Our Speakers
Our Speakers
The good humans who support our mission and give their time to share their knowledge.
Larry Blair
Larry Blair is a specialist generalist, combing a wide range of skills and experience to synthesise various diverse topics into easily understood and actionable information underpinned by energy and biology.
Emeritus Prof. Ian Shaw
Ian Shaw is Professor of Toxicology at the University of Canterbury. Professor Shaw is an international expert on the impact of environmental contaminants on human health, particularly in a food safety context and is a passionate communicator of science. He has had over 40 years’ experience in academia, industry and government, both in the UK and New Zealand, which includes chairing the UK government’s Pesticide Residues Committee and working as the National Food Safety Programme Manager at the Institute of Environmental Science and Research (ESR) in New Zealand.
Prof. Glenn Banks
Glenn Banks is an Aotearoa New Zealand academic. Banks gained a PhD from The Australian National University, Canberra in 1997. He taught for 11 years in Geography at UNSW (ADFA, Canberra), and moved to Massey University in 2008. Banks is currently a full professor of geography at Massey University. He served as Head of School (People, Environment and Planning) between 2016-2022.
Dr. Cathrine Dyer
Dr. 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.
Arna Craig
Arna established her digital marketing agency Fever Pitch in Wanaka in 2011. Working with business across the spectrum in size and industry has given Arna a unique lens into digital communication strategy and business development.
Monique Kelly
Monique is co-founder and General Manager of Wao Aotearoa, a charitable trust based in the Queenstown Lakes District.
Alison Corthell
Alison Corthell is a yoga teacher, wellness advocate, and sustainability leader whose work is rooted in creating healthier people and a healthier planet.
Dr. Tim Crownshaw
Dr. Tim Crownshaw is a Senior Advisor in the Research, Evaluation & Insights Team at the Energy Efficiency and Conservation Authority (EECA).
Garth Falconer
Garth has been at the forefront of the development of large scale urban public realm projects with a rich sense of local place, integrating teams with the highest expertise to function efficiently.
Martha Redman
Martha is a Chartered Landscape Architect from the UK, with over 10 years professional experience. Martha has worked on multidisciplinary international design projects across numerous landscape design sectors.
Charlotte Muschamp
Charlotte Muschamp is the founder and principal designer of Alki, a boutique architecture studio based in Wānaka. She brings a strong foundation in building science alongside a passion for natural materials and thoughtful design.
Charissa Snijders
Charissa Snijders is an award-winning architect working at the forefront of regenerative design — bridging real-world practice, research, and creative vision to deliver buildings that go beyond sustainability.
Prof. Terri-Ann Berry
Dr Terri-Ann Berry, Co-Director of the Environmental Innovation Centre, is an environmental engineer championing practical solutions for sustainable waste management and resource efficiency.
Sam Parsons
Sam is a nature and climate change resilience specialist with experience in nature-related risk assessments, nature-based solutions, and nature strategy development across government, community, and private sector organisations.
Rafe Maclean
Rafe Maclean, FNZIA and Certified Passivhaus Designer, has led his Wānaka-based practice since 2005, creating low-energy architecture that champions thermal comfort and lasting environmental stewardship.
Camilla Rutherford
Camilla is an award-winning photographer and visual storyteller based in Tarras. Over the past 15 years, she has built a distinctive body of work across both still and moving image, combining a cinematic eye with a deeply narrative approach.
Matt Jones
Matt Jones is a Principal at Rubix with 20 years of experience delivering complex infrastructure projects across NZ and internationally
Darren Warren
Darren is the Co-Founder and Lead Builder at Prima Build, specialising in high-quality renovations with a focus on precision, craftsmanship, and thoughtful construction.
Livia Warren
Livia co-founded Prima Build and designs renovations that blend Wānaka character with modern living. Drawing on nearly 20 years in plumbing supply, she creates lasting, story-rich homes for generations.