Wao Summit 2024 Speakers
Wao Summit 2024 Speakers
The good humans who will be gracing the stage at this year’s Wao 2024 Summit.
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.
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.
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.
Jane Llyod
Jane, a food system expert with 20+ years’ experience, founded Springhouse Consulting in Wānaka. She addresses food system resilience and sustainability through global and local perspectives.
Zeb Horrell
Zebulon, raised on a Southland sheep farm, champions rural regeneration and vitality through events like Burning Horse Festival and Future Whenua Summit, promoting ecological concepts.
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.
Jesse Herbert
Jesse Herbert is the founder and owner of Freshlink Grocer in Wānaka. He equates wholefood with “kai,” reflecting his family's sustainable lifestyle.
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.