive Director at the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR). Ms. Moyo-Kupeta is a human rights lawyer with extensive experience working in the legal, transitional justice, human rights, peace and security, gender, and violence prevention fields. She has developed a number of soft law instruments for various target audiences from policymakers, peer CSO groups, and victim groups. Her expertise in peace and security, transitional justice, and post-conflict transformation has found expression through her presentations and briefings on high-level platforms involving governments, embassies, academia, policymakers, and CSOs at national, regional, continental, and global levels.

Gugu Shabalala

Gugu Shabalala is the Mental Health and Psychosocial Support (MHPSS) Manager at the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation. She is a trained social worker and mental health and psychosocial professional with 15 years' experience working in the mental health sector. She has a particular focus on rehabilitation and redress for those affected by human rights violations through war, conflict and torture and their impact on the overall mental well-being of individuals, families, groups and communities.

Nomancotsho Pakade

Nomancotsho Pakade is a South African-based researcher published in theoretical and experimental work on gender and sexuality, education and governance with extensive experience in community mobilisation and advocacy. She has acumen skills in qualitative and statistical analysis, including policy analysis, in-depth ethnography, and institutional studies. She is highly experienced in project and team management, strategic planning and budget management, and design and construction of methodologies. She is a confident presenter able to impart complex information to audiences of all levels, including academics, students, bureaucrats, activists and broader community stakeholders. Nomancotsho holds an MA in Research Psychology from the University of Witwatersrand and is currently a PhD candidate at the Department of Historical and Heritage Studies at the University of Pretoria. 

Gerard Adema

Gerard Adema is the Operations Manager at the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation. He has extensive work experience in the international aid sector, public finance in the UK, and commercial financial management in Europe. Gerard holds an MSc in Development Management from the Open University in England, along with being a Certified Management Accountant.

Karen Pillay

Karen is the Business Continuity Department Manager at CSVR, where she spearheads efforts to foster sustainable relationships in fundraising and communications.  In her career history she actively facilitated and managed Domestic Violence programs in rural KwaZulu Natal as part of crime prevention initiatives, co-authored essential SAQA accredited training material for Community Health Care Workers, is a certified trainer and facilitator, developed a number of training manuals and materials for both the health and social justice sectors and contributed to critical publications and authored opinion pieces published in independent newspaper on Gender Based Violence, and Children's Rights.    

Notably her collection of short stories "Angels with Broken Wings" was featured in POWA's 10th-anniverary journal, showcasing her commitment to shedding light on sensitive issues.  Karen also appeared on national television channels such as Channel 404 in South Africa, Ghana TV, Cape TV and featured on radio stations including Cape Talk, Radio Veritas, and Lotus FM on topics related to Gender Justice and Children's Rights.   

With a robust academic background, Karen holds a Mini MBA (Management Advancement Programme – MAP53) from Wits University in South Africa, where she was honoured as the Top Student in 2002.  Additionally, she is a certified Company Secretary and Governance Practitioner at board level with the Chartered Governance Institute of Southern Africa and recognised as member of CGSA internationally in the UK, Canada and Ireland.  Her educational achievements also include a degree in Advanced Project Manager, diploma's in Financial Accounting and Bookkeeping and certification in counselling, a certificate in hypnotherapy for healing mind, body and soul and as alternative therapy practitioner.  In pursuing perfection Karen has skills and certification in quality assurance.  She also managed the Training and Quality Assurance department as under her portfolio as the Corporate Affairs and Resource Mobilisation Director at Population Services International in South Africa.  Amassing over 15 years of experience in fundraising, communications and marketing her track record speaks volumes having successfully raised over USD30million in funding for development work.  Karen's professional history in the NGO sector includes working at INGO's such as Oxfam Australia, Population Services International, Operation Smile, and as a Consultant for Norwegian Church Aid, Oxfam International and M2M.  Karen's relentless dedication to her work, coupled with her diverse skills set an unwavering commitment to social justice.   

Mary Izobo

Mary Izobo is an International Human Rights Lawyer, Gender Equality Advocate and Governance Expert. She is the Advocacy Programme Manager for the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation (CSVR) where she leads the Advocacy strategy implementation, manages all projects within advocacy and the organization and creates synergy and collaboration between advocacy programmes and the work of other programmes at local, regional, and global levels.  She coordinates stakeholder management across the organization and uses her expertise in the field to profile the organization's work nationally, regionally and globally.  

Ms Izobo is also currently studying for a Doctor of Laws (LLD) with a focus on international law and governance. Before that, she obtained a Master of Laws (LLM) in Rule of Law for Development from Loyola University Chicago, United States of America, and another Master of Laws (LLM) in Human Rights and Democratization in Africa from the University of Pretoria, South Africa. She holds a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) from the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, United Kingdom; a Barrister at Law (BL) from the Nigerian Law School, Abuja, Nigeria, and a Bachelor of Arts (BA Hons) in French Language from the University of Ibadan, Nigeria.  

She was the Legal Advisor for the African Peer Review Mechanism (APRM), an organ of the African Union (AU), and has worked for the United Nations (UN), the Pan-African Parliament (PAP), the Institute for Strategic Litigation in Africa (ISLA) and the Electoral Institute for Sustainable Democracy in Africa (EISA). She has consulted for various multi-national corporations and governments inter alia, the Federal Republic of Nigeria where she supported the establishment of Nigeria's National Governing Council and the development of Nigeria's Country Review Self-Assessment Report. She possesses vast knowledge in practical and diplomatic legal experience in statute drafting and electoral observation having provided legal and technical expertise to several countries such as Ethiopia, Burkina Faso, Sudan, and Cote d'Ivoire. 

Ms Izobo is a 2023 Archbishop Desmond Tutu Leadership Fellow and a 2023 Alumnae of the International Visitors Leadership Programme of the United States of America Department of State. She is also a Barrister and Solicitor of the Supreme Court of Nigeria. She is the recipient of various academic awards and won various accolades in recognition of her work. Notably, Africa's Top Legal Millennial – The Amazon of Women's Rights, Kaduna State Honours Award for public service in Nigeria, SPE Top Pathfinder and Futurist Activist. 

Liezelle Kumalo

Liezelle Kumalo is the Gender Specialist at the Centre for the Study of Violence and Reconciliation. She is working on understanding the drivers and root causes of gender-based violence within communities in South Africa to prevent future occurrences of violence. She previously conducted research on the women, peace and security agenda in 14 African countries at different levels of the peace continuum. Central to her work is showcasing women's perspectives to policymakers and support work to identify, empower and build resiliencies of women. Liezelle has a Master's degree in International Relations from the University of Witwatersrand. She holds a bachelor's degree in Politics and Economics from the University of Johannesburg.