Kathleen Debra Newton is a third generation Namibian who was born in Windhoek in 1962.  She completed her schooling in Windhoek at Centaurus High School in 1980 and graduated from the University of Stellenbosch with a Bachelor of Economics degree, and from UNISA with a Bachelor of Commerce degree. After residing in the Western Cape (South Africa) for a number of years she returned to Namibia in 1995 to join the family electronics business, Thompson Radio (Pty) Ltd.  In 2004 the family business was sold and she started her own consulting business, ROTH Administration Services, with the focus mainly on the tourism & NGO sectors. Kathleen is married to Tom Newton and has 3 children: Peter (17), Jonathan (14) & Caitlin (11), as well as 4 step-children. Her interests are all outdoor activities, scuba diving, underwater hockey and reading.