BIOLOGICAL HERITAGE - Key Persons
Role: Operations Manager
Aaron manages the day-to-day operation of the BioHeritage Challenge.
He works closely with the Strategic Leadership Group, develops and manages the budget, and manages the support team.
Job Titles:
- Research Activities Manager for the BioHeritage Challenge
Role: Research Activities Manager
Andrea started working for Manaaki Whenua as a Research Technician in the Pest Control Technology Team. After a number of years and coinciding with having a family, Andrea moved into research administration.
Today Andrea is Research Activities Manager for the BioHeritage Challenge. Her main role is to promote and implement efficient and effective reporting, and evaluation of all research activity.
Job Titles:
- National Research Collections, Australia
Job Titles:
- Research Activities Manager - Ngā Rākau Taketake
Role: Research Activities Manager - Ngā Rākau Taketake
Anna's role with the BioHeritage Support Team is focused on promoting and implementing efficient and effective reporting, and evaluation of research activity for Ngā Rākau Taketake.
She has a Master's in Forestry Science and has previously worked in horticulture as a Product Group Manager for Blackcurrants NZ Inc. and had information management roles with Biosecurity NZ's Investigation and Diagnostic Centres (MPI).
Role: Mātauranga Māori and Wai262 Advisor
Aroha is of Ngāti Awa, Ngāti Porou, Ngāti Tūwharetoa, Tuhourangi and Ngāi Tūhoe descent.
She is a research director specialising in mātauranga Māori/indigenous knowledge, and indigenous cultural and intellectual property Issues.
Aroha has worked across sectors, including public policy, academia, journalism, Iwi/Māori organisations, as well as national and international NGOs.
Role: Knowledge Broker
A science and technology broker, Bill's main role is to bring end-users and scientists together.
Role: Co-Director
Daniel joined the team in December 2020. From 2011 Daniel was the Executive Director of Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga (NPM), New Zealand's Māori Centre of Research Excellence, hosted by the University of Auckland. As a director at NPM, Daniel feels hugely privileged to have deep learnings and gained knowledge from working alongside NPM researchers and communities.
Daniel has two degrees, one in Applied Sciences and a Master's with honours in Health Sciences, and while in executive and research leadership positions often sees himself as a researcher and immerses himself in the research.
Prior to NPM, Daniel co-founded and developed several research entities, including the Centre of Methods and Policy Applications in the Social Sciences (COMPASS), the New Zealand Social Statistics Network (NZSSN), the New Zealand Social Science Data Service and Survey Research Unit. He has over 20 years research and research leadership experience.
The opportunity to lead the Challenge through to the end of its 10-year term in 2024 excites Daniel greatly as he enjoys working in an organisation that is values-based, providing public good and positive outcomes.
Job Titles:
- Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research / Chief Scientist
Dr Helen Warburton is an early career freshwater ecologist based at the University of Canterbury.
Her research focuses on understanding the structure and dynamics of freshwater communities, with the aim of testing and developing ecological theory that is fundamental for the effective management of ecosystems.
Job Titles:
- Environmental Social Scientist
Dr Norman Dandy is an environmental social scientist with interests in land-centred governance and management practice, primarily with regard to forest landscapes.
His work focuses on a number of core sustainable land use challenges, including responses to biosecurity threats, achieving species conservation, the agency of land and other species, and collaborative approaches to management in diverse ‘patchwork' landscapes.
Using mainly qualitative methods he explores the everyday social, political, ethical, and cultural relationships with land and other species that construct our practices and approaches to management.
Role: Co-Chair
Glenice is of Te Atiawa o Te Waka a Maui, Te Rūnanga o Ngāi Tahu and Ngā Matapopore descent and is Co-Chair of our Mana Rangatira Governance Group.
She is a Deputy Commissioner of the Environment Court and accredited RMA Commissioner with experience dealing with legislation, especially the Resource Management Act.
She is an executive member of Te Tira Whakamātaki, and on the Steering Group for the implementation of Biosecurity 2025.
Glenice has previously held roles on or with the Ministry for the Environment, the Environmental Protection Authority, conservation boards and iwi. She was also on the peer review panel for the Biosecurity 2025 Direction Statement.
She brings a huge kete of experience as well as a steady hand to the Kāhui Māori, along with South Island representation.
Role: Executive Assistant
Julie has joined our Support Team as Executive Assistant to the Challenge Director based at Manaaki Whenua, Lincoln. As an experienced Personal Assistant, Administrator and Marketing Coordinator, having previously worked in the education, research and commercial sectors, Julie has extensive office and organisation skills and will be a key point of contact for BioHeritage travel, administration, events and activities.
Role: Kaihautū Ngātahi - Co-Director Māori
Melanie is of Ngāti Kahungunu, Ngāti Porou, Te Arawa, Te Āti Awa, Ngāti Raukawa and Ngāti Tūwharetoa descent. She is an indigenous environmental sociologist, passionate about the environment, indigenous rights and the empowerment of communities to manage their own resources.
Melanie reprised her BioHeritage role as Kaihautū Ngātahi - Co-Director Māori in April 2023, working in partnership with Co-Director, Daniel Patrick, on strategic priorities and building strategic links with Māori and indigenous researchers, groups and entities.
In addition to her BioHeritage mahi, Melanie is the Chief Executive of Te Tira Whakamātaki, also providing governance, direction and support to a number of boards and groups including the Resilience to Nature's Challenges National Science Challenge, the Project Crimson Trust, the Collaboration Council at B3 Better Border Biosecurity, Tāpui Aotearoa, and more recently was the former Deputy Secretary - Tūmatakōkiri (Maori Rights and Interest) for the Ministry for the Environment.
Job Titles:
- Communications & Engagement Lead
Role: Communications & Engagement Lead
Keith joins BioHeritage while Stacey Bryan-Sneddon is on parental leave (until March 2024), to continue connecting wider audiences to the innovative impacts of the BioHeritage National Science Challenge and Ngā Rākau Taketake, including through the fourth and final Crazy & Ambitious conference on 3-4 April at Te Papa.
With a background in writing, science communications, and public relations, Keith's first ever job after journalism school was at the end of the DSIR with the establishment unit of Manaaki Whenua Landcare Research and the first years of the new CRI in the early-mid 1990s.
Since then, he's studied environmental communications in the US and UK, and lived and worked in Antarctica, Myanmar, and the Tibetan borderlands of south-west China, and Wellington. He joins BioHeritage's Lincoln office from Stats NZ where he led comms for the Agricultural Production Census 2022 and the joint MfE Environment Reporting programme, winners of the SCANZ Excellence in Science Communication Award.
Job Titles:
- Forest Research
- Senior Social Scientist at the Social
Mariella is a Senior Social Scientist at the Social and Economic Research Group, Forest Research Scotland.
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive of Te Tira Whakamātaki
- Kaihautū Ngātahi - Co - Director Māori
Job Titles:
- Associate Professor
- Scientist
Job Titles:
- Chief Scientist - Māori )
Professor Duncan's specialties are in ecology, weed biology, and conservation, with a focus on biological invasions and extinctions.
Role: Co-Chair
Rob has recently stepped down from the position of Chief Executive of Environment Southland.
He joined the organisation in August 2012, having previously been Director of Operations with Taranaki Regional Council.
Rob's focus is addressing significant and complex resource management challenges in a region very dependent on use and management of water and land.
He is committed to working collaboratively, with a focus on developing long-term solutions.