PDG Staff

Our professional team is diverse, multi-disciplinary and highly qualified, covering the fields of engineering, economics, monitoring and evaluation, development finance, public policy, social sciences, spatial planning and environmental science.

CARA HARTLEY

Director

Cara Hartley is a Director co-leading the monitoring and evaluation practice area at PDG. Her focus is on the monitoring and evaluation of social and governance interventions. She holds a Master’s degree in Political Science and a Postgraduate Diploma in Monitoring and Evaluation Methods (cum laude). Cara has led several national and provincial government evaluations; and has also worked with city governments through a variety of M&E projects. She has extensive experience in developing M&E frameworks, and has also conducted and moderated quality assessments of government evaluations. She is an experienced primary qualitative research practitioner; she also conducts descriptive statistical analysis and is familiar with quantitative evaluation methods. She is interested in the content areas of public sector planning, monitoring and evaluation; education; public employment programmes and social development. Her methodological interests include non‑experimental impact evaluation methodologies and participatory evaluation approaches. She is a legacy Chairperson of the Board of Directors of the South African Monitoring and Evaluation Association (SAMEA) and a Mandela Rhodes scholar.

Cara Hartley

Director

CLAUS RABE

Director

Claus Rabe is a Director at PDG, responsible for the Urban Economies Practice Area. He holds a dual major in Policy Studies and Economics, a Masters in City and Regional Planning, and a Master of Science in Urban Management. Claus is an urban policy analyst with over 14 years’ experience in the field of spatial planning, forecasting, infrastructure and urban economics. Prior to joining PDG, Claus was a principal planner at the City of Cape Town where received the SAPI National Planning Award for his ground-breaking work on data-driven urban diagnostics.

Claus Rabe

Director

DANIEL MOODY

Consultant

Daniel is a consultant at PDG. He is a development practitioner, MERL specialist, researcher and environmentalist concentrating on socio-economic, developmental and environmental issues in the Global South. Combining excellent academic credentials with a diversified work portfolio, he seeks to use his skills, knowledge and passion to develop and implement socially-orientated, sustainable and evidence-based solutions to some of Africa’s major developmental challenges.

Daniel Moody
Consultant

ELAINE MENTOR

Accounts Assistant

Elaine Mentor is the Finance Administrator and has been in the employ of PDG since 2004. She has a National Higher Certificate in Financial Accounting and has worked in various organisations in various administrative roles.

Elaine Mentor
Accounts Assistant

Jerusha JERUSHA GOVENDER

Consultant

Jerusha is a catalyst in data-driven creative solutions for sustainable change. She has worked extensively as a social entrepreneur and advisor in promoting responsible data practices and systems, data communication and the use of information for decision-making in development sector in Africa and globally. She has held leadership positions at Data Innovators as a Co-Founder, served on the board of the South African Monitoring and Evaluation Association, and is currently on the board of Field Band Foundation. Jerusha has led data and M&E projects with government departments, NGOs, and foundations across the continent. She is also is a thought leader on topics in responsible data, tech-enabled MERL, innovation in MERL, and entrepreneurship.

Jerusha Govender

Consultant

KAREN MEHL

Director

Karen Mehl is a Director at PDG and has been in their employ since 2008. She has worked in various accounting positions over the last 25 years, and has experience in all levels of the accounting function. She started out doing basic bookkeeping, and gained experience through learning on the job and doing short courses. With the guidance of great mentors over the years, she managed to forge a path of continual growth and is currently the Finance Manager and a Director at PDG.

Karen Mehl

Director

KELLY MEHL

General Administrative Assistant

Kelly Mehl is a General Administrative Assistant at PDG, holding a Bachelor of Commerce degree which focussed on HR, information systems, finance, and general business concepts, coupled with over five years of experience in teaching and account management. Her experience in teaching and account management has honed her multitasking abilities, attention to detail, and problem-solving skills in admin-intensive environments.

Kelly Mehl

General Administrative Assistant

KIM WALSH

Director

Kim Walsh is a Director at PDG, responsible for the Public Finance Practice Area. Kim has a Masters’ degree in economics and undergraduate degrees in economics and chemical engineering. Kim’s primary area of interest is financial analysis and modelling which she applies across a range of fields, including public finance, water services, urban systems and environment. Kim also has significant experience with municipal tariff setting. Recent project experience includes leading a team that is preparing long-term financial plans for five local municipalities; leading a team that developed a new municipal tariff setting tool for National Treasury; conducting an assessment of tariff setting in the North West and Gauteng provinces; participating in an evaluation of the Municipal Financial Improvement Programme; conducting an assessment of the impact of decentralised water supply systems on the financial viability of four municipalities in the Western Cape; and supporting the City of Mbombela in five-year contract negotiations with its concessionaire.

Kim Walsh
Director

LELETHU BODLANI

Consultant

Lelethu is a consultant at PDG with a Master of Commerce in Economics from the University of the Western Cape. She has a strong interest in public sector development, municipal governance, financial modelling, and analysis for supporting municipal services and green finance. With previous experience as a research assistant at Cenfri, her skills include quantitative and qualitative research, financial modelling, market research, and providing technical support. Lelethu’s current project work at PDG involves various aspects of public finance and M&E, such as drafting reports, analysing papers, researching sanitation delivery models, updating country profiles, and participating in design and implementation evaluations. She is dedicated to making a positive impact in the public sector.

Lelethu Bodlani
Consultant

MELANIE BADENHORST

Project Leader Assistant

Melanie Badenhorst is a Project Leader’s Assistant and Senior Operations administrator at PDG and has been part of PDG for the past 19 years. She supports management and consultants with project administration support. Operations, Marketing and HR portfolios also form part of her duties. Prior to this she had been working within government in the secretarial field for a period of about 6 years.

Melanie Badenhorst

Project Leader Assistant

MIKE LESLIE

Managing Director

Mike Leslie is the Managing Director at PDG leading the Monitoring & Evaluation (M&E) practice area. He specialises in public sector evaluations and M&E systems. Mike has a MPhil in Community & Development and a Postgraduate Diploma in Monitoring and Evaluation from Stellenbosch University. His expertise includes evaluation approaches, designs and methodologies as well as M&E system development and consolidation. He has experience in community development, participatory developmental approaches and applied social research methods. He has developed and delivered accredited modules on public sector evaluation for Stellenbosch University and facilitated for the Development Evaluation Training Programme for Africa at the University of Witwatersrand. He is passionate about public policy, evidence-based planning, monitoring and evaluation for improved developmental outcomes. He is a legacy board member of the South African Monitoring & Evaluation Association (SAMEA) and is currently serving as a technical advisor to National Treasury into 2021 in support of a planning, monitoring and reporting reforms for local government.

Mike Leslie

Managing Director

Mildred

MILDRED NAKKUNGU

Consultant

Mildred Nakkungu a consultant at PDG. She comes with a range of expertise across the fields of the built environment, sustainable development and governmental structures. She has a developed skill set in sustainable building design; thermal, solar, and daylight analysis; and qualitative research. Her academic research focuses on cities, with particular interest in the institutional, legislative and politic logics used to govern municipalities. She hopes to utilise her diverse skillset by contributing to a holistically sustainable future in our cities.

Mildred Nakkungu

Consultant

NAZREEN KOLA

Director

Nazreen Kola is a Director at PDG and leads the Institutional Development Practice Area. She has a master’s degree in Gender and Development and an undergraduate degree in International Studies. Her interdisciplinary skills set allows her to work across practices, particularly in the areas of policy and legislation, strategy, organisational and institutional development, planning, local government powers and functions, performance management, capacity building and knowledge management.

Nazreen Kola

Director

NICK GRAHAM

Director

Nick Graham is a Director at PDG, responsible for the Municipal Services Practice Area. He is an urban geographer and registered professional engineer with Masters degrees in civil engineering, environmental policy and urban geography. As a civil engineer he gained design and construction experience in a range of municipal services, but his focus has since shifted to infrastructure investment planning and financial modelling for local and national government initiatives. His particular interest is urban systems modelling and policy for city efficiency and fiscal impact. He has public sector experience in the housing, water, sanitation, solid waste, transport and energy sectors.

Nick Graham

Director

Njabulo

NJABULO NDABA

Consultant

Njabulo Ndaba is a consultant at PDG, having joined the organization in January 2023. He holds a Master’s Degree in Economics from the University of the Western Cape and brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise in the area of financial inclusion and financial health. His focus is on improving the financial lives of low-income households and women throughout Africa. Njabulo possesses a diverse skill set, including proficiency in qualitative primary research, quantitative research and analysis, and reporting. He is deeply passionate about inclusive financial integrity, Anti-Money Laundering and compliance, and digital identity, and is dedicated to utilising his skills and knowledge to make a positive impact in these areas.

Njabulo Ndaba

Consultant

SIMON VAN BLERK

Consultant

Simon van Blerk is a consultant at PDG, having joined the organisation in January 2024. Before joining PDG, he worked as registered professional engineer within the municipal services sector and has extensive experience in water, sewer, roads and stormwater designs. Apart from advising municipalities with technical aspects of municipal infrastructure, he also has experience in infrastructure planning and funding.

Simon van Blerk

Consultant

Sophiya Gabier

SOPHIYA GABIER

Consultant

Sophiya Gabier is a consultant at PDG. Sophiya’s academic background is in Environment and Development studies, where she pursed her honours in BCom-Public and Development Management, at Stellenbosch University. She is passionate about developing a more sustainable economy, and this passion serves as her motivation to effectively apply her knowledge of the environment, policies and legislation with a sustainable approach to contribute towards the greater benefit of society. She is committed to utilizing her education and enhancing her skills to make a positive impact in the field of sustainability and development.

Sophiya Gabier
Consultant

ZUHAYR MAHOMED

Consultant

Zuhayr Mahomed is an intern at PDG. Zuhayr’s academic background is in Economics , where he pursued his BCom Honours in Economics, at the University of KwaZulu-Natal. He is passionate about social justice and sustainable development, and this drives his commitment to navigating complexities and delivering innovative solutions in an ever-evolving socio-economic environment. Zuhayr is a fellow of the Auwal Socio-Economic Research Institute’s Future Leaders Programme and has previously interned at Open Secrets.

Zuhayr Mahomed
Intern

Associate

IAN PALMER

Founder

Ian Palmer is the founder of PDG. He started the firm in 1990, serving as the managing partner and then managing director for 19 years. In 2015 Ian retired as a director and full-time employee of PDG, but remains an associate of the firm and continues to contribute to projects as part of PDG teams. For the remainder he undertakes academic work as an Adjunct Professor at the African Centre for Cities, University of Cape Town. Ian has 45 years’ experience in the fields of municipal services planning, municipal finance, inter-governmental relations, housing, roads, public transport and climate change mitigation. He has degrees in civil engineering, economics and environmental engineering.

Ian Palmer

Founder

PDG Staff

Associate

PDG

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