Having spent most of her career in working for large scale corporates in New Zealand, England and Australia, Helen transitioned into the not-for-profit space in 2023 taking on the role of Tai Urungi - Chief Executive at Sanctuary Mountain Maungatautari, the worlds largest predator fenced eco-sanctuary located in the heart of the mighty Waikato.

Ekos founder Sean Weaver started his career as a forest ecologist and then moved into forest conservation financing. This began in Fiji working with tribal landowners to protect the magnificent rainforests of Wabu Creek (pronounced 'Waambu') in the late 1980s and early 1990s. Sean is an international expert in market-based mechanisms for environmental and climate financing specialising in restorative & environmental forestry. He is a consultant to governments (NZ and the Pacific Islands), multilateral banks (World Bank, African Development Bank), international agencies (UNDP, SPREP), small medium and large businesses/corporations. Sean is a founding member of the Climate Forestry Association and the (international) Biodiversity Credits Alliance. He is a registered forestry consultant, has a PhD in Forestry from the University of Canterbury, and is based in Christchurch, New Zealand.

Cathrine Dyer is a Lecturer in Climate Change at Te Herenga Waka Victoria University of Wellington. She teaches in environmental politics and international climate change policy. Her PhD research examined government underreactions to climate change, leading to an interest in commons expansion and collective responses. Cathrine is a regular guest on The Hoon podcast, covering current climate change issues with journalists Bernard Hickey (The Kākā) and Peter Bale. 

Mawera Karetai is a mum, community activist, governor, lecturer and supervisor. Mawera's work is centred around enabling others to identify and achieve their goals, from a personal, through to community level.

Professor Sara Walton teaches and researches in the area of sustainability, climate change and business at the Otago Business School, Ōtakou Whakaihu Waka University of Otago. Sara developed the Master of Sustainable Business and helped establish He Kaupapa Hononga Otago’s Climate Change Research Network. She has recently worked with MOTU on a Just Transitions Guide for MBIE, BRANZ on construction company readiness for climate change and worked with a team for MPI/FMAG to understand company decisions around offsetting or abatement of GHG emissions. Her current projects include, Āmiomio Aotearoa a circular economy for the wellbeing of NZ, an effectiveness evaluation of Climate Risk Disclosures for the XRB and the development of the Corporate Climate Action Tracker Aotearoa.