Noel Jhinku
Noel has an academic background in the biomedical and marine sciences. He is passionate about the marine environment and founded the OSOF initiative in 2011, prompted by a lifelong interest and love of the ocean. Noel can be found exploring the Otago coastline in his spare time, contributing to community initiatives, and mentoring the wider OSOF team.
Active: 2011 – present
George Connolly
George works in the higher education sector and has experience in the governance of not-for-profit organisations at a local, national, and international level. At an OSOF event, his interest in marine conservation was sparked, inspired by the work of OSOF volunteers. George has been lucky enough to live next to beautiful marine environments his whole life. He wants to make sure that future generations get to enjoy them too.
Active: 2020 – present
Megan Blakie
Megan has a background in communications for the not-for-profit sector and experience in local and central government. A trained journalist and a history grad, her love of the sea was nurtured during childhood when her dad took her and her brother out fishing aboard a clinker dingy on Banks Peninsula. She’s now clocked up thousands of nautical miles in her yacht along the NZ coast and offshore. She remains amazed at the diversity and beauty of marine and beach environments.
Active: 2020 – present
