Thandeka Tutu-Gxashe is the CEO of the Desmond Tutu Tutudesk Campaign, a charitable educational organization, which addresses the more than 95 million desk shortage in sub-Saharan Africa. She is committed to working to preserve peace, improve racial reconciliation, and ensure equality by improving the health and education experiences of young people, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa. She has lived, worked and studied in the UK, the USA and several Southern African countries.
Thandeka has a B.Sc. in Biology (University of Botswana and Swaziland) and a Master’s Degree in Public Health (Emory University in Atlanta, USA).  At Emory University, Thandeka worked as a Research Associate and Project Coordinator, and later served as the Director of Africa Projects at the University of California, based in Cape Town. She has also worked in adult HIV treatment and research in Johannesburg, SA.
She is an accomplished public speaker and is a current and former Board member of several nonprofit foundations and trusts. Currently, these include the Desmond Tutu Health Foundation, HPSA (formerly Heifer SA) and the Foundation for Sport Development and Peace.
Thandeka was named one of the Global 100 Real Leaders by Real Leaders Magazine in 2018 and a 2020 Social Impact Heroine by Authority Magazine.  She is married, and she and her husband have one son.