Annelene is driven by a lifelong passion for social impact, and her global journey has now brought her to the Hampton Roads area. Her extensive background in community advocacy and outreach includes serving as the Associate Director of Admissions for the African Leadership Academy, leading regional recruitment, streamlining multi-country operations, and specializing in building strategic relationships and community partnerships to expand regional engagement across Southern Africa.
Most recently, she spent over a decade in the Middle East education sector at Prince Mohammed University in Saudi Arabia as an ESL Instructor and Program Level Coordinator. In this dual role, she was engaged in program support and logistics, coordinated and mentored instructional teams, and managed curriculum alignment while utilizing data-driven strategies to optimize student outcomes and implement high-impact educational and community support initiatives.
Annelene holds a Bachelor’s degree in International Studies with a concentration in Development and a minor in Economics from Colby College and a Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) from the Project Management Institute.
Originally from Cape Town, South Africa, Annelene now resides in Virginia with her husband Theo, who has served on active duty in the U.S. Navy for 24 years. She loves exploring new destinations, discovering great food, reading, and catching live music—especially jazz.
