The people who shape Tafara Wellness Initiative’s direction bring expertise, networks, and a shared belief in what community-led mental wellness can achieve. Our board and special advisors guide our strategy and strengthen our governance
Mafoko Phomane is an Environmental Health Campaigner at groundWork, a public health professional and researcher with experience in the public health and development sectors in South Africa and Lesotho. She holds a Master’s in Public Health from the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg and has held research positions at the Rural Health Advocacy Project and district-level HIV program roles at the Ministry of Health in Lesotho. A Global Atlantic Fellow for Health Equity based at Tekano. She works in the areas of climate and health, air quality and health and chemicals management. Her role involves supporting fence line communities demand their right to an environment that is not harmful to their health and well-being. She is currently Chair of the Public Health Association of South Africa’s – Climate, Energy and Health Special Interest Group serving to mobilise health professionals to lend their research, influence, voice and expertise to support community environmental justice struggles. groundWork is Health Care Without Harm’s strategic partner in South Africa.
Hailing from the stunning Sierra Nevada mountains of California, Caitlyn Stone is a dedicated advocate for underserved communities. As a Philanthropy Relations Officer at the American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU), she develops innovative donor engagement strategies to support immigrant rights and protect marginalized groups.
Before joining the ACLU in 2024, Caitlyn worked in international development, promoting economic justice in Africa and Asia. She holds a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and International Relations from UC Santa Barbara and a master’s in East Asian Studies from USC, where her research focused on social movements in Burma.
She serves as the Programming Chair for the Young Nonprofit Professionals Network in San Diego and supports grassroots organizations in Africa, helping them implement effective fundraising strategies for social change. Caitlyn is a passionate champion for justice, inspiring others to join the fight for equality.
With a decade of experience in fostering entrepreneurial ventures across Africa, Europe, and North America, Nicolette Chinomona is a dynamic expert in business strategy and entrepreneurship development. Specialising in coaching early-stage startups, Nicolette has designed impactful virtual and in-person programs that accelerate business growth by 50% within just three months.
A natural problem-solver and innovative thinker, Nicolette approaches challenges with creativity and simplicity, placing the customer at the heart of every business strategy. Skilled in stakeholder engagement and partnership development, she effectively collaborates with public, private, and civil society organisations to support entrepreneurs in the creative and cultural economy.
As a passionate change agent, Nicolette revitalizes management thought and decision-making processes, empowering individuals and projects to thrive in today’s competitive landscape.
Clinically trained professional with 10+ years of experience across humanitarian and digital health environments, Gustavo Vidal works at the intersection of strategy and execution, translating complexity into structured, scalable solutions in mission-driven contexts.
His background spans leading healthcare initiatives on the ground to scaling digital health solutions, giving him a systems-level perspective across strategy, operations, and implementation. He has a consistent track record of aligning teams and delivering outcomes where it matters most.
As an Advisory Board Member of the Tafara Wellness Initiative, he brings this lens to support TWI’s mission: ensuring strategic ambition translates into sustainable, real-world impact for the communities we serve.
Tracy Jooste is a South African social impact practitioner who currently manages global governance initiatives. She is an Associate Director at Results for Development, working with the Governance Action Hub. She has extensive experience advancing equitable access to housing, water, sanitation, and healthcare, and has led research, advocacy, and policy programs across government, civil society, and international networks.
Previously, as Head of Special Programs at the International Budget Partnership South Africa, she co-led the Asivikelane campaign, which improved services for over 5 million informal settlement residents and championed gender-responsive budgeting. She also supported health advocacy initiatives that strengthened services at public clinics, with notable improvements in women’s and youth health.
She is a Senior Atlantic Fellow for Social and Economic Equity at LSE, a Gates Foundation SDG Goalkeeper, and a Mandela Washington Fellow. She holds a Master’s in Public Policy from the University of Cape Town and a Postgraduate Diploma in Housing and Urban Finance from the Institute for Housing Studies in the Netherlands. She serves on the board of the Isandla Institute.
Tafara Wellness Initiative trains community members to offer peer mental health support and walks alongside them as they carry that into the communities they already belong to. We partner with organisations across Africa to make that possible.
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