Ilana Gerschlowitz

Ilana Gerschlowitz  completed her Law Degree in 1998 at the University of the Witwatersrand and was subsequently admitted and practiced as an attorney. In 2004, when her oldest son David was diagnosed with autism at the age of 20 months, she immersed herself into research to find solutions.

In 2009 she hosted the landmark Challenging Children Conference which successfully provided a platform for the introduction of ABA to South African parents and professionals.

Ilana is the Founding Director of The Star Academy, an affiliate of The Center for Autism and Related Disorders (CARD) in the US. She went on to establish Catch Up kids, which helps children overcome learning challenges including children with ADHD focusing on foundation phase learners. She is an advocate for inclusive education and has paved the way for many children to remain in the mainstream classroom with the support of Catch Up Kids.

In 2015, she was recognised for her work in education where she achieved the CEO Global award for Africa’s most influential woman in Business and Government in the Education and Private Sector for region, country and continent.

In 2018 she was a finalist in the Europcar Jewish Woman in Leadership Award. As an invited guest, she has been interviewed by the media over many years.

Having recovered her youngest son from autism, she is also the author of Saving My Sons – A journey With Autism, which she launched in 2019.

She manages a parent support group called ADHD: Now What? and continues to light the way for many parents who are raising children with ADHD or learning challenges.