Simangele is a conservationist with interest and experience in research, community engagement and policy development. She holds a master’s degree in Biological Sciences, specialising in pollination biology, from the University of KwaZulu-Natal and she is the project site coordinator of the Oceans Alive Project at WildOceans. Here, Simangele is responsible for community engagement and facilitating beneficiations for people living in communities around iSimangaliso Wetland Park.
She is also a steering committee member of the Global Youth Biodiversity Network – a youth constituency in the Convention on Biological Diversity – and is a founder and coordinator of the South African Youth Biodiversity Network, a registered NPO in South Africa. In both networks, Simangele is responsible for facilitating capacity-building workshops in biodiversity policies and consulting with the intention of writing submissions into political interventions.
Overall, Simangele demonstrates clear leadership qualities and eagerness to participate in skills development initiatives like the African Intergenerational Conservation Leaders Programme.