About

Colleen Constable is a Policy & Institutional Transformational Consultant. She holds two masters degrees: a MPA from Harvard University where she studied as a Mason Fellow in Public Policy at the Kennedy School of Government and a MPA (governance orientated) from Stellenbosch University. She received the highest academic achievement certificate award in Leadership and Change Management, Governance and Sustainable Development from the University of Stellenbosch.

She studied leadership, governance and public policy under the world’s finest minds in the field: professors Ronald Heifetz, Erwin Schwella, Fanie Cloete, Dianne Rosenfeld and Anthony Braga. Her passion towards the policy sciences developed during her studies at the University of Stellenbosch.

During a lecture on complexity theory presented by Prof Fanie Cloete, she had her Aha! moment and became deeply inspired by the policy sciences, theories and the cross-cutting mechanism that the policy environment offers. This fascination prompted her to explore further studies in policy analysis frameworks. Her studies at Harvard University offered the opportunity to explore public policy frameworks within various categories and disciplines.

The combination of a national and international study experience broadened her perspectives on effective public policy theories, methodologies, governance concepts and leadership approaches. This knowledge base becomes a useful strategy to contribute to the policy and governance environment and facilitate institutional sustainability to achieve sustainable transformation.

Colleen also participated in an international programme in Poland, hosted by the Copenhagen Business School, titled “The Challenge of Change: Public Management and Public Governance in managerial perspective.”

She speaks English, Afrikaans and Xhosa. She has more than 20 years experience of complex organisations with 15 years thereof dedicated to the management echelon of such organisations. This brought exposure towards organisational management, organisational development, change management, performance monitoring, strategy and policy, integration and co-ordination, stakeholder and partnership engagement, inter-governmental relations, service delivery mechanisms and civil society networking. She also participated in visiting delegations to Belgium, USA and China as part of senior management teams on a comparative study of international organisational best practices and strategies.

She integrates Governance and Leadership frameworks as a unique combination to assist clients to achieve institutional sustainability and improve service excellence. The focus on innovative approaches and a progressive diagnostic process towards public policy issues and adaptive challenges are drawn from local and international study experiences. It provides for a fresh perspective towards organisational renewal and institutional sustainability and encourages a culture of high performance organisations and professional employees.

She aims to support clients’ specific needs and requirements through a unique customized policy solution, instead of a “one-size fits all approach”.

Other Focus Areas

Colleen also specialises in criminal justice policy. Her experience in applied criminology, strategy, policy and legislative implementation, organisational development and management of complex organisations, stakeholder management, civil society partnerships and collaboration, combined with knowledge in public policy and public administration is an advantage and direct benefit for criminal justice policy clients. Areas of interest includes (but is not limited to) research, policy, strategy, evaluation, problem-solving, campaigns, partnerships and violence prevention.

• She studied Strategic management for regulatory enforcement agencies. It is an approach to strategic management that acknowledges the uniqueness of complex, regulatory and enforcement organisations. Sustainability is achieved through strategic frameworks that are effective in the use of authority, compliance, risk mitigation and reforms.

• She also studied Civil society and development, a strategic framework to strengthen the governance relationship between civil society and government in public policy interventions, social change and development.    

• Her studies in Crime, Community and Public Policy explored various concepts and the structural issues of the criminal justice system from the perspective of the community. Study topics included Communities and Crime, Social Ecology of Crime; Race, Inequality and Crime in the City; Disorder & the Physical Environment of Neighbourhoods; Crime Controls in Communities; Families and Crime; Schools and Crime; Underground Economies; Immigration and Crime in Neighbourhoods; Street culture and Violence in Neighbourhoods; The Negative Effect of Incarceration on Communities; Securing Productive Community Partnerships.

• She studied Gender Violence, Law and Social Justice, a broad framework that integrates various perspectives and theories to facilitate an in-depth understanding of gender-motivated violence, the effectiveness of legal strategies, constitutional implications and eradication of gender-based violence.

• Her studies in Law, morality and public policy explored constitutional and philosophical frameworks as a tool of analysis to achieve sustainable decision-making on complex public policy issues.

• Papers written:
  • “Community Policing: The integration of the Somali Refugee Community in South Africa” aimed at policy options to end violence against foreigners.
  • “Women-Women Alliance as a precursor to end ‘Patriarchal Violence’ in South Africa”.
  • “A Policy Analysis on the South African Challenge: Should Prostitution be legalised?”

Security Companies

Colleen also consults within the security industry and offers security companies a perfect combination of governance, policy and change management approaches that will enhance their co-ordination and integration processes towards legal compliance within specific aspects of their administration.

Associates

To exceed clients’ expectations, projects are delivered in co-operation with experts in specific fields. Colleen’s associates are:

• Robert Payne, Lode Star Strategy Consulting, a company with BBBEE status. Robert is a lead expert on IT governance, performance management, business leadership and strategy consulting. He has more than 20 years consulting experience. Lode Star Strategy Consulting has a client base in Africa and overseas. For more information visit www.lode-star.co.za
• Frances de Klerk is a psychologist, a lecturer and entrepreneur. Frances is an expert in psychology. She served as a psychologist in the public sector for 15 years and has 17 years experience as a psychologist in private practice. She is highly qualified and holds various degrees within the fields of Industrial & organisational psychology, Psychology, Psychopathology, Journalism & Public Relations etc. Her skills and expertise includes Forensic Psychology, Organisational Development, Leadership Development, RPL Assessments, Research, Training & Development, Skills Assessments, and Employee Wellness & EAP etc. Read her profile on www.linkedin.com
• Calvin Isaacs, an expert with broad experience in management consulting and governance. Read his profile on www.linkedin.com

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