Meet the Team

BRIANA EVIGAN
Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Briana is a storyteller, actress, and humanitarian whose creative journey has evolved from Hollywood to the heart of Africa. Best known for her role as Andie West in the Step Up franchise, she built an international career with Netflix, Lionsgate, Disney, and the Rodriguez Tarantino team before dedicating her life to social and environmental impact.

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STUART NEWTON
Co-Founder and Chief Financial Officer

Stuart is a strategic relationship builder and growth leader with nearly 40 years of experience across industries, including technology, consulting, and executive leadership. At Abundant Village, his focus is on forging partnerships, scaling regenerative models, and expanding revenue systems that ensure long-term sustainability for projects and communities.

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DAMIEN MANDER
Executive Director USA

Damien, an Australian former special operations sniper and combat veteran, is the Executive Director of Abundant Village. He brings more than twenty-five years of experience in global philanthropy, operations and community-driven initiatives. Over the past sixteen years he has lived and worked across Africa, helping to raise US$60M+ to support wildlife protection, habitat restoration, and social-impact programs. 

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ALBERTUS LOUW
Regional Director (Africa) and Global Impact Strategist

Albertus is a strategist, storyteller, and community development specialist whose work bridges creativity and impact across cultures and continents. His focus at Abundant Village is on listening, dialogue, and designing scalable solutions that grow directly from community priorities, ensuring that every initiative is both relevant and transformative.

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PHIVO ARTEMIDES
Regenerative Agriculture and Enterprise Advisor

Phivo is a regenerative agriculture strategist and social innovator focused on building sustainable value chains that link people, nature, and economies. At Abundant Village, his work centers on strengthening community-led agricultural systems and developing partnerships that drive meaningful, lasting impact across rural landscapes.

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SHARNÉ BLOEM
Sustainable Building and Design Specialist

Sharné Bloem is an award-winning architect and design builder dedicated to creating sustainable, innovative spaces that positively impact both people and the planet. At Abundant Village, her focus is on designing regenerative infrastructure that strengthens community resilience while reducing environmental impact through renewable materials and energy-efficient construction.

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BONGANI BALOYI
Indigenous Knowledge and Youth Programming Lead

Bongani is a cultural educator, youth mentor, and systems thinker dedicated to preserving indigenous knowledge and empowering the next generation through environmental education. At Abundant Village, he leads youth and community programs that weave together traditional wisdom, ecology, and leadership development, ensuring that conservation remains rooted in local identity and intergenerational learning.

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Igor Potgieter
Director of Communication

Igor is a storyteller whose work bridges filmmaking and regenerative development. With deep experience in conservation and field-based filmmaking, he captures human connection and the quiet resilience of nature through his lens. His immersive and emotional style transforms complex environmental stories into art that inspires empathy and reflection.

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ANELIA LOUW
Culture and Creative Program Coordinator

Anelia is a creative facilitator and community builder passionate about bridging art, wellness, music and environmental awareness. 

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BRIANA EVIGAN - Co-Founder and Chief Executive Officer

Briana is a storyteller, actress, and humanitarian whose creative journey has evolved from Hollywood to the heart of Africa. Best known for her role as Andie West in the Step Up franchise, she built an international career with Netflix, Lionsgate, Disney, and the Rodriguez Tarantino team before dedicating her life to social and environmental impact.

 

As Co-Founder and CEO of Abundant Village, Briana leads a global nonprofit rooted in Southern Africa that redefines conservation by starting with people. Her vision connects art, humanity, and the wild, showing that when communities are nourished, educated, and empowered, nature restores itself. Under her leadership, Abundant Village builds regenerative gardens, wellness centers, and creative hubs that link human wellbeing with ecosystem protection.

 

Through her production company, MoveMe Studio, Briana produces films and campaigns that inspire empathy, action, and awareness. Her documentary MoveMe South Africa earned her the title of Best Woman Filmmaker at the Vegas Movie Awards and continues to inspire global audiences.

STUART NEWTON - Co-Founder and Chief Financial Officer

Stuart is a strategic relationship builder and growth leader with nearly 40 years of experience across industries, including technology, consulting, and executive leadership. At Abundant Village, his focus is on forging partnerships, scaling regenerative models, and expanding revenue systems that ensure long-term sustainability for projects and communities.

 

He thrives on creating connections that drive meaningful change, building on his extensive global network to support Abundant Village’s mission of regenerating lives, livelihoods, and ecosystems. Stuart is passionate about solving complex social challenges and inspiring happiness in others.

Before dedicating his work to Abundant Village, Stuart served as National Business Development Leader for Deloitte’s Blockchain practice and co-founded the firm’s Wine Practice. His transition into the non-profit space reflects a lifelong commitment to purpose-driven collaboration and the belief that strong partnerships can create lasting global impact.

DAMIEN MANDER - Executive Director USA, Abundant Village

Damien, an Australian former special operations sniper and combat veteran, is the Executive Director of Abundant Village. He brings more than twenty-five years of experience in global philanthropy, operations and community-driven initiatives. Over the past sixteen years he has lived and worked across Africa, helping to raise US$60M+ to support wildlife protection, habitat restoration, and social-impact programs.  

 

Damien imagined and built the 900 strong army of Akashinga into one of the most recognized and pioneering conservation models in the world, championing women’s leadership and community stewardship of nature. Guided by an unwavering love for all animals, on land and in the sea, his work bridges human empowerment with environmental resilience. Now helping to lead Abundant Village, Damien is taking the lessons learned in Africa to a global scale, advancing a lifelong commitment to building a better world for animals, nature, and the people who live alongside these extraordinary ecosystems.



ALBERTUS LOUW - Regional Director (Africa) and Global Impact Strategist

Albertus is a strategist, storyteller, and community development specialist whose work bridges creativity and impact across cultures and continents. His focus at Abundant Village is on listening, dialogue, and designing scalable solutions that grow directly from community priorities, ensuring that every initiative is both relevant and transformative.

 

Driven by a passion for people, culture, and regeneration, Albertus is inspired by the ways humans can live in harmony with one another and the natural world. His approach combines systems thinking, empathy, and creativity to help communities uncover their own pathways to resilience and prosperity.

 

Before joining Abundant Village, Albertus worked extensively in disaster and conflict zones, from war-affected regions in Africa and the Middle East to post-tsunami and earthquake recovery in Turkey and Indonesia. As a filmmaker, he continues to explore stories of human connection and ecological balance, using storytelling as a tool for healing, learning, and change.

PHIVO ARTEMIDES - Regenerative Agriculture and Enterprise Advisor

Phivo is a regenerative agriculture strategist and social innovator focused on building sustainable value chains that link people, nature, and economies. At Abundant Village, his work centers on strengthening community-led agricultural systems and developing partnerships that drive meaningful, lasting impact across rural landscapes.

 

Guided by a deep respect for nature, Phivo explores the intersection between ecosystem health and human wellbeing. His approach brings a nature-positive mindset to economic development, fostering resilience through community-driven solutions that benefit both people and the planet.

 

With extensive experience in the industrial hemp and bio-based industries, Phivo helped pioneer South Africa’s hemp value chain and co-created the country’s first hemp-focused educational module. His work with honeybees, hemp, and humans reflects his commitment to creating regenerative industries that move away from resource-intensive systems and toward a circular, sustainable future.

SHARNÉ BLOEM - Sustainable Building and Design Specialist

Sharné Bloem is an award-winning architect and design builder dedicated to creating sustainable, innovative spaces that positively impact both people and the planet. At Abundant Village, her focus is on designing regenerative infrastructure that strengthens community resilience while reducing environmental impact through renewable materials and energy-efficient construction.

 

Her work is driven by a love for hempcrete and modular design, as well as a fascination with how culture, travel, and sustainability intersect. Drawing inspiration from global architecture and natural materials, Sharné designs spaces that harmonize with their surroundings and reflect the diversity of the communities they serve.

 

Over her career, Sharné has won multiple international net-zero carbon design-build competitions and led projects using materials such as hempcrete, bamboo, adobe, mass timber, and light steel. Her portfolio ranges from urban renovations to innovative modular builds, including igloos constructed in Lappland’s Arctic winters, demonstrating her creativity, adaptability, and commitment to regenerative design.

BONGANI BALOYI - Indigenous Knowledge and Youth Programming Lead

Bongani is a cultural educator, youth mentor, and systems thinker dedicated to preserving indigenous knowledge and empowering the next generation through environmental education. At Abundant Village, he leads youth and community programs that weave together traditional wisdom, ecology, and leadership development, ensuring that conservation remains rooted in local identity and intergenerational learning.

 

Bongani’s approach combines storytelling, mentorship, and biocultural awareness to inspire young people to see themselves as stewards of both culture and land. As a core facilitator of the EcoClub and after-school programs, he has helped shape curricula that blend permaculture, wellness, and cultural pride into engaging, practical learning experiences.

 

Respected across the Shangaan community, Bongani acts as a bridge between elders and youth, guiding dialogue and collaboration that strengthen community resilience. His work ensures that every Abundant Village project remains grounded in tradition, inclusion, and the shared responsibility to care for the Earth.

Igor Potgieter - Director of Communication

Igor is a storyteller whose work bridges filmmaking and regenerative development. With deep experience in conservation and field-based filmmaking, he captures human connection and the quiet resilience of nature through his lens. His immersive and emotional style transforms complex environmental stories into art that inspires empathy and reflection.

At Abundant Village, Igor shapes the organisation’s creative identity and communication strategy. Beyond documenting impact, he has helped build and refine the first Abundant Village prototype in South Africa, a living model that integrates education, health, and livelihoods into a regenerative community system. Working with local teams, artisans, and leaders, he continues to strengthen the frameworks guiding Abundant Village’s growing footprint across Africa.

Through his lens, Igor reveals the humanity behind the work, capturing the spirit of the people and landscapes that define the future of conservation and regeneration.

ANELIA LOUW - Culture and Creative Program Coordinator

Anelia is a creative facilitator and community builder passionate about bridging art, wellness, music and environmental awareness. At Abundant Village, her work brings together youth engagement, creative design, and experiential learning to inspire connection, expression, and sustainable growth within communities. Guided by her love for performance, nature, and human connection, she helps weave creativity and mindfulness into every initiative, nurturing spaces where people and purpose thrive together.