The EASTER Action directors are all in their own way passionate about nature and people, determined to find ways to share this planet with each other and with the generations to come.

Marlies Craig

Founding Executive Director

Marlies is a biologist with a PhD in Epidemiology, and a Post-Graduate Diploma in Adult Education.

Marlies is a scientist, specialized in epidemiology and climate change. Her work experience includes, among others, 15+ years at the Malaria Research Programme of the South African Medical Research Council; 5+ years as Science Officer in the United Nations’ IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change); She currently works as Research Associate at the African Health Research Institute. She has authored around 50 scientific articles, reports, booklets and manuals, a book on insects, and several electronic products. She enjoys communicating science to a wide range of audiences (from international policy-makers and academics to young children), and has presented at well over 100 international and local meetings. Locally she is known for her public engagements on climate change and insects.

Anwen Cunningham

Director

Anwen is an educational psychologist with a Master of Social Science in Educational Psychology.

Anwen runs a private Educational Psychology practice, and has worked for many years in remedial schools and continues to consult with children in mainstream education. The challenge of addressing learning in a second language has been a consistent interest of hers. Anwen believes that teachers play a pivotal role in shaping children. Educators who show care for their learners can increase their resilience and contribute to uplifting a community. Her postgraduate research paper focused on the psychological stress of students from rural Eastern Cape attending Rhodes University.

Nina Hunter

Director

Nina Hunter is a social scientist with degrees in Psychology, and Social Policy and Planning and a PhD in Development Studies.

For a number of years Nina undertook research in the School of Development at the University of KwaZulu-Natal focusing on social policy issues, and on ‘Measuring and valuing unpaid care work: Assessing the gendered implications of South Africa’s home-based care policy.’ More recently she did consultancy research and editing work outside of academia. For several years she was employed as a post-doctoral fellow at the University of KwaZulu-Natal, attached to the Durban office of the IPCC Working Group II Technical Support Unit. Currently she works as Research Fellow at Munster Technological University in Cork, Ireland.