Our board
Chairperson
Dawn holds a Bachelor of Commerce and a Bachelor of Accountancy degree and is a Chartered Accountant and Chartered Director. Throughout her career, she has held several senior executive roles, including Finance Director, and has expertise in finance, accounting, investment, risk management, governance, regulation, business strategy, and leadership.
Dawn currently serves as a non-executive director on the boards and subcommittees of several listed companies, including Truworths International Ltd, Impala Platinum Holdings Ltd, ArcelorMittal South Africa Ltd, and Pan African Resources Plc.
After serving as the Honorary Treasurer of the South African Guide-Dogs Association board since 2019, Dawn was elected Chairperson in 2024. She is also an active member of the Marketing, Strategic & Corporate Projects, and Operations subcommittees.
Deputy Chairperson
Lanya built a successful career in multinational, blue-chip organisations; developing award-winning marketing and communications programmes implemented globally. After completing her MBA, she held leadership roles in both developed and emerging markets, gaining extensive international experience. Her passion lies in achieving success by empowering people, with a focus on developing effective business strategies and providing management coaching.
Following an accident that resulted in quadriplegia, Lanya began volunteering with South African Guide-Dogs Association’s service dog training team as well as its PR and marketing teams, eventually joining the board in 2020. She was elected Deputy Chairperson in 2024 and Chairs the Marketing, and Strategic & Corporate Projects subcommittees while actively serving on the Finance, and Operations subcommittees.
Honorary Treasurer
Matlhogonolo has been in the accounting profession since 2010, beginning her career with articles at one of the Big Four firms and qualifying as a Chartered Accountant in 2012.
Throughout her career, she has overseen audits in the financial services sector, provided advisory services in technical accounting, and managed regulatory and financial reporting for unit trusts. As Managing Director of Bagaka Group, Matlhogonolo is responsible for driving strategy and business development. Her passion lies in impact investing and integrating sustainability into business models.
Matlhogonolo joined the South African Guide-Dogs Association board in 2023 and was elected Honorary Treasurer in 2024. She currently serves as Chair of the Finance subcommittee and is an active member of the Strategic and Corporate Projects subcommittee.
Executive Director
Vernon has been the Executive Director of the South African Guide-Dogs Association since October 2018. He leverages his extensive operations management experience and passion for helping others to drive the organisation’s growth and impact.
With a Diploma in Electrical Engineering, Vernon is a seasoned executive with experience as MD, COO, and CIO. He has scaled businesses to a R2 billion turnover, specialising in re-engineering, change management, and team development.
His expertise includes Strategy, Sales, Marketing, Business Development, IT, and Operations. Vernon has also led large-scale ICT rollouts, cloud services, and software development while managing call centres delivering over 1.7 million services monthly.
Non-Executive Director
Jeremy has Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP) and has been legally blind throughout his life. His involvement with South African Guide-Dogs Association began in 2007, during which time he has owned three guide dogs.
After graduating from the University of Cape Town in 1987, Jeremy worked in sales and marketing within the HR consulting sector. Since 1999, he has specialised as a Diversity Practitioner, focusing on disability inclusion consulting with expertise in disability awareness, universal access, and disability equity.
Jeremy also serves on the boards of two other disability-related NGOs: the Western Cape Network on Disability and St Dunstan’s Association for South African War Blinded Veterans. He has been a member of the South African Guide-Dogs Association board since 2019 and contributes actively as part of the Operations and Marketing subcommittees.
Non-Executive Director
Vinny graduated as a veterinarian in 2001 and holds a PhD in Veterinary Pharmacology. He is a professor and senior specialist in veterinary pharmacology at the University of Pretoria, where he also serves as Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Science. His expertise focuses on drug research and development, particularly new drug innovations.
Vinny is passionate about animal ethics and conservation. He chairs the University of Pretoria’s animal ethics committee and contributed to drafting the revised national code for animal research ethics. He is also involved in protecting local vulture species from chemical threats, including lead toxicity.
With extensive management experience, Vinny has served on the South African Veterinary Council and the Medicines Control Council.
Vinny joined the South African Guide-Dogs Association board in 2023 and Chairs the Operations subcommittee.
Non-Executive Director
As the founder of Unconventional CA, Hiten is committed to empowering large-scale business entrepreneurs, SMMEs, and charitable organisations to achieve long-term sustainability by transforming their visions into measurable outcomes and goals. His key initiatives include mentoring and training individuals and teams to help them achieve their personal or business aspirations.
As an active participant on various social media platforms, Hiten engages with thought leaders and contributes meaningfully to discussions on diverse topics. Hiten is also passionate about leveraging modern technology to enhance business operations. He was co-opted onto the South African Guide-Dogs Association board in 2024 and serves as a member of the Finance subcommittee.
Non-Executive Director (Co-opted)
Tanya King holds a BCompt (Hons) and has over 25 years of experience in the financial services industry. Starting her career in accounting, she later moved into asset management, where she held roles in share trading, client service, and institutional investment sales across Africa. She has also worked in consulting with one of the Big Four audit firms, leading projects for financial services clients.
Her expertise in finance, investments, and client relationship management brings valuable insight to the South African Guide-Dogs Association and supports its mission of promoting independence, dignity, and inclusion.
Tanya became involved with GDA in 2020 as a volunteer puppy raiser and has successfully raised three puppies. A passionate advocate for accessibility and the transformative impact of human-animal partnerships, she joined the GDA board in 2026 and serves on the Finance, and Strategic & Corporate Projects subcommittees.
Honorary Secretary (Co-opted)
Andre Moolman brings a combination of technical expertise, strategic communication, and governance experience to his role as Honorary Secretary of the South African Guide-Dogs Association Board.
Professionally, Andre is a Technical Writer specialising in translating complex processes into clear and effective documentation. He is also pursuing a Master of Science in Geography at the University of Johannesburg, focusing on urban sustainability and climate-resilient systems. His expertise includes strategic planning, risk management, operational efficiency, and governance.
Andre was co-opted onto the GDA board in 2026 and serves as Honorary Secretary and a member of the Human Resources subcommittee.
Beyond the boardroom, Andre is actively involved in GDA’s mission and is currently raising a young Labrador puppy for the Association, helping to develop our next generation of Assistance Dogs.