The Team

	Dr Sianne Alves Director Tel: 021 650 1003 Email: sianne.alves@uct.ac.za Sianne Alves brings to the position of Director, her multi-sectoral expertise across international and national government, corporate and civil society contexts. An alumni of the University of Cape Town, University of Free State and the University of Stellenbosch she has experience of multiple higher education contexts in South Africa which assists in keeping abreast of, and in some instances pioneering, systemic change within UCT.
	Mrs Edwina Ghall Manager of the Disability Service Tel: 021 650 5089 Email: edwina.ghall@uct.ac.za Edwina Ghall was the Barrier-Free Access Coordinator at the Disability Service from 2008 until her appointment as manager in 2018. She guides the university in all matters relating to its environment and its impact on access for people with disabilities (students, staff and visitors). She holds a Master’s Degree in Child and Family Studies from the University of the Western Cape and is a registered social worker with a background in community health and trauma counselling. She loves spending time as a volunteer, counselling the underprivileged.

	Mrs Yumna Seadat Survivor Support Officer Tel: 021 680 3530 Email: yumna.seadat@uct.ac.za Yumna Seadat is the Survivor Support Case officer at the OIC. She is the first point of contact for survivors and offers a range of support. She obtained her BA Honours in Psychology at the University of Witwatersrand and is Registered with the ASCHP as a specialist wellness counsellor (registration no. SWC20/623). Her responsibilities at the OIC involve working closely with survivors of sexual and domestic violence during the reporting process. This includes but is not limited to case management, statement development, guidance through external and internal (informal or formal) processes, delivery of tribunal verdicts, trauma counselling and debriefing, psychosocial educational support groups, on and off campus support to medical facilities, law enforcement and/or the High Court, additional referrals, support for academic concession and trauma focused training for staff. Yumna is skilled at various trauma counselling and recovery techniques. She has experience working with students who were dealing with the psychological impact of poverty and continuous traumatic exposure in their communities. Her experience at Stikland Psychiatric Hospital and Headway Gauteng grew her ability to provide coping strategies for individuals with mental illnesses and brain injuries. Her background as a counsellor at Rape Crisis, Lifeline Western Cape and SAPS Victim Empowerment Program allow her to bring a wealth of knowledge to individual and group counselling for trauma sensitive cases. Yumna continues to counsel and facilitate on the personal growth and counselling communication skills course at Lifeline.
	Mrs Cheryl Vallay Administrative Officer and Personal Assistant Tel: 021 650 2767 Email: cheryl.vallay@uct.ac.za Cheryl Vallay is the Administrative Officer and the Director’s personal assistant. She provides professional support including diary management, logistical and administrative support to the stream leaders. She is the liaison person between internal and external stakeholders and is the servicing officer for the Transformation Forum, HIV/Aids Policy Implementation Committee and several working groups.
	Mr Cedric Williams Administrative Assistant Tel: 021 650 2427 Email: cedric.williams@uct.ac.za Cedric Williams is the Administrative Assistant at the OIC Disability Service. In addition to providing administrative support to the Disability Service, he overseas the accessible transport booking system and manages the requests for disability parking bays. Cedric is an accurate logistics and support analyst with the ability to apply exceptional problem solving skills.
	Ms Zaaida Vallie Senior Finance Officer Tel: 021 650 1006 Email: zaaida.vallie@uct.ac.za Zaaida Vallie is the Senior Finance Officer. She holds a Bachelor’s of Commerce Honours degree in Organisational Psychology from UCT and specialised in Business Management and Industrial Organisational Psychology in her undergraduate degree. She also has qualifications in project management and finance. Her role entails managing the OIC's finances, as well as funding for strategic transformation projects and grants.
	Mrs Denise Oldham Direct Services Specialist Tel: 021 650 2737 Email: denise.oldham@uct.ac.za Denise Oldham is the Direct Services Specialist at the OIC Disability Service. She holds a BA Honours Degree and Teaching Diploma from Rhodes University and has been working at the Disability Service since the year 2000. Her position includes coordinating and managing tests and exams written in the Disability Service by students with disabilities who require specific accommodations; and running the Assistive Technology lab. She also liaises with students with disabilities to implement practical and innovative human support or technical strategies to enable their full academic inclusion. She runs the Volunteer Programme in the Disability Service which specialises in converting text into accessible formats for blind and visually impaired students and for students with Specific Learning Disabilities and handwriting difficulties. Denise is committed to exploring and implementing partnership strategies that result in the full academic inclusion of students with disabilities and has a special interest in online accessibility. Denise brings her experience of working with many students with a wide variety of disabilities, and is always open to learning from and appreciating the skills and experiences brought into the Disability Service by students.
	Mrs Stella Musungu Student Capacity Building Specialist Tel: 021 650 1005 Email: stella.musungu@uct.ac.za Stella Musungu manages the Student Capacity Building portfolio. She holds a Master of Philosophy in Programme Evaluation and an Advanced Diploma in Business Project Management from UCT. Her position at the OIC entails managing the Agents of Change Education (ACES) Peer Education Programme and delivering training for various student clusters. She trains students in the intersectional areas of HIV, gender-based violence, class, privilege, marginalisation and sexual diversity. Her research interests lie in the programme evaluation field and building capacity amongst students in the higher education sector. She has published in the international Journal of Industry and Higher Education and the African Journal of Nursing and Midwifery.
	Ms Lesego Modutle Disability Advocacy Specialist Tel: 021 650 5088 Email: lesego.modutle@uct.ac.za Lesego Modutle holds a UCT Post Graduate Diploma in Disability Studies as well as a UFS BA degree in Media Studies, majoring in Communications and Sign Language. In 2012 she was appointed as UCT’s first full-time South African Sign Language Interpreter before completing a British Sign Language programme at the Croydon Adult Learning and Training Centre in the UK. She returned to UCT in 2016 and was appointed as the Disability Advocacy Specialist in 2017. Her responsibilities include advocating for students with disabilities at UCT, assistance with placement in accessible residence accommodation, disability awareness training and assisting with the acquisition of financial aid support for students with disabilities. Lesego has been involved in the disability community for over a decade and continuously works to expand her knowledge and experience in this field. Lesego is multilingual and is a member of the UCT Language Policy Committee.
	Mrs Noluthando Ticha- Ntsimango Barrier-free Access Specialist Tel: 021 650 5090 Email: noluthando.ticha-ntsimango@uct.ac.za Noluthando is a Barrier-free Access Specialist at the OIC Disability Service. Her responsibilities include providing guidance to the university on all matters relating to the built infrastructure and facilities as they impact on access for persons with disabilities; and to advocate for and initiate the removal of all physical barriers to access. In addition; she provides specialised induction and orientation for students and staff with disabilities. Noluthando holds an Honours degree in Industrial Psychology which she obtained at the University of the Western Cape. Before joining UCT, she worked for the Western Cape Government as the Senior Personnel Practitioner and Disability Management where she was responsible for the promotion of the rights of persons with disabilities pertaining to their employment and retention.
	Ms Beulah Marks Senior Clinical Support Specialist Tel: 021 650 3616 Email: beulah.marks@uct.ac.za Beulah Marks is a Clinical Psychologist who shares her sound clinical and educational knowledge with commitment and inventiveness at the Disability Service. She is responsible for applications for term time accommodations of students with mental health disabilities. Beulah also manages all exam concession applications of students with specific learning disabilities in her dual role as Specific Learning Disabilities Co-ordinator. She also provides short term psychological education and support for students and staff with disabilities. She is particularly interested in research, policy and advocacy that relates to mental health and neurodiversity. Beulah is energised by the courage of students and the transformative potential of collaborative work.
	Ms Morgynn Jones Psychometrist Tel: 021 650 5301 Email: morgynn.jones@uct.ac.za Morgynn Jones is the Psychometrist in the OIC Disability Service. She provides psychometric input in respect of applications for time concessions in tests and examinations. She has an Honours degree in Psychology from UNISA and is registered with the Health Professions Council of South Africa.

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