PeacePlayers is excited to welcome Alison Misselhorn to the team as PeacePlayers South Africa’s new Executive Director, beginning in the New Year. Alison will apply her vast experience in the social change and nonprofit sectors to help build greater financial sustainability, and to scale the organization’s impact, reach and monitoring and evaluation capabilities.
Alison holds a PhD in Food Security from the Faculty of Science, University of the Witwatersrand. Throughout her career, she has garnered extensive development and research experience in the fields of food and nutrition security, human security and sustainable development. Focal areas have included livelihood assessment, HIV and AIDS, vulnerability and adaptation to climate change and global change, and early childhood development and education. Impact evaluation and M&E are particular areas of training and interest.
Alison has worked in the non-profit sector since 2005, with her most recent role being Director of Research and Strategy for the Lunchbox Fund. A sports enthusiast, Alison enjoys mountain biking, trail running, triathlon and surf skiing in her free time. She lives in Durban with her two teenage daughters.
“There is much work to be done in our wonderful country, and I can think of no more valuable way to contribute to change and upliftment in South Africa than through the PeacePlayers mission. Every young person reached is a victory. The flames of leadership and hope in the hearts of these individuals cast immeasurable light for change in the many lives they touch in their communities. I am honoured and excited to be joining the PeacePlayers team.”
“We are thrilled that Alison is joining the PeacePlayers team. She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience both in research, implementation and development that will help take PeacePlayers South Africa to the next level. We are also excited for Alison to lend her expertise to the network as a part of the Global Leadership team.”
The first of five international sites, PeacePlayers South Africa was founded in 2001 to unite and educate young people in post-apartheid South Africa through the game of basketball. PeacePlayers South Africa is part of a global movement that uses the game of basketball to build peace and equity in divided communities around the world. Over the past twenty years, PeacePlayers South Africa has worked with more than 100,000 young people and built 34 basketball courts throughout the KwaZulu-Natal province.