Our Speakers
Our Speakers
The good humans who support our mission and give their time to share their knowledge.
Dr. Maria Barnes-Rawiri
Dr Maria Barnes-Rawiri leads He Kete Kai o Hokianga project, supporting food resilience through seed saving, traditional foods, natural growing, climate adaptation and community knowledge.
Amanda Currie
Amanda Currie and her team at Tinwald Farm explore farming practices that build healthy soils, ecosystems and food, with a particular passion for Clydesdale horses.
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.
Paul Norris
Paul Norris is Chief Conservation Officer at RealNZ, with 35 years’ tourism experience and extensive governance roles spanning conservation, tourism, land stewardship and destination management.
Filippo Scaramella
Filippo Scaramella, founder of Marble and More Ltd, brings European roofing and timber expertise to New Zealand, helping Kiwis build healthier, energy-efficient, sustainable homes.
Dr. Melissa Robson-Williams
Dr Melissa Robson-Williams is the portfolio leader for the ‘Catalysing Change’ research group at the Bioeconomy Science Institute Maiangi Taiao.
Susan McIntyre
Susan is a Senior School Teacher and Teacher in Charge of Enviroschools and Garden to Table at Queenstown Primary School, bringing environmental passion to sustainable learning.
Gary Hough
Gary Hough manages KiwiHarvest’s local food rescue operations, connecting surplus food from businesses with charities supporting people experiencing food insecurity.
Theo Richard
Theo Richard is an engineer, sustainability practitioner and organic gardener at the Sherwood, championing low-tech solutions, food resilience, community gardens and regenerative growing.
Babu Blatt
Babu Blatt is Programme Manager at Wao Aotearoa, facilitating the Southern Lakes Kai Collective and strengthening food resilience through collaboration, education and community led initiatives.
Michael Sly
Michael Sly is the founder of Waste to Wilderness, a regenerative waste initiative transforming food scraps from the hospitality sector into valuable compost and healthy soils. Passionate about closing nutrient loops, Michael is exploring innovative approaches to waste reduction, local food production, and regenerative agriculture in Central Otago.
Michael Rewi
Mike founded and is CEO of Mana Tāhuna Charitable Trust, providing environmental, health and social outcomes for vulnerable communities across Central Otago and Aotearoa.
Nicky Gray
Nicky is the Queenstown Enviroschools Facilitator. She is passionate about education and the environment.
Finley Watkins
Finley Watkins leads Walter Peak’s gardens, native nursery and ecological restoration, championing sustainable growing and resilient landscapes that connect people with food, nature and place.
Ewan Mackie
Ewan Mackie has 20 years’ experience in ski tourism and environmental conservation, leading trapping, planting and threatened species projects across the southern South Island.
Julia Blackford
Julia is a food scientist with 20 years experience in food tech and product development. In the last 10 years she has focused on research and development of plant based alternative products and sustainability impacts within food design.
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.