Michal Harty  |  President

Michal Harty (PhD AAC, Pretoria University) is a speech language therapist (SLT) and an associate professor at UCT.  She has over 20 years’ experience in working with children with disabilities and their families. Prof Harty was the first SLT to implement Enhanced Milieu Teaching (EMT), an evidence based naturalistic communication intervention in South Africa. Since it’s introduction in South Africa, EMT has benefitted over 80 families of children with autism. She lives in the southern suburbs of Cape Town with her husband and their three rescue cats, Daisy, Harley & Avery. 

Gina Rencken  |  President Elect

Dr Gina Rencken is an occupational therapist, lecturer, researcher and clinician with more than two decades of experience in paediatric occupational therapy. She is a Lecturer in the Department of Occupational Therapy at the University of KwaZulu-Natal and holds a PhD in Occupational Therapy from UKZN, as well as a Master’s degree in Occupational Therapy from the University of the Free State and a Bachelor of Occupational Therapy from the University of Pretoria.

Her professional work is grounded in paediatrics, neonates, early intervention, Ayres Sensory Integration®, infant mental health, maternal mental health, responsive caregiving and family-centered practice. She has a particular interest in translating research into practical, contextually responsive intervention for children, families, vulnerable infants and mother-infant dyads.

Gina teaches paediatric occupational therapy theory, clinical reasoning and fieldwork preparation, and contributes to the South African Institute for Sensory Integration through teaching on the theory and interpretation courses within the Ayres Sensory Integration qualification pathway. She currently serves as Vice Chair and International Liaison for SAISI, Chair of Council and Director of Research for the International Council for Education in Ayres Sensory Integration, and President Elect of the South African Association of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry and Allied Professions.

Her academic contributions include postgraduate supervision, peer-reviewed publications, book chapters, national and international conference presentations, and continuing professional development in neonatal care, sensory integration, child mental health and paediatric occupational therapy. Across her teaching, research, leadership and clinical work, she is committed to strengthening evidence-informed, relational and developmentally supportive occupational therapy practice for children and families

John-Joe Dawson-Squibb  |  Immediate Past President

John-Joe is principal psychologist at the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry based at the Red Cross Children's Hospital, Cape Town. In a joint appointment he is also an Associate Professor at the University of Cape Town in the Department of Psychiatry and Mental Health.

Dr Bulelwa Mpinda  |  General Secretary

Everhardus Johannes Smith  |  Treasurer

MB.ChB, DMH(SA), PGDip (Psychotherapy), FCPsych(SA), MMed(Psyc), Cert C&A Psych, MPhil(C&A Psyc)
Dr. EJ Smith completed his undergraduate studies at Stellenbosch University (MB.ChB, 2012) and became a Fellow of the College of Psychiatrists of South Africa (FCPsych SA) in 2021. He holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Psychotherapy (awarded with distinction, 2016), a Certificate in Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (2025), and a Master of Philosophy in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry (Cum Laude, 2026).

He currently practices as a Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist in private practice in the Western Cape and serves as Part-time Clinical Tutor and Senior Lecturer at Stellenbosch University, where he is involved in the teaching and training of undergraduate students, registrars, and fellows. His clinical interests include neurodevelopmental disorders, gender diversity, and complex youth mental health challenges.

Dr. Smith is an active researcher and fellow of both the IACAPAP Helmut Remschmidt Research Seminar (2023) and the Donald J. Cohen Fellowship Program for International Scholars in Child and Adolescent Mental Health. He maintains memberships with SASOP, WPATH, and IACAPAP.

Hanlie Degenaar

Hanlie Degenaar (B.Logopedics & Audiology (UP), M Communication pathology with distinction (UP) Certificate in Social Media Marketing (UCT)) is a Speech-language therapist and Audiologist currently heading the Care2Kids division of the Centre of Health & Human Performance at North-West University. Her special interest is optimal neurodevelopmental outcomes and early relational health for all children by nurturing healthy parent-child interaction, communication development and creativity through effective mealtimes, play, talk, stories, and movement. Her focus is developing sustainable, effective, multi-disciplinary services to help challenged children and their families flourish through leadership and communication facilitation.

Jeanne Gaylard

Mmtlala Mabeba

Luzuko Magula

Dr Luzuko Magula (MBChB/DMH/FCPsych/MMedPsych/Cert C&A/MPhil C&APsych) completed his undergraduate MBChB studies at Walter Sisulu University in 2011. He began his specialist registrar program through Stellenbosch University in 2016 where he was appointed as Chief Registrar for two consecutive years. He obtained his qualification with the Colleges of Psychiatry [ FCPsych (SA)] in 2019 as well as his MMed in Psychiatry qualification in 2019. He furthered his studies and qualified as a subspecialist Child and Adolescent Psychiatrist (CAP) with an additional MPhil in Child and Adolescent Psychiatry in 2021. He joined Fort England Hospital, Grahamstown in February 2023 where he heads the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. He is passionate about child and adolescent mental health and committed to fully establishing and expanding the division across the Eastern Cape to ensure the quality of care across both government and private health sectors that he serves. As a Senior Lecturer at Walter Sisulu University and a Clinical Fellow at Rhodes University, he is involved in teaching and training at all levels of learning and involved in promoting research and advocacy in the field across the world. He also serves as Secretary on the CAPSIG Executive Committee and is a member of SA-ACAPAP committee.

Margie Pankhurst

Margie Pankhurst is an Arts Therapist (MA drama therapy, University of the Witwatersrand).  Her practice includes working with children and adolescents in psychiatric units and long-term hospitalisation as a result of physical conditions, displaced children of foreign national origins, people who have experienced long-term living on the streets, academic research supervision, and a smattering of private clients.  Her practice is based in Woodstock, Cape Town.

Alicia Porter

Amy Seale

Amy Seale is a qualified speech-language therapist with a Master’s degree in Augmentative and Alternative Communication (UP). She is currently a Junior Research Fellow in the Division of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the University of Cape Town. Amy is also an accredited external lecturer at Stellenbosch University and continues to work clinically in private practice. Her research interests include implementation science, autism, and early childhood intervention.