Me…

A multi-tude…

of things …
A rebel with a cause.
A mother, sibling, wife, business owner —
and a foreigner living in a foreign country, in
a language that wasn’t mine to begin with.

I’ve lived six full decades (and earned every one of them). I’ve navigated through a messy divorce, survived two near-death experiences along with other ticked boxes like burn-out. The outcome? I’ve lived long enough to know what matters and what not and I am rather proud of my achievements. I’ve got good experience in:

  • listening without fixing
  • guiding without rescuing
  • managing, delegating, and not taking things (too) personally
  • helping when things go wrong and offering a supportive hand when needed.

Professionally, I’ve spent over forty years working across sectors, cultures, and countries. What I know is this:

Start where you are.
Use what you have.
Do what you can.


In short, I’ve become the master of
re-invention and re-design
(see my ever-changing hairstyles).

The things that move me … deeply

At my core, I’m moved by this question:

How do we live fully, responsibly, and connected,
without destroying what sustains us?”


Wildness that refuses to disappear quietly — rhinos, landscapes, cultures, people on the margins.
I’m moved by vulnerability that says “I’m here.” Conservation isn’t a hobby. I advocate. One. Two. Do!

Nuture
A fierce instinct to protect and restore.
Street dogs. Humans who’ve lost their footing.
Systems that forget compassion.
I step in when something — or someone — needs a voice.

Motion
Music in my body. Miles under my wheels.
Long roads through empty spaces where thinking settles. Road-tripping is regulation, perspective, freedom.
It’s where my nervous system breathes.

Human Connection
Only, without pretense.
Meeting people where they actually are — not where they should be. Different accents, lived stories, wounds, humour,
and quiet brilliance.
Sameness isn’t the goal. Realness is.

Listening suggestion from Hester Street Sessions:
Savage Daughter – Sarah Hester Ross

Why Rhino?

My journey with wildlife activism began under the waters of Southeast Asia. While living and working in Malaysia,
I discovered the brutality of shark finning — a practice hidden behind the prestige of shark fin soup. As a scuba diver, I witnessed illegal fishing firsthand. I became active against shark finning, inspiring my students in Kuala Lumpur to push for shark fin to be removed from menus. Yet even with victories, I realized how deeply the mad, entrenched beliefs about animals and their supposed medicinal powers, ran.

In 2013, in South Africa, I was confronted with the staggering crisis of rhino poaching. I began to dig deeper. Volunteering at rhino sanctuaries, I felt a profound connection to these gentle creatures. Their presence — patient, powerful, vulnerable — changed how I perceived the world.

I began leveraging my professional network to make a tangible difference. Every conversation I held, became
an opportunity to channel resources into rhino protection.

Rhinos are a living reminder that presence, patience, and humility matter, and that when you commit
to standing for what is vulnerable, you can create ripples of change far beyond yourself.
We (all living beings) are, after all, all born to be alive, and to thrive.

Skills Synergy:
Translating
Passion into Purpose

Translating, for me, means that when I fail at something, anything, I shift my thinking.

  • I dream and plan, I do, I fail (sometimes spectacularly) and I get up, again.
  • Goals aren’t just targets; they’re launchpads for curious rebels.
  • Strategy without rebellion is boring. Resilience without fun is tragic.
  • Success is sweet strategy. Setbacks are hot and spicy. I savor both.
  • Setbacks become stepping stones. Success becomes playgrounds.

I know the road isn’t always straight or smooth — I still choose curiosity over comfort and dig-in .
My motto remains: One. Two. Do.
After all, “What’s the worst thing that can happen to me, or you?”

My work is endorsed by an eclectic mix of global citizens — entrepreneurs, students, academics, and executives from some of Austria’s most iconic organisations, as well as international hubs of learning and innovation. See listed below.
I also have a drawer full of fancy stamps and signatures on fancy paper and I’ve been applauded.
If it makes you feel better about working with me, just ask, I’ll email the applause to you.
My international, intercultural, and interpersonal learning curves come courtesy of South Africa, India, Malaysia, Austria, Germany, Central and Eastern Europe.
I work fluently in English und Deutsch (en Afrikaans).