Dr Sandra Da Mata, known to many as "Doc D", is a proudly Portuguese South African whose professional and humanitarian journey has been shaped by compassion, humility, hard work, family and service. These values, instilled by her parents, continue to guide her work after more than 25 years in her profession.
Da Mata is the executive head of My-Self Mastery Consulting and an ICF-certified executive and Master Life Coach, NLP Master Practitioner, registered specialist wellness and trauma counsellor, leadership facilitator, author, humanitarian, speaker and radio presenter. She is also operations director of Stops, where protecting and supporting young people is an important part of her work. Her career has taken her into boardrooms and communities across the world, where she has facilitated leadership and transformation programmes and worked with organisations and brands. Her humanitarian work includes supporting young people who feel unheard, helping women rebuild their lives, addressing gender-based violence and bullying,and supporting menstrual health initiatives aimed at helping girls remain in school.
Radio has given Da Mata another platform for this work. As "Doc D" on 919FM, she connects with listeners through conversation, laughter, music and wellness. Through The Prescription with Doc D, she explores subjects that can feel frightening, complicated or uncomfortable, making them more human and accessible.
Da Mata's achievements include being an author, receiving an honorary doctorate in humanitarianism and being recognised for her leadership.She measures achievement by the lives she has helped change. Her journey has included loss, difficulties and reinvention, experiences that have required her to find strength she did not know she possessed.Her message to young women is to build their own table when there is no seat for them, remain teachable, protect their integrity, never allow rejection to determine their worth and support other women as they rise.