Our Team

We’re very proud of the talent, skill, knowledge, and dedication demonstrated by every single member of our team. Here are the faces behind Painted Dog Conservation:

Peter first learned of the plight of the African wild dog as an eight-year-old boy growing up in England. He moved to Zimbabwe in 1997 to help establish Painted Dog Conservation (PDC) with his rare combination of passion, interpersonal skills, business and management skills.

Peter has guided the development and execution of programs to address the threats directly impacting the painted dogs including the deployment of anti-poaching units to the world-class Wilton Nsimango Children’s Bush Camp. He has hired a capable and dedicated team of local staff, who also are playing a critical role in changing local attitudes towards conservation.

When Peter takes on a new initiative, it will be done well, with full regard for the complexities of doing conservation in Zimbabwe. Peter also is highly regarded by his peers as an effective manager who is rigorous about producing outcomes.

David joined Painted Dog Conservation in 2015. He has a Bachelor’s Degree in Nature Conservation, from Tshwane University of Technology in South Africa. He joined us having had eight years experience as an Estate Manager at the Glenburn Lodge in South Africa.

David grew up at Umtchibi Camp, in Hwange National Park with his father and he recalls his father telling him if he remembered the times in Mana Pools when they stayed in a house with a drum as a door with lions roaring outside. David grew up around wildlife and has a great passion for conservation.

He has a great pedigree as well combined with his experience in Wildlife and Habitat Management, Human Resource Management, Training and Development, Project Management, and Research and Monitoring.

David has also taken up a fundraising role in the organisation attending the WCN Expo in the USA to bolster the long-term financial sustainability of the organisation as he directly manages and deals with day-to-day matters of PDC.

Hailing from Bulawayo, the second largest city in Zimbabwe, Wilton joined PDC in 2004 after serving in the education sector for 17 years. He was first appointed Environmental Education Officer and in 2008 he was promoted to his current position charged with designing and implementing a new brand of world-class standard conservation education for the Wilton Nsimango Children’s Bush Camp and local schools.

Wilton is a qualified trained teacher. He holds several degrees and a M.S. in Education Management. His vision is to improve the conservation education discipline and help kids understand the relationship between the traditional and modern trends of conservation so that they play their role in protecting wildlife.

Wendy began fundraising for what was eventually to become PDC, as far back as 1995.  In 1997 she was granted a year’s leave from her job in the U.S. and came to Zimbabwe to assist in the early organisation of the project.  By 2002 she was asked to return and set up a project that would bring sustainable income to the artists and craftspeople in the Dete area.  One outcome of that was the development of snare wire art, which has become world famous. 

In 2004 she moved to Dete and spent the following 12 years growing and establishing a wide range of products that are marketed at zoos around the world.  Wendy is also now assisting conservation education in the district, funding school fees, and scholarships, and aiding with materials for PDC school Conservation Club activities.  She now resides in California making an annual visit to PDC Iganyana Arts Centre.

Agnes is also another local individual employed by Painted Dog Conservation. She comes from Makwandara village, one of the areas in our core operating area. She was appointed as the Supervisor for Iganyana Arts Center in 2004 when it opened.

Most of her duties are based on the day-to-day running of the business, which includes instructing the 24 artisans and 70 basket weavers in the local community at Lupote and Sianyanga Villages and coordinating orders with over-the-border customers. She is inspired by how the painted dogs live by teamwork and she has made sure it is replicated with the artisans and other team members of the Iganyana Arts Centre. 

Doubt joined Painted Dog Conservation in 2003 after working as a tour guide for 4 years. He got interested in PDC by distributing our sighting sheets to tourists at his former workplace. It was not long before we realised his true passion and skill, which is building, and he got promoted to second in charge to the Maintenance Manager.

As a trained guide he also taught at the Children’s Bush Camp in 2004 when it opened. In the coming years, he shared his time between building and Bush Camp guiding until 2010. He decided to be full-time into building and maintenance work as PDC expanded which he has been very instrumental at. 

Ganizani joined Painted Dog Conservation in 2010. Originally from Hwange District, he has a rich track record in teaching, children and wildlife. Ganizani enrolled with Gwanda Zintec College in 1982 for teaching training. In 1986 he graduated with a Certificate In Education from the University of Zimbabwe as the awarding body. He taught in various schools in Matabeleland North province in the Lupane and Hwange Districts during which he gained a lot of knowledge in disseminating information to children.

In 2001 he obtained a Learner Professional Hunter’s license and worked as a Learner Professional guide conducting game drives into Hwange National Park. In  2003 he joined the Christian Care organisation as their Project Officer based in Binga implementing the World Food Programme and Water, Sanitation, and Health programs. Before joining us, Ganizani was working with the Elephant Experience as a guide into the Zambezi National Park.

Ronnie is passionate about wildlife and how painted dogs have helped transform and develop communities around Hwange National Park through Painted Dog Conservation. He joined Painted Dog Conservation in 2017 with a vision to amplify calls to the rest of the world for the protection of the painted dog and save it from extinction.

He holds a Bachelor of Social Sciences in Media and Society Studies degree. As a young local man, he speaks all 4 local dominant languages namely Nambya, Tonga, Ndebele, and Shona. He has helped to develop and implement a Marketing and Communications strategy for PDC and helps manage our social media platforms and website. In his own words, he says “With still more to learn and experience, l have since found my place and role in saving the painted dog and I love it”.

our Board of Trustees

Chairperson: Mr. Jerry Gotora
Vice-Chairperson: Chief J B Nelukoba-Dingani
Secretary: Chief Nekatambe

Treasurer: Laurie Royston

our Scientific Advisors.

Professor Claudio Sillero
Dr Esther van der Meer
Dr Mathieu Bourgarel
Dr Herve Fritz