Dr. Cas Olivier
Founder & COO | Marvelous Minds
In a world still clinging to rote learning,
Cas Olivier stands out as an educational visionary—part scientist, part philosopher, part engineer of learning. He doesn’t just think outside the box—he dismantles it, transforms the pieces, and constructs a cognitive launchpad known as Thinking Tools.
Cas has spent decades revealing what most educators overlook:
→ Learners aren’t disengaged because they’re disinterested.
→ They’re disengaged because they’re being taught with outdated tools for a new generation of brains.
With deep roots in cognitive science and a passion for applied transformation,
Cas has built Thinking Tools into a practical, research-based framework that empowers educators to teach in the way the brain naturally learns. His work turns invisible thinking processes into visible, teachable strategies—making learning make sense.
Where others teach content,
Cas teaches cognition.
Where others see ADHD as a problem,
he sees untapped potential waiting for structure and strategy.
Where traditional education drills facts,
Cas designs systems that develop thinkers.
Through Marvelous Minds, Cas has impacted thousands of teachers, parents, and learners—equipping them not just with information, but with insight. He doesn’t just upgrade classrooms—he transforms mindsets.
His legacy?
Shifting education from PowerPoint-driven to brain-powered.
Izelle van den Bergh
Founder & CEO | Marvelous Minds
Izelle van den Bergh is a visionary educator, bold entrepreneur, and faith-driven change agent with a deep passion for transforming education at its core. As the founder and CEO of Marvelous Minds, she leads with clarity, conviction, and creativity—blending science, soul, and strategy to build scalable solutions that truly make a difference.
Under her leadership, Marvelous Minds is pioneering a shift from content-based learning to cognitive empowerment through Thinking Tools, brain-based methodologies, and support systems for neurodiverse learners. Izelle doesn’t just drive innovation—she architects it. Her work bridges the gap between traditional schooling and the skills learners need to thrive in the real world.
From IPO planning to grassroots training, Izelle has built Marvelous Minds into a movement. Her billion-rand vision is grounded in faith and executed through strategic leadership, a world-class team, and an unwavering commitment to purpose.
She believes education should do more than inform—it should unlock potential, inspire courage, and cultivate lifelong learners.
For Izelle, this is not just a business.
It’s a calling.
Gerrit Botha
Founder of MM & BDASA | Deal Architect | Champion of African Business Development
Gerrit Botha is a business development powerhouse with a bold vision: to transform the fortunes of African SMEs by unlocking real opportunities, strategic capital, and powerful networks.
As the founder of the Business Development Association of South Africa (BDASA) and a key driver behind Exco Capital, Gerrit is known for turning ideas into impactful agreements — and professionals into powerhouse dealmakers.
He’s not just building a community. He’s building a movement. From launching South Africa’s first national BD awards and curating invite-only roundtables, to designing BD-focused executive workshops and leadership pathways — Gerrit plays at the intersection of strategy, growth, and opportunity.
Whether he’s helping founders raise capital without diluting control, or equipping BD professionals to lead at the next level, Gerrit is always in action — creating the spaces, systems, and support needed for business development to thrive across Africa.
“Business development is the most powerful lever for transforming the fortunes of SMEs in Africa.” – Gerrit Botha
Marista Botha | Educator & Thinking Tools Professional Practitioner
“Educating is the most potent tool we have to reshape our world.” – Nelson Mandela
Marista Botha is a dedicated and passionate educator with a rich background in both public and independent schools. As a Thinking Tools Professional Practitioner, she specializes in nurturing critical thinking skills that empower learners to figure-out challenges through problem-solving.
Marista thrives on sharing her valuable teaching experiences with fellow educators, equipping them with effective teaching methods that make a difference. Her innovative approach to learning emphasizes hands-on experiences and overcoming challenges, fostering collaborative and creative learning environments.
Marista’s distinctive approach instills self-confidence and cultivates a willingness to embrace new challenges. She is both delighted and honored to accompany learners and teachers alike on their intermediate phase journeys, contributing to real-life solutions and growth.
Tanja de Jager | Tutor & Thinking Tools Professional Practitioner
Tanja is excelling as a Thinking Tool Specialist Tutor, providing support to learners across all school phases and subjects. She brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the development of learning materials and innovative activities. With a meticulous eye for detail, Tanja ensures that foundational concepts are firmly established, while also possessing the ability to create a comprehensive, big-picture view that completes her students’ learning journey.
Elma Dreyer | Educator & Thinking Tools Professional Practitioner
As an educator, Elma is deeply passionate about mathematics and effective learning strategies—a powerful combination for facilitating student success. She believes in empowering learners to excel by encouraging them to figure things out and grasp the underlying mathematical reasoning behind each concept. While Elma is driven by her students’ academic improvement, she places even greater value on the self-confidence they gain as they develop a growth mindset.
Anneke Gouws | Educator & Thinking Tools Professional Practitioner
Anneke firmly believes that learning is about developing and applying skills like mathematical reasoning. She guides her learners to discover math concepts and encourages them to think more deeply. When introducing new topics, Anneke helps her students uncover the “golden thread” by analyzing, evaluating, and synthesizing their prior knowledge with new discoveries. Her gentle approach, which allows learners to learn from their mistakes, instills the courage to take risks and explore new ideas.
Marjoh Hartslief | Educator & Thinking Tools Professional Practitioner
Marjoh’s ability to view situations from multiple perspectives gives her deep insight into how learners perceive learning and problem-solving. She believes that learners should have the opportunity to discover concepts for themselves, using Thinking Tools to analyze and develop a personal understanding while forming neural pathways. Marjoh generously shares her knowledge with other educators and parents, championing the empowerment that self-directed learning brings.
Leandri Kos | Educator & Thinking Tools Professional Practitioner
Leandri Kos passionately fulfills her calling in education, finding the “aha moments” experienced by learners to be the most exciting and enjoyable aspect of her work.
As Margaret Mead wisely noted, “Children must be taught how to think, not what to think.”
Leandri adopts the role of a guide-on-the-side, facilitating deeper understanding and problem-solving within small groups of learners. Leandri’s passion for science and its boundless discoveries fills her with awe for the world we live in, and she strives to ignite this same enthusiasm for science in her students. She champions a philosophy of lifelong learning, emphasizing the importance of understanding over memorization.
For her, figuring out a challenging problem is her idea of fun.
Susan Labuschagne | Educator & Thinking Tools Professional Practitioner
Susan is a strong advocate for understanding the “why” behind learning, a mindset she instills in all her students. She is resilient in her efforts to discover new ways to guide learners in uncovering concepts, always serving as a guide-on-the-side. Susan generously shares her insights and discoveries to enhance the quality of teaching, believing that, “You cannot guide learners through work that you have not unraveled yourself.”
Belinda Pretorius | Educator & Thinking Tools Subject Specialist
By delving into the history of mathematics, Belinda uncovers the foundational principles that form the golden thread of the subject as we know it. She believes that “Mathematics is a language, and we need to teach learners to speak it.” Belinda has demonstrated the importance of rectangles within various mathematical concepts, making these ideas more accessible and enriching learners’ understanding with each enlightening “a-ha” moment.
Wilma Visser | Educator & Thinking Tools Professional Practitioner
As an educator, Wilma firmly believes that the essence of education should revolve around rediscovering and experiencing learning rather than just receiving instruction and explanations.
Wilma encourages students to think beyond conventional boundaries when approaching new topics. She builds the self-confidence of learners through scaffolding, consistently improving results.
She advocates for exponential learning through the freedom to make mistakes and the encouragement of critical thinking techniques that forge new neural pathways beyond what’s written on paper.
Leandra Hale | Resilience advocate & Public speaker
Leandra is the proud mother of Madelein and twins Berno and Jaco. Her journey through trials and challenges is an inspiring story of hope. Each victory, no matter how small, represents a step forward, even in the face of occasional setbacks. As she often says, “It’s not that something is impossible; we just haven’t found the answer yet.” Leandra is passionate about helping others by sharing her story, offering encouragement to everyone involved in each child’s unique journey.
Cindy Hendrico | iKnowThat NeuroDiverse Therapist
With a passion for art and play therapy, applied behavior analysis, and sensory integration therapy, Cindy is an experienced specialist who brings an inclusive approach to her work.
As a skilled speech therapist, Cindy focuses on the development of effective communication skills. She is currently involved in Davis Reading Support and dyslexia therapy to help individuals develop a love for reading and overcome the challenges of dyslexia.