Our team are passionate about protecting New Zealand’s coastal and marine environment. Our members come from a diverse range of backgrounds and share a common goal; to engage and work with local communities, groups and governing agencies to take an active role in protecting the coastal and marine environment. Meet some of our leadership and core team members below:
coordination team
shrestha singh
Shrestha has a postgraduate diploma in Biosecurity and Conservation. She aims to develop sustainable measures to conserve the environment, and to ensure that it will be available for the current and future generation. Shrestha is an active community volunteer, and loves baking, reading and exploring beaches and regional parks around New Zealand.
Role: Regional Coordinator – Auckland
Calvin Quigley
Calvin is a PhD candidate at Victoria University studying genetic connectivity in marine species. He loves scuba and freediving, and still fantasises about living on a sailboat, reef hopping from island to island. Growing up in Florida, his heart still lies in the Atlantic/Caribbean, “but hey man, it’s all one ocean.”
Role: Regional Coordinator – Wellington
Lauren Ellis
Lauren has a diverse background in communications working in sustainable tourism and not-for-profit sectors. Through her work, Lauren has developed skills in communicating sustainability efforts and has a keen interest in engaging with like-minded change-makers to advocate and educate about conservation initiatives. Having moved from London to Wellington in 2019, Lauren enjoys exploring the region’s beautiful coastlines and can often be found running around the South Coast.
Role: Regional Coordinator – Wellington
Laurie Emma Cope
Laurie Emma has a postgraduate degree in oceanography and marine biology and is currently studying human resources management. She is passionate about science communication and education. Naturally curious and adventurous, she is always looking for opportunities to get involved in the community and to share her passion with others. Laurie loves tramping and hiking in the mountains accompanied by a tripod and a camera.
Role: Regional Coordinator – Dunedin
Lesl van der Voorn
Lesl has a background in communications and marketing. She is passionate about driving positive change for marine conservation through meaningful conversation and action, and endeavours to improve and enhance our future environmental ecosystems. Lesl enjoys wandering the coast, and exploring native bush.
Role: Communications Coordinator
Janice Huang
Janice is passionate about wildlife conservation and sustainability, and currently works in the eco-tourism industry. She has a degree in Zoology and Marine Science from Otago University, and believes that we are instinctively equipped with the ability to care for nature, and the best way to practice this ability is to spend more time in nature. Janice enjoys tramping and the great outdoors in her spare time.
Role: Social Media Coordinator
Michelle Brett
Michelle is currently studying a Bachelor in Professional Communication. She is passionate about sustainability and finding accessible ways to reduce plastic consumption. In her free time she likes to hike around New Zealand and see our amazing wildlife in their natural environment.
Role: Social Media Coordinator
Naomi Simon-Kumar
Naomi has a background in sustainable development, psychology and international relations. She is deeply committed to protecting our natural taonga and passionate about just transitions in moving towards a more socially inclusive and sustainable future. Naomi enjoys nature writing and experimenting with cooking vegan fare in her spare time.
Role: Policy Coordinator
Gemma Coutts
Gemma is studying her Masters in Environmental Management, with a focus on the social sciences. She is incredibly passionate about protecting our natural environment, while also ensuring we acknowledge and respect the Treaty of Waitangi and work alongside our treaty partners. In her free time Gemma enjoys painting and exploring the many walks in the South Island.
Role: Policy Coordinator
Project Team
Madeleine Songhurst
Zuzka Erdossyova
Zuzka is originally from landlocked Slovakia but grew up in Greece exploring stunning beaches, such as Elafonisi in Crete. She completed a BSc in marine biology & ecology/biodiversity and a MSc in marine conservation at Victoria University of Wellington and continues with learning the GIS system and progressing toward the Divemaster. Her passion is conservation so that our and future generations can also enjoy the beauty and uniqueness of the natural world.
Role: Events Coordinator – Wellington
Duncan Campbell
Lily Gamson
Taryn Swete
Taryn is in her final year of her MSc in Marine Biology, with a background in Ecology and Marine Science. Growing up in Dunedin, a place of endless coastlines and wildlife, her love for the marine environment started early as did her deep passion to conserve it. She dreams of inspiring others through community engagement and education, creating a sense of stewardship among Kiwis. Taryn’s other interests include surfing, music, diving, yoga and trying new things.
Role: Events Coordinator – Westport
Madeleine Humphrey
Maddy graduated from the University of Otago with a Bachelor of Laws and a Bachelor of
Science in psychology. She has had a love of the ocean since childhood and is passionate
about the preservation and protection of our marine environment. In her free time, she
enjoys scuba diving, skiing and reading.
Role: Policy Advisor
Megan Exton
Megan is studying zoology at the University of Otago and previously worked as an environment lawyer in Tauranga. She is fascinated by marine life and is keen to do her part to protect our oceans. In her free time, she loves exploring nature, volunteering and practicing yoga.
Role: Policy Advisor
Helen Loveridge
Helen has a background in law, history and political science. She is passionate about driving change towards a more sustainable future and enabling people to take action within their communities. Helen loves to read and explore nature in her free time.
Role: Policy Advisor
Sophie Elstone-Sara
Sophie is studying towards a Master’s of Climate Change Science and Policy at Victoria University. Her goal is to make real, substantive change at a policy level. She can be found in the wild cooking, reading, or hooning around Wellington on a Flamingo scooter.
Role: Policy Advisor
Dwayne Daly
Dwayne has BSc in Zoology and a MSc in Resource Management with a focus on Marine Spatial Planning. Having grown up next to the coast, he has always been deeply interested in the marine environment and conservation. With a background in resource management legislation, his professional interest is in the management and protection of the marine environment through effective legislation and policy. He also enjoys scuba diving and has taken part in a variety of coral reef monitoring programmes in the Caribbean, Fiji and the Coral Triangle over the last few years.
Role: Policy Advisor
Michelle villamin
Tanzanian born, Kenyan raised, Australian diplomas and Filipino roots – Michelle has a mixed background that has fuelled her ever-growing curiosity and interest in environmental conservation and wildlife protection. She’s most at peace in the underwater world. With a professional background in marketing and advertising, she is keen on encouraging a cleaner and more sustainable way of living through storytelling and spreading awareness.
Role: Project & Comms Support
Meghan Cooper
As a mother and aunty, Megs is an advocate for the nourishment and role modelling of healthy relationships with the environment to help promote flourishing of future generations. Terrified of jellyfish and based in Rotorua, Megs is a frequent flyer at nearby beaches in order to revitalise, play and collect litter with her kids. Megs has a professional background in public health and education, and a personal interest in waste minimisation.
Role: Project Lead – “No Butts” Campaign
Emily Colquhoun
Emily is a current master’s student in science communication at the University of Otago. She is passionate about small critters that often get forgotten about and is trying to work out how to bring them into the spotlight. In her spare time, Emily enjoys playing underwater hockey and exploring all the wildlife Dunedin has to offer.
Role: Social Media Admin
Athena Rhodes
Athena is a wildlife photographer and writer. She can be found hiding in bushes or up a tree with the birds and her trusty camera. When she is not lying in bird poop, trying to get that perfect photo of a swan, she can be found inhaling coffee or reading up on New Zealand flora and fauna. She is deeply passionate about wildlife and conservation and loves to volunteer for these causes.
Role: Social Media Admin
Marlene Youl
Marlene studied Zoology at Otago University with a minor in Marine Science. She passionate about environmental conservation and enjoys volunteering in the community to promote sustainable living. Her other hobbies include hiking, gardening and travelling.
Role: Social Media Admin
Chris Chick
Chris is wants to see this world become as great and wonderful as we know it can be. He believes life is a gift, and one we should be honouring not only for ourselves, but for others and sentinel beings alike that get to call Earth ‘home’. Chris has a background in Psychology and Ecology and is based in Waimakariri.
Role: Social Media Admin
Maria Ribeiro
Maria is a Portuguese Marine Biologist currently exploring Aotearoa. She has always been fighting for the oceans, on a small scale, however Maria believes that it is time to join forces and act now. Maria believes in blue education and that if we show people how to love the ocean, they will come together and help protect our beautiful blue planet and all the life within.
Role: Social Media Admin
Natahlya Silbery-Martin
Natahlya studied Psychology at Massey University and is currently a High School Teacher. Her interest in the way, Pacific Peoples sustain many ancestral life-ways in food production, waste management and carbon footprint has influenced her decision in sustainable living at a personal level. She also thrives on educating others on the variables that factor negative impact to our planet.
Role: Social Media Admin
Seini Malaki
Seini has a background in environmental management, climate change and project management, working around communities through raising awareness, coordinating and leading community- based projects and implementing environmental policies and practices. She has a passion for protecting and safeguarding the environment not only for the present but for the future generations. Seini loves the great outdoors and exploring nature.
Role: Social Media Admin
Yifei Zheng
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