Weaving women’s development into the DNA of the organisation

IgniteHer is led by Donna Rachelson and Inge Walters, who have climbed the corporate ladder and thrived in male-dominated environments. Through their combination of business savviness, workplace experience and entrepreneurial thinking, they have successfully advanced the careers of thousands of women.

IgniteHer About Us

Our Story

IgniteHer was created when two people at opposite ends of the country, who had never met but had a shared passion for the advancement of women in the workplace, were asked by a leading financial institution to work together to develop & deliver a holistic women’s development program that would shift the dial for their women.

Originally both parties had pitched to develop the program separately, but the company saw something in both proposals and, recognizing the power of partnerships, brought the two women together and that’s when magic happened and IgniteHer was born

“1000 women later, here we stand – humbled by the way our programme has been embraced; inspired by the powerful, talented women we’ve had the honour of engaging with; and more committed, driven and determined than ever to ignite a women’s development movement across S.A.” 

Donna & Inge

Meet the Team

inge walters

Inge Walters

Founder

Combining her strong business background and deep understanding of people, Inge works with leaders on integrating self-insights, future foresight and system awareness.

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Donna Rachelson

Founder

Donna is a driven entrepreneur with a passion for helping corporate go-getters, women and graduates make their mark.

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Monita O’Ryan

Monita O’Ryan

Monita is committed to partnering with individuals and organisations through coaching and facilitation processes.

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Ayesha Ebrahim

Ayesha Ebrahim

Ayesha strives to enable beneficial change and facilitate the positive transformation of people and systems that stems from big-picture understanding and the appreciation of multiple perspectives. 

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IgniteHer

Our Manifesto

We believe in walking the journey with each woman – we’re in this for the long haul – staying connected to individual journeys beyond the programme

We believe in the business case for women in leadership

We believe in the extraordinary capabilities of women

Why IgniteHer

Compact

Maximum impact with the least amount of scheduled time

Personalised

Each participant identifies their priority action areas

Flexible, but guided

Group sessions are scheduled in participants’ own time with feedback requirements and tight programme coordination

Collaborative

Because learning from other women is a core way in which adults, and particularly women, learn

Accountable

We believe we see the greatest results when individuals are held personally accountable for their actions and efforts

Inclusive

We know the development of women cannot happen in isolation – that’s why men are integrated into the conversation

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Inge Walters

Founder

Combining her strong business background and deep understanding of people, Inge works with leaders on integrating self-insights, future foresight and system awareness.

Her expertise lies in women leadership development and she is a firm believer in the business case for having more women in leadership positions and deeply understands the internal and external barriers women face in business.

Inge started her career in strategy consulting with McKinsey & Company, followed by working in organisational development and investment banking. She later returned to McKinsey & Company focusing on women’s leadership development.

In 2015, Inge started her own business as an independent leadership practitioner. Her clients include RMB, Energy Partners, McKinsey&Company, Discovery Vitality, KPMG and CFO SA. Inge holds a BComm Honours degree (cum laude) in Financial Accounting from the University of Stellenbosch. She is an ICF accredited coach (ACC level), Newfield graduate (ontological coaching) and accredited with Integrative Enneagram Solutions.

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Donna Rachelson

Founder

Donna is a driven entrepreneur with a passion for helping corporate go-getters, women and entrepreneurs make their mark.

She is an active advocate for diversity and firmly believes in the power of inclusion. She drives her agenda through the books she has written, talks, contributing to media and lobbying the ecosystem for change.

Her superpower lies in her ability to inspire lasting mindset shifts and impart tangible, practical advice. She is involved in a spectrum of businesses and initiatives that reflect her talent and passion.

Having held a number of marketing director positions in organisations including Nando’s and the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants as well as marketing management positions at Standard Bank and AECI, she believes she can brand & market anything from chicken to explosives and chartered accountants.

She has a fascination for personal and team branding and its impact on business growth. Donna founded Branding & Marketing YOU – a business focused on helping organisations build their brands from their most important assets – their ‘people’. She has spoken to and trained many people across more than 20 blue chip clients, including Standard Bank, Discovery, Nedbank, Microsoft, Deloitte, Hogan Lovells and ABInBev.

Donna is an active shareholder in Seed Engine (incorporating Seed Academy and the WDB Growth Fund) and spearheaded the creation of Seed Engine’s AccelerateHer® Programme – a bespoke, fully funded, three-month business accelerator for women entrepreneurs.

Donna is the author of four books, two of which are best sellers: Branding & Marketing YOU and Play to Win: What Women Can Learn from Men in Business, and has a solid business education, including an MBA; is a guest lecturer at GIBS on the Womens’ Development Programmes and has lectured at Yale on the YALI programme. In 2018, Donna was awarded CEO Magazine Business Woman of the Year winner and identified by Entrepreneur Magazine as one of SA’s Top 50 business women to watch.

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Monita O’Ryan

Monita is committed to partnering with individuals and organisations through coaching and facilitation processes, to help them access more of their inherent potential and construct and refine operating models that support greater personal effectiveness, contributing to more dynamic teams, driving impact throughout their organisations. She is particularly passionate about working with women on all levels, in various organisations as they bring their unique touch to the ever changing landscape of the business world, leaving an indelible mark as we strive to put write the imbalance that is our reality.

Monita’s experience in Personal, Team and Leadership Development, spans more than 25 years. She has worked throughout South Africa, multiple countries on the African continent, Europe, The United Kingdom and the United States of America, supporting the development of individuals and organisations who embark on learning journeys that open up possibilities and maximise impact.

Monita started a Coaching Consultancy in 2006, which has served as a vehicle for leadership, personal and professional development of individuals and teams in corporations, small businesses, NGO’s, schools and many other organisations.

Monita holds an Honours Degree in Clinical Psychology, a Diploma in Practitioner Coaching and is currently studying towards a Masters Degree in Coaching and Mentoring through the University of Wales. She is a Licensed Insights Discovery Practitioner and a Certified 5 Lens Enneagram Practitioner. She is also a member of the Western Cape Chapter of COMENSA.

In all her work, Monita aims to ensure her clients are ‘truly seen’, while holding up a mirror that reflects their uniqueness and opportunities for excellence and impact.

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Ayesha Ebrahim

Ayesha strives to enable beneficial change and facilitate the positive transformation of people and systems that stems from big-picture understanding and the appreciation of multiple perspectives. 

Her management consulting and coaching skills work to build adaptability and to expose the value inherent in individuals and teams. Aligning values, clarifying intentions and having perspective are key for great relationships and execution.

Ayesha is driven to impact the conversation of diversity in Leadership.

Her career has spanned People, Process and Technology in the private and public sectors in management consulting, business architecture, entrepreneurship, programme/product/account management and coaching roles and she has experience in FMCG retail, finance, oil & gas, utilities, food & beverage, organisational development, asset management, advertising, and civil government arenas. As a result, she has deep and broad insight into the challenges that organisations and their people face on a practical level. 

Ayesha is a specialist Enneagram coach with extensive experience in using the Enneagram with clients and for her personal growth. She studied a B Comm (Economics and Private Law) at the University of Cape Town, and remains curious, attending workshops and courses in her many areas of interest.

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