Who is Lesley?

From top: Lesley after Maxine's release, diving in Bali, and with Val before her release.From top: Lesley promoting Rethink the Shark, with Bella at the Two Oceans Aquarium.LESLEY ROCHAT IS A GRADUATE of the University of Cape Town, South Africa, where she studied dramatic arts, followed by studies in Environmental Science and Cosmology through UNISA. Before dedicating her life to marine conservation she had a diverse background which included modeling, acting and television presenting, to running a financial advisory business for many years.

Given her passion and growing concern for the ocean environment she founded AfriOceans Conservation Alliance (AOCA), a non profit organisation, in 2003. AOCA achieved major success through the Maxine, Science, Education and Awareness Programme, a unique shark conservation campaign designed by Lesley. The Programme included the satellite tagging and releasing of raggies from the Two Oceans Aquarium, combined with a high profile awareness campaign. The Two Oceans Aquarium was a collaborative parnter of the Programme, and SOSF was the sponsor till 2008.

Lesley is an avid diver and a PADI Divemaster with an insatiable wanderlust.  She is a well-published  travel and environmental journalist and underwater photographer, as well as the author of children's books and educational books. She is the creative director of numerous educational and awareness initiatives and the driver of campaigns such as her Panda award winning Rethink the Shark campaign, created by Saatchi & Saatchi for AfriOceans, to educational outreach programs for children. She is also the CEO of Blue Pulse Pictures, a production company which has produced many marine related documentaries, including the multi-award winning, Sharks in Deep Trouble and the Panda Award winning Save Our Sharks. (see Lesley's Awards)

In 2008 Lesley realised a vision to establish a public shark centre in Cape Town, South Africa, called the Save Our Seas Shark Centre. The Centre was an AfriOceans Conservation Alliance project, funded by SOS Foundation. Lesley was the Manager and Director of Education and Awareness until Feb 2010. Lesley's action oriented approach to conservation,  including her lobbying activities, was apparently in conflict with the mandate of the SOS Foundation, which is passive education and awareness. This together with increasing internal politics against Lesley within the Save our seas Foundation, led by the former CEO of SOSF, forced her back into pursuing her conservation goals through AOCA.

Apart from Lesley's highly successful campaigning work and educational and awareness initiatives, she focuses on encouraging policy change, and lobbying for the conservation of South Africa's marine resources, and its sharks in particular.

Current Positions: Lesley is the Founder and Executive Director of AfriOceans Conservation Alliance, the Director of Media Productions for the Shark Research Institute (SRI) of the USA, and the global Keynote Speaker on sharks for Global Ocean based in the UK. She is also the CEO of Blue Pulse Pictures, her video and stills production company, fulfilling roles as Director, Producer and Chief Photographer.   

Lesley's efforts are recognised worldwide and as such she is a member of the Women Divers Hall of Fame, as well as of the International League of Conservation Photographers.