Our Speakers
Our Speakers
The good humans who support our mission and give their time to share their knowledge.
Bex and Ben Trotter
Ben and Bex own and run Black Peak Farming Limited, trading as Red Bridge Berries and Alpine Fresh. Through these businesses, they farm bull beef and grow berries, greens, and herbs, supplying local communities.
Skye Macfarlane
Skye Macfarlane is the Southern Regional Coordinator for Garden to Table, working with schools to teach tamariki practical food skills that build resilience and community. A naturopath, medical herbalist, nutritionist, and public health graduate, she also co-founded the Vern Paddock Project organic market garden and leads formulation for Wild Dispensary.
Lisa Johnston
Lisa Johnston, market gardener, orchardist, and food entrepreneur at Frog Song Farm, grows nutrient-dense produce using bio-intensive organic methods. She co-runs Village Nuts, mentors interns, and leads regeneration projects, weaving abundance, biodiversity, and learning into her community-focused farming vision.
Dr. Maureen Murphy
Dr Maureen Murphy researches food system resilience in Melbourne, combining social science, agricultural engineering, and policy expertise to inform climate-adaptive urban food planning and governance.
Janice Lee
Janice Lee, founder of Koha Kai, empowers Kaumatua (elders) and Tangata Whaikaha (disabled people) through food resilience and community spaces, championing sustainable solutions despite limited investment.
Professor Alan Renwick
Alan Renwick is Professor of Agricultural Economics at Lincoln University. His research explores land use change, sustainable food systems and tensions across global, national and local food systems.
Emberly Wetherall
Emberly Wetherall, with degrees in Nutrition and Public Health, champions local regenerative food systems and community resilience through Grow Wānaka Community Garden and various collaborative projects.
Irene Boles
Irene is a Senior Lecturer in the Bachelor of Architectural Studies Programme at Ara Institute of Canterbury, Faculty of Applied Technology and a PhD student in the School of Future Environments at AUT.
Rachel MacIntyre
Rachel MacIntyre is the Strategic Sustainability Advisor at Te Kāhui Whaihanga New Zealand Institute of Architects.
Todd Grace
Todd is the Chief Operating Officer at Queenstown Airport and is leading the largest development programme in the airport’s 90-year history, ensuring projects are delivered safely, efficiently, and with long-term value for the region.
Tanya Simmonds
Tanya Simmonds, a passionate advocate for hemp and its vast potential across various industries, founded the hemp fibre processing company, HempCentral Ltd based out of Queensbury, NZ.
Queenstown Electrification Accelerator (Team)
The Queenstown Electrification Accelerator (QEA) is a locally led initiative driving the transition to a low-cost, low-emission, and resilient energy future across the Queenstown-Lakes District.
Kristy Jones
Kristy Jones is the National Sustainability Manager for Cook Brothers Construction.
Caro Robertson
Caro is an architect/co-director of Spacecraft Architects typically based in Te Whanganui a Tara Wellington.
Thom Gill
Thom has over 25 years of architectural experience and has been a registered architect in New Zealand, the UK and Denmark. After returning to New Zealand in 2012, he co-founded Studio Nord.
Mark Anderson
Mark Anderson of M A Building specialises in completing architecturally designed new homes here in Wanaka.
Lisa Hinde
Lisa Hinde is Head of Sustainability at Precinct Properties, where she leads the development and implementation of long-term strategies that embed sustainability, health, and wellbeing across over $5b worth of assets under development and management.
Matthew Cutler-Welsh
Matthew, Senior Manager - Residential at the New Zealand Green Building Council, has 15 years in energy efficiency, leads environmental rating tools, and hosts podcasts on green building.