The Skills You Can’t Build Alone, with Gillian Anderson and SAYes Mentoring
The founders of SAYes mentoring, Michelle Potter and Gillian Anderson, discuss the impact of their organisation, mentoring under-served young people around the world.
Speakers
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Michelle PotterCo-founder and Executive DirectorMichelle Potter
Co-founder and Executive Director
Michelle Potter is the Co-Founder and Executive Director of SAYes Mentoring. While working as a football coach in Cape Town, Michelle witnessed first-hand the gap that existed when consistent, structured support was absent. She returned to the UK to study Education with Human Rights and Philosophy at the University of Roehampton, graduating with a BA (Hons) in 2007. Her dissertation on children in care in South Africa and the UK was awarded the Froebel Guild Award in 2008, the same year she moved to Cape Town and founded SAYes. In 2024, Michelle received the Chancellor’s Alumni Award for Innovation and Inspiration from the University of Roehampton for the work she has achieved with SAYes.
Michelle continues leading the organisation, dividing her time between the UK and South Africa and remains a passionate advocate for structured mentorship, youth development and social change. -
Gillian AndersonAward-winning Actress, Author, Entrepreneur and Co-Founder of SAYes MentoringGillian Anderson
Award-winning Actress, Author, Entrepreneur and Co-Founder of SAYes Mentoring
Gillian Anderson is an award-winning actress, author, entrepreneur, and advocate whose celebrated career spans film, television, and stage. Best known for her iconic roles in The X-Files, The Crown, and Sex Education, she is also the founder of G Ology. Alongside her creative and entrepreneurial work, Gillian has dedicated herself to championing young people, mental health, and women’s empowerment.
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Trey LokasoMentee, SAYes MentoringTrey Lokaso
Mentee, SAYes Mentoring
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Zizipho QulubaMentee, SAYes MentoringZizipho Quluba
Mentee, SAYes Mentoring
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Khanyi MdhluliBoard Trustee and MentorKhanyi Mdhluli
Board Trustee and Mentor
Khanyi Mdhluli is a Business and Management Consulting Executive with more than 20 years of experience in business and people transformation, strategic programme design and execution, and operational optimisation. As an Associate Director at Deloitte, she led transformational technology led change projects. She has also held strategic consulting roles at McKinsey & Company and Resolve Group (now EY Advisory). At Duke Corporate Education she was Projects Director, leading customised youth and leadership development programmes.
Khanyi is a strong advocate for youth development and social change in Africa. Since 2016 she has been a business mentor and leadership coach at Nka'Thuto Edu Propeller. There she has guided more than 1,000 young people from previously disadvantaged communities through science, innovation and entrepreneurship programmes.
She currently serves SAYes Mentoring as a Board Trustee and Mentor, where she provides mentorship to young mentees and also works with the leadership team strategic oversight, governance and expertise in board governance, leadership development and social sector programmes.
She is also a non-Executive Director at ForAfrica to Thrive in South Africa.She co-founded Let's Konnect and appears on it regularly as a panellist. For five years, this free-to-air webinar series has brought together three African women leaders to share practical advice on careers, leadership and entrepreneurship.
Khanyi holds an MBA and a BSc in Genetics from Wits University. She has completed the Executive Development Programme at Duke University's Fuqua School of Business and is a certified PRINCE2 Project Management Practitioner.