Our Speakers
Our Speakers
The good humans who support our mission and give their time to share their knowledge.
Sam Stubbs
Sam Stubbs is the co-founder of Simplicity, one of NZ’s fastest growing KiwiSaver plans. Sam was previously CEO of Tower Investments. Sam is a father of four children who dreams about simplicity and sailing around the world.
Jana Davis
Jana Davis (Waitaha, Kāti Mamoe, Kāi Tahu) is Chief Executive of Te Tapu o Tāne Ltd, driving Māori-led environmental and regional development, and is involved with Mata-Au River Trust and Kāi Tahu ki Tuawhenua.
Katherine Buttar
Kath, Senior Sustainability Advisor for Queenstown Lakes District Council, specialises in waste management and sustainability strategies, focusing on community-led solutions for a circular and regenerative future.
Dr Susan Wardell
Susan, a Social Anthropology lecturer at the University of Otago and award-winning writer, explores emotion, care, and mental health in relation to climate distress.
Sofia Cinque
Sofia is a sustainability advisor and manager at Chunky, promoting reuse over single-use. She shares zero-waste tips on @earthic.life and connects menstrual cycles with environmental health.
Charlotte Friedrich
Charlotte supports creatives and innovators in aligning with nature's rhythms. A certified Menstruality Mentor with a background in wellbeing psychology, she leads a wellbeing practice and consults for Aro Hā.
Laura Molles
Originally from Southern California, Laura studies animal behaviour and conservation, focusing on acoustic communication. She combines her expertise with technology at Digilab for non-invasive monitoring tools.
Sarah Forder
Sarah, with a BSc in Environmental Science and MSc in Conservation Biology, has 17 years with DOC and extensive conservation experience. She now works with Southern Lakes Sanctuary.
Dr. Melissa Robson-Williams
Dr. Melissa Robson-Williams, a senior researcher at Manaaki Whenua, holds a PhD in Organic Agriculture and specializes in managing socio-environmental impacts on land and water.
Aimee Blake
Aimee, a systems thinker and storyteller, co-founded Girls who Grow and chairs Future Farmers. She’s a senior consultant at EY, a 6th-generation farmer, and yoga teacher.
Florence Micoud
Florence is a nature advocate and regeneration practitioner with a Master of Economics and diploma in Sustainable Practice. She promotes sustainable gardening, land regeneration, and community wellbeing in Wānaka.
John McCrae
John, a third-generation farmer at Glendhu Station, Wānaka, is known for innovative, sustainable farming on 1,300 hectares, focusing on organic practices, soil health, and community engagement.
Rochana Moon
Rochana Moon, founder of Wise Moon Wellness, is a herbalist and naturopath offering consultations, workshops, and herbal products, focusing on plant-based holistic wellbeing in Wanaka.
Emma Horgan-Heke
Emma, CEO of Sustainable HB and EHA board member, has expertise in large-scale project management, regenerative practices, and community building, with roles in climate action and resilience.
Mark Anderson
Fifth-generation farmer Mark, with his wife Madeline and their children, leads a 560ha dairy farm in Waiwera South, championing holistic and nature-aligned farming practices.
Arthur Lee
Arthur is the Sustainability and Development Officer at Queenstown Lakes Community Housing Trust. He specialises in Passive House design and carbon assessment, focusing on high-performance residential developments.
Julia Blackford
Julia, a food scientist with 20 years’ experience, specialises in plant-based products, sustainability, food resilience, and food systems amid the climate and energy crisis.
