Tessa Dooms is a Director at the Rivonia Circle. The Rivonia Circle is a political think-tank that works to unlock the political agency of communities, using their power to act to create a better future through direct action, civics and electoral politics. Trained as a Sociologist, development practitioner and political analyst, Tessa started her career in academia. She has worked in diverse sectors including government, NGOs and the private sector, where she did work that aligns the objectives of various institutions and programmes with developmental objectives for the advancement of Africa. She has 15 years’ experience as a development worker, trainer and researcher with expertise on governance, youth development and innovation, and has worked in over 10 African countries. In 2015 she was appointed to the National Planning Commission to advise the President on the implementation of the National Development Plan of South Africa. Tessa is a Trustee of the Kagiso Trust. She holds a Masters of Arts from the University of the Witwatersrand.