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

Marlies Craig

Chief Executive Officer

Marlies is a biologist with a PhD in epidemiology, and a post-graduate diploma in adult education.

After working for fifteen years on malaria research at the South African Medical Research Council, Marlies turned to full-time parenting, homeschooling, consulting, self-publishing, environmental education and outreach. Back in the formal working world she worked briefly as research mentor at the School of Clinical Medicine (University of KwaZulu-Natal), and is now employed as Science Officer in the Durban Office of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (a United Nations organization) Working Group II Technical Support Unit.

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 focussing 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. She is currently 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.