Judy Bekker
Facilitator, Mentor, Mother & Writer
Co-founding Renaissance Business Associates in 1985, Judy pioneered leadership and facilitation programs that blended African traditions, modern practices, and rites of passage. RBA’s work shaped thousands of lives across South Africa and internationally, laying the foundations for the transformational work she continues today.
Foundations & Legacy
Judy's professional journey took root in the 1970s as a journalist in South Africa. In 1985, she co-founded, alongside Valerie Morris, Renaissance Business Associates (RBA), a pioneering organization dedicated to experiential learning, leadership development, and transformation. For nearly three decades, RBA worked across corporate, nonprofit, and community sectors in Southern Africa and abroad.
Signature Programs
RBA was best known for its interactive, holistic approach that included:
- Leadership and relationship development
- Open Space Technology (OST)
- Women's circles and rites of passage
- Conflict resolution and diversity facilitation
- The 11-day Vision Quest wilderness fast, introduced in South Africa by Judy in 1993
- Storytelling, dialogue, and creative expression woven into all programs
Reach & Impact
The organization's work extended beyond South Africa to Australia, England, Holland, Egypt, Slovakia, and the USA. RBA's programmmes integrated African traditions, contemporary facilitation, and personal mastery practices, leaving a lasting impact on leaders, educators, and communities.
"By bringing the ancient into modern spaces, we learned that transformation is lived."
Legacy in Judy's Work Today
The insights, practices, and global reach of RBA continue to inform Judy's work today
