Sheena Satikge

General Info

What will be your most valuable contribution to your TechWomen mentorship?

As a holistically trained expert, I can share my insights and understanding of South Africa's heritage, spatial, social, built and natural environmental landscape and how integrated development planning has been the solution to our developmental approach. I am good at communication, interpersonal skills and multi-sector stakeholder management. I have a great ability to create spaces for integrated multi-stakeholder relations towards the achievement of common objectives towards the development of physical spaces. My most valuable contribution to my TechWomen mentorship is to teach my mentor integrated development planning, spatial development frameworks, spatial planning and land use management development.

The Top Three Things I Would Like to Learn or Experience During my Mentorship

1. Social infrastructure development and management.
2. Spatial coordination, analysis and spatial data management - geographical information systems development.
3. Proposal writing and funding.

Mentorship Characteristic

• Focus on leadership skills building
• Expand on a project that I’m working on in my current role at home
• Identify a short-term project I can work on at the partnering company
• Exposes me to new tools and platforms
• Gets me involved in day-to-day activities of the mentor and partnering company.

Ideal Company Type

I would love to serve in an organization that is developmental and purpose-driven with tangible outputs. I am driven by solutions in spatial transformation, environmental infrastructure protection and management, and or socio-economic development. I also have a passion to guide, mentor and inspire future leaders and change-makers in Africa. I am in the process of acquiring a PhD within my field of study as a means to make me eligible to be both a spatial planning consultant and academic lecturer. My mid-long-term vision is to open a culture and career guidance school, a community center for the youth.

What are three adjectives that best describe you in the work place?

1. Curious
2. Motivated
3. Reliable

What impact will your mentorship have on your career and professional path?

The mentorship will have a huge impact through collaboration and my contribution to a U.S based mentor merging technical skills with my passion for integrated development planning, sustainable environmental planning and community building. My long-term vision is to open a hybrid of a cultural school (expose young people to their country's history, identity and heritage) and a career development center. Young people who better know who they are and their 'life calling' are better aware of their direction in life and contribution to the world. I'd love to mentor young professionals towards the realization of their potential and impact on their choice of study and careers.

After participating in the TechWomen program, how will you leverage your mentorship experience to make an impact in your home country?

The program will further capacitate me to contribute through learning from my mentor; other participants' successful achievements, networking and collaborating with other participants towards ensuring that in my lifetime there is spatial and social sustainability and transformation in my country through research, lecturing and professional technical consultancy. I will utilize tools, sources and mediums throughout the mentorship towards a project that makes a positive environmental, social and spatial impact in my country. Being open to other STEM initiatives, a specific project I would love to initiate is a TechWomen and Girls mentoring and career guidance organization specifically within my sector.

Work History

Years of Full-time Work Experience

12

Primary Professional Focus

• Land site analysis and development of feasibility studies
• Land use development application.
• Technical policy development and implementation guidance

Education History