Directors
Devon Palanee
(Founding Executive Director), holds a Bachelor of Administration Degree (Development) from UNISA, a Certificate in Marketing and Market Research from UNISA, a Certificate in Project Management, a Bachelor Degree of Technology (Management) from the Natal Technikon, a Diploma in Personal Computing, a Certificate in Public Relations and a Diploma in Software Support from Damelin, an Advanced Business Programme from the Durban University of Technology, a Master’s in Business Administration (Dissertation outstanding) from the University of Wales and a National Certificate in Occupationally Directed Education Training and Development Practitioner NQF 6. He is also a qualified constituent Assessor and Moderator of 11 qualifications with Services SETA and four qualifications with ETDP SETA. His most recent achievement is the B-BBEE Management Development Programme through the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg qualifying him to be either a B-BBEE Verifier or B-BBEE Consultant.
Susan Dippenaar
(Founding Executive Director),holds a Higher Diploma in Education, a National Certificate in Occupationally Directed Education Training and Development Practitioner NQF 6, an Advanced Business Programme from the Durban University of Technology and, a Bachelor Degree of Technology (Management) from the Natal Technikon. Susan is also a Third Dan in Karate, has represented South Africa in the World All Styles Karate Championships in Algeria and was the Natal All Styles Karate Ladies Champion for 11 consecutive years. She is a qualified constituent Assessor and Moderator of 11 qualifications with Services SETA and 4 qualifications with ETDP SETA. Her most recent achievement is the B-BBEE Management Development Programme through the University of the Witwatersrand, Johannesburg qualifying her to be either a B-BBEE Verifier or B-BBEE Consultant.
Shakila Palanee
(Director), has a Bachelor Degree of Technology (Human Resources Management) from the Natal Technikon in 2001. The National Diploma in Real Estate from UNISA in 2010. Advanced Certificate in Public and Development Management from University of Durban Westville in 2001. Diploma in Human Resource Management at the Natal Technikon in 1999. Diploma in Personal Computing from the Damelin Computer Schools in 1991.
She is a qualified constituent Assessor and Moderator of 7 qualifications with Services SETA. She project manages the various programs run across South Africa.
She has extensive experience in materials development, facilitation of Business Administration, Management and Labour Relations qualifications.
Shakila also served as a Locum Teacher for 2 years at various schools in KZN. She has an accumulated 23 years of experience with the Ethekwini Municipality in the following Departments:
Real Estate Department: attending to the acquisition of land by way of Expropriation or Private Treaty of all types of property for Municipal use.
Parks Department: Administrative function at the Verge and Land Clearance Department as well as a Human Resource Function for the staff at the 7 Municipal Nurseries, ordering of machinery and supplies for the nurseries use
Corporate Services Unit, Legal Services, Licensing Department: attending to business licences for stakeholders in the Ethekwini Region.
City Engineer’s Department, Traffic and Transportation Section- Traffic Studies: research into the accidents on the KZN roads, identifying accident prone areas.
In addition to these skills she brings to ATHENA the required skill-set to empower, guide and direct our clients and learners. Shakila joined the executive in 2014 bringing with her skill set, the opportunity for us to offer a more value added service to our clients and even greater impetus to our development initiatives nationally.
