Our Speakers
Our Speakers
The good humans who support our mission and give their time to share their knowledge.
Peter Griffin
Peter Griffin is one of the country's most experienced technology reporters, founding director of the Science Media Centre, and author of The Launch of Rocket Lab.
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.
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.
Lindsay Breen
Lindsay Breen is a third-generation Managing Director of Breen Construction, balancing quality, sustainability and cost to deliver lasting value across the lower South Island region.
Dr. Tim Crownshaw
Dr Tim Crownshaw is an EECA Senior Advisor researching energy transitions, energy dependency and resilience, using systems modelling to explore pathways towards sustainable societies.
Hayley Anderson
Hayley is a seasoned health and disability leader. Making connections across communities, ensuring we have more services closer to home while supporting the wellbeing and effectiveness of health professionals are her superpowers. Since arriving back in Central Otago she has been instrumental in the establishment of the Dunstan Hospital Foundation Charitable Trust and the Wānaka Overnight Acute health service.
Marama Davidson
Marama is the Co-leader of the Green Party. She's based in South Auckland and is a List MP.
Dr. Kayla Kingdon-Bebb
Dr. Kayla Kingdon-Bebb is a well-known environmental policy leader and advocate. She believes Aotearoa’s most crucial (and undervalued) asset is nature – and has a particular interest in seeing our ocean and fisheries restored to a state of health and abundance.
Hon Damien O'Connor
The Hon Damien O'Connor is a Labour Party List MP and the spokesperson for Trade & Export Growth, Defence, Land Information, Regional Development.
Hon David Seymour
The Hon David Seymour is the Deputy Prime Minister, MP for Epsom, Minister for Regulation and the ACT Party Leader.
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.
Clinton Chambers
Meet Clinton Chambers - leader, visionary and strategic thinker with a strong set of values that drives everything he does. Owner of Taste Nature organic supermarket, cafe and apothecary, the business is built on Clinton's vision to create a sustainable, ethical, and local economic system that supports the wellbeing of individuals, engages our community, cares for our planet, furthers our education, and is in harmony with nature.
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.
Dr. Kate Meyer
Kate Meyer is a sustainability scientist, engineer, and creator of Planetary Accounting, an internationally recognised, peer-reviewed framework that translates global limits for nature into actionable metrics. She is also the Founder and CEO of the Planetary Accounting Network – a charitable trust whose purpose is to inspire and enable people to operate within the planet’s environmental limits.
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.