Louise is a long-standing and loyal member of BirdLife South Africa and BirdLife Free State, and she has been involved with bird club activities for many years, including in various leadership roles. She is the current Chairperson of BirdLife Free State, and editor of the bird club’s newsletter, Sakabula. Louise is an Acarologist and obtained a PhD in zoology from the University of the Free State in 2015. She is a very good communicator and has excellent organisational skills, and her diverse skill set would help advance BirdLife South Africa’s presence in the central region of our country.