Conquest For Life’s Board of Directors comprises of directors elected from and by ordinary members of the community, up to two co-opted members, as required, on terms; and an elected non-voting staff representative, i.e. the CEO. The Board elects its Chair, Deputy Chair and Treasurer.

Role
The Board meets quarterly and is responsible setting the strategic direction and determining the broad philosophy of how our organization functions. It also ensures we comply with relevant standards and provides accountability to our stakeholders.

The Board has representatives leading committees which focus on particular issues. That is Audit, monitoring & evaluation, Community Reference Committee and Finance.

Elections
Each elected Board member sits for a four-year term with elections of half the Board taking place every two years.

Glen Steyn is an Ashoka Fellow and an Award-Winning Social Entrepreneur who comes from the “United States of Westbury”. He finished his matric in 1987 and began a career in banking in 1988. He also started a local church youth group that sought out ways to help the community through volunteer projects. After a few years, frustrated by the lack of opportunity in banking, he resigned to study theology for two years at Rhema Bible College in Randburg.

He co-founded a ministry and helped start the New Claremont Development Forum and Community Police Forum. Glen also completed a certificate in Community Leadership and paralegals at the Univesity of Johannesburg (RAU).

In 1993, Glen’s brother was killed by his friends, members of his own gang. At the same time, just before South Africa’s democratic elections, the nation’s “coloured” neighbourhoods were largely disenfranchised from the changes in the country and were becoming hotbeds of both activism and violence. Glen wanted to take his community-based work to another level. Because Westbury was already so divided, he had a notion to start an organisation that would reflect the needs of the whole community. But in his early efforts, he encountered a lot of resistance in the “coloured” community itself.

“We talk about racism and division, and amongst coloured people even today we have that problem,” he said. “It’s based on the colour of your skin: is it light or is it dark? The colour of your hair; the colour of your eyes; where you stay; the way you speak.” In the immediate wake of 1994 elections, Glen also found that the “coloured” community was so disenfranchised that political controversy – not community improvement – took centre stage. Some civic leaders had pledged allegiance to the African National Congress during the struggle against apartheid, and were promised councillor positions and other authority in the event of democracy.

Glen was frustrated by the politics and disheartened by efforts to create change. By this time, Glen had left school to work full-time in sales for Clover SA, a national dairy and food distributor. In his free time, Glen was an administrator at a local church and hoped that his church could make a small difference to stop violence in his community. Conquest For Life was born out of the will and passion of seeing a social change of Glen Steyn and his friends. Glen and Conquest For Life won various awards including the first award from GIBS – Social Entrepreneur on the Brink 2006, Mail & Guardian Award for Investing in the future. He appeared in several newspapers, magazines and television programes on SABC, E-TV and MNET.

I was born on the 26th of April, 1964 in a township know as Western Johannesburg. My early childhood was plagued with all kinds of challenges as I lost my mom at the age of 2years old and my dad remarried shortly thereafter. Due to the fact that my stepmom had kids of her own, my siblings and I were not her priority. This lead to a very unstable situation for us, being pushed from pillar to post.

I eventually ended up in Noordgesig with an aunt and uncle who were devout followers of Christ. Here I was first introduced to God and my life changed forever. I later moved to Bosmont to live with another relative who brought even more stability in my upbringing. I attended three different primary schools during my formative primary school years namely Dowling primary, Nordgesig primary and eventually Bosmont primary. Moving on to CJB Senior Secondary where I started my High school career.

I left CJB senior secondary after three years and moved to Klerksdorp where I completed my matric. During my matric year (1983) I got involved with our school's evangelistic team. I was also very active at my local church (AFM) which afforded me the opportunity to preach as well as doing outreaches. I returned to Johannesburg in 1984 and started working three months later. I got involved in ministry almost immediately. In 1988 I enrolled at Rhema Bible training centre for more formal preparation and the following year enrolled at the School of Psalmody.

My name is Deslynn Marr, father, husband, businessman and Entrepreneur. born in Pretoria at a time when apartheid was at its peak and from a below-average family. I then moved to Eldorado Park in the late seventies where I then started primary school. in the early eighties, we moved to Riverlea and hence started my high school career. as I moved on from high school I started my first job at Standard Bank and from the onset, I was dedicated to my job and committed to doing it well. this set precedence in all that I do in life. I give 110% where I can. I have been in businesses that failed, learned from the experience and now I am in a business that will only succeed. I am a go-getter, risk-taker, leader and always committed. I have a passion for helping others where I can and sometimes I fall prey to the saying you can't please all the people all of the time. in a nutshell, I am focused and always ready for the tasks at hand.

Geraldine was an ex-participant of Conquest For Life Youth At Risk Camps from Toekomsrus. She completed the program and started to volunteer her service at Conquest. She was than employed for a couple of years as a youth worker and showed commitment and dedication towards her work. She left Conquest For Life and started working at the Toekomsrus Department of Social Development. After a few years, she began working at the Provincial Office of The Department of Safety and Liaison in Gauteng. During her work, she completed her studies as a Social worker and at the same time perusing her own successful business in Catering and decorating. She brings to the board her skill as an employer and participant of conquest For Life.

Having commenced his primary schooling in Riverlea at Wilhelmina Primary School, Dorian went on to complete his high schooling at Riverlea Senior Secondary where he matriculated in 1994. Dorian started his career in the banking sector directly after his schooling with the then Boland Bank and progressed in the ranks having held various positions at various banks including Peoples Bank and Nedbank. In 2006 after a successful career, Dorian left the banking sector to pursue business interest and simultaneously worked in other organisations using his experience gained in the banking sector. In addition to this and always having had a passion for people and law enforcement, Dorian has for the past (insert years) volunteered with SAPS as a reservist and has been assisting SAPS and the community in fighting crime. Currently, Dorian continues to conduct his business interests and holds a permanent position with the SAPS.

Thembeka Dorothy Tladi is a 30 year old female born in Johannesburg but the home town is KwaZulu Natal in Nkandla. She started her primary in KZN and her Secondary in Orange farms, she matriculated in 2008 and she joined Conquest for life with no Qualifications and experience she was a volunteer in 2012 and she was very greatful for opportunity and Thembeka learnt everyday, every minute it wasn’t easy but she pushed through. It was not long after she was promoted to be a branch manager after 6 months. Then an opportunity of going to study Social auxiliary work was introduced as she always wanted to be a social worker but she didn’t have direction this was a good opportunity for to study. Thembeka graduated in 2014 she was the only one who graduated in the group of referred staff of Conquest for Life. She joined the Reathusana  Prison programme she was doing life skills and anger management with Juvenile in awaiting trial and sentenced and  also worked with adults sentenced. She resigned at Conquest for life 2016 as she felt she was to comfortable and wanted growth and she joined SANCA to learn more about substance abuse she was appointed as the programme coordinator for Kemoja Program and obtained an award of best coordinator of the region 2018/2019

She is now working for the African Youth Development Fund ( AYDF) as an intern she is working part time and she is a regional coordinator for Sedibeng region. Thembeka is still hungry for knowledge and want to explore more in the field willing to learn and apply herself to change and development.  Thembeka is an agent of change.

Oscar is a passionate Teacher by profession since he left school in 1989. He completed a number of various courses to empower himself and his community. He has been a community activist rom his school days and always wanted the best for his community. He received a number of awards which includes : Awarded Honorary Citizenship in 1989 for Alexandria Virginia United States of America, Appointed to name change committee for the West Rand, Gauteng District by the MEC for Development Planning AND Local Government. Appointed to the Gauteng Provincial Examinations and Assessment board by the MEC for Education in 2000. He established the Stakeholder Relations and Liaison Department at the City of Johannesburg, City Parks in 2002. He successfully hosted the commemoration of the Enoch Sontonga Memorial in 2007. He was also awarded certificates of appreciation for Stakeholder Relations Management and best Public Participation by the City of Johannesburg in 2003 – 2005.

During the start of the COVID 19 Epidemic and the Lockdown, he was very involved in mobilizing the community and ensure that the hungry and vulnerable received a warm plate of food on a daily basis. He and the committee fed over 100 000 meals during this time.

NTOMBI is a qualified and practicing attorney at Law since 2020. She is currently employed at the City of Johannesburg as an Employer Relations Specialist and is very passionate about her job. In 2005 she completed a business certificate and has since done quite a bit to improve herself and her relations. She worked at the City of Johannesburg Parks and Zoo as a Parks Ranger, Marketing Assistant and has always endeavoured to do her best. She is currently assisting Conquest For Life with legal advice