Susanna Behrendt is the Chief Executive Officer of Penreach, a leading South African education NGO dedicated to enhancing the quality of teaching and learning across the education continuum, from early childhood development to secondary schooling. With over a decade of experience in education leadership, she has been instrumental in positioning Penreach as a key partner to government and philanthropy in achieving systemic impact through locally grounded, evidence-based programmes.

She holds a Master's Degree in Education from the University of Johannesburg and an Honours Degree in Information Science from the University of Pretoria. Her research on the feasibility of mobile learning in Early Childhood Development (ECD) has been published in an accredited academic journal, reflecting her ongoing commitment to innovation and research-led practice in the education sector. Susanna's leadership is characterised by strategic foresight, collaborative partnership-building, and a deep belief in trust-based philanthropy as a driver of sustainable change. She continues to champion data-driven decision-making, leadership development, and system-strengthening approaches to transform educational outcomes in South Africa.