Dr. Lyla June Johnston (aka Lyla June) is a human ecologist, public speaker, poet, singer-songwriter, and community organiser of Diné (Navajo), Tsétsêhéstâhese (Cheyenne), and European lineages. Her multi-genre presentations inspire personal, collective, and ecological healing worldwide. She blends her study of Human Ecology at Stanford, graduate work in Indigenous Pedagogy, and traditional worldview to craft insightful perspectives, solutions, and music. Her doctoral research reveals how pre-colonial Indigenous Nations shaped Turtle Island (the Americas) to create abundant food systems, empowering us to reconnect with our humanity and the natural world.

As a leading expert on traditional nature based innovations, Julia Watson offers innovative interdisciplinary thinking to projects. Trained in architecture, landscape architecture, and urban design, Julia Watson is an award-winning designer and educator, a best-selling author, a TED speaker, and a leading expert on Indigenous nature based technologies.  In her 2019 monograph, Lo-TEK Design by Radical Indigenism published by TASCHEN, Watson coined the term Lo-TEK derived from local and traditional ecological knowledge (TEK), which is the cumulative body of multigenerational knowledge, practices, and beliefs. Lo-TEK Water the upcoming sequel – explores water-responsive, generational infrastructures. Co-authored with Indigenous experts, it examines water-related technologies and contemporary projects that integrate Indigenous wisdom to promote climate resilience.

Spearheaded by Watson’s seminal TED talk, “How to Build a Resilient Future Using Ancient Wisdom,” the Lo-TEK “Ancestral Futures” initiative encompasses two groundbreaking books, a comprehensive curriculum, an Indigenous intellectual property innovation, a knowledge-sharing platform, commissions at national museums, an Indigenous artists residency, a design competition for students, expert lectures, and landscape design and consulting projects.

Helen Clark is a respected global leader in sustainable development, gender equality and international co-operation. She served three successive terms as Prime Minister of New Zealand between 1999 and 2008. While in government, she led policy debate on a wide range of economic, social, environmental and cultural issues, including sustainability and climate change. She then became the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Administrator for two terms from 2009 to 2017, the first woman to lead the organisation. She was also the Chair of the United Nations Development Group, a committee consisting of the Heads of all UN funds, programmes and departments working on development issues.

Sir Ashley Bloomfield has held executive leadership roles in the health sector for over a decade and was New Zealand’s Director-General of Health from June 2018 to July 2022.

In 2023, Sir Ashley began a new role as a Professor at the University of Auckland where he is teaching on public health and leadership and establishing a new Institute to strengthen the impact of the University’s world-class research. He has also recently worked on global health with the World Health Organization and is a Chartered Member of the Institute of Directors.  Sir Ashley was appointed a Knight Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit (KNZM) in the 2023 New Year Honours for services to public health.

Wenchian Shi, is a Partner at MVRDV and the leader of its Asia Studio. Since joining MVRDV in 2004, Shi has spearheaded numerous innovative projects across Asia, including the Tianjin Binhai Library, Seoullo 7017 Skygarden, The Imprint, Tainan Spring, and the Idea Factory.
Shi’s career began at OMA, contributing to the CCTV Headquarters in Beijing. Currently, she oversees projects like Irwell Hill Residences in Singapore and the Women and Children Center in Shenzhen. Recognized with the Spotlight Award of the Female Frontier Awards in 2022, Shi will share her vision for sustainable urban development.

Dedicated to the empowerment and advancement of my iwi and communities. Māori cultural consultant and advisor with experience in facilitation, workshops, mediation and project management. Fluent in English and Te Reo Māori with a strong foundation in Māori performing arts. Cultural host, narrator and educator passionate in sharing Māori history and tikanga to gain a better shared understanding leading to great outcomes on key projects that advance Aotearoa.

Rob is passionate about people, fascinated by places. He is a lifelong learner with strong experience in governance, urban planning and educational leadership.  Stokes served as the New South Wales Minister for Infrastructure, the Minister for Cities, and the Minister for Active Transport between 21 December 2021 and 25 March 2023.  He was a member of the New South Wales Legislative Assembly between 2007 and 2023. His mission is to create positive social and environmental impacts through collaboration, advocacy, and education. He has a PhD in Environment and Planning Law, a Master of Science in Geography, and a Graduate Diploma in Legal Practice. He is also a Graduate of the Australian Institute of Company Directors and a Life Fellow of the Planning Institute of Australia.

Dr. Coffman is a global leader and distinguished figure in the area of living architecture whose research and publications have helped establish the understanding of green roofs as constructed ecosystems.  As a leader, he has been the primary force in growing North America’s capacity for scientific publication and the development of a U.S. academic network to deliver preprofessional education enabling students to join the green roof profession.  His intellectual contributions include pioneering the concept of vegetative roofs as urban ecosystems; providing the concept of ‘biodispersing buildings’ in which buildings disperse vegetation for landscape restoration; and offering a roof cultivation approach for rare plant species threatened by climate change.

Currently, he is the North American Chair of Regional Academic Centers of Excellence program (GRHC), Executive Director of the Greater Ohio Living Architecture (GOLA) Center, and Director of the Novel Ecology Design Lab (NEDLab). He is the Past Editor of the Journal of Living Architecture and Past Chair of the International Research Committee on Living Architecture (GRHC).  At Kent State, he is a Professor and Coordinator of the Master of Science in Architecture and Environmental Design. His teaching focuses on interdisciplinary coursework to aid students in the understanding, conceptualization, design, and construction of contrived ecological systems.

Simon Upton was sworn in as Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment for a five-year term on 16 October 2017. He is now in his second five-year term. 

Mr Upton is a Fellow of the Royal Society of New Zealand and a Rhodes Scholar, with degrees in English literature, music and law from the University of Auckland, and an MLitt in political philosophy from Oxford University. He was sworn in as a member of the Privy Council in 1999. A Member of Parliament between 1981 and 2000, Mr Upton held a variety of ministerial portfolios including environment, research, biosecurity, health and state services between 1990 and 1999. After leaving Parliament, Mr Upton moved to Paris to chair the Round Table on Sustainable Development at the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD). In 2005, he returned to New Zealand to pursue a number of private sector roles while continuing to chair the Round Table. In April 2010 he returned to the OECD full time as Environment Director, a post he held for seven years until coming back to take up the role of Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment.

Eamon joined Reconnecting Northland in 2016 as the Pou Manatu (General Manager). Weaving a passion for indigeneity, Eamon is a builder of community through creative and experimental means.  A behind the scenes action-man, he has a background in Industry training, research and community-led initiatives which he brings to the Programme.  Of Te Roroa, Ngäti Torehina, Ngãti Arera, Crete, Scottish and Irish whakapapa, Eamon is passionate about leadership that shifts from assuming the sovereignty of humans to acknowledging the mana of nature to build more cohesive and resilient communities.

“I love the agile nature of reconnecting Northland and the prospect of affecting transformative impact for Te Tai Tokerau”.

Dusty is one of the leading independent green roof consultants in the UK, who  established Livingroofs.org in 2004 to start a campaign to get green roofs recognized as a mainstream activity in the built environment. This initiative stemmed from work in Deptford, Lewisham, and collaboration with the London Biodiversity Partnership and the London Boroughs since 1997.  In 2008, Dusty became President of the European Federation of Green Roof and Walls Associations (EFB) and retired last year, now with the role of International Ambassador for the EFB.

With extensive knowledge about standards and guidelines from around the world, Dusty has been involved in designing innovative extensive green roofs, including wetland green roofs. His day job also includes inspecting green roofs that have failed or are perceived to have failed. While most only have minor problems, some really bad green roofs have been encountered, and there is a continuous effort to ensure fewer poor-quality green roofs.

At the core of this work is a love of nature, specifically birds. In the early days of green roofs, employment as a professional ornithologist and ecologist provided a unique perspective. Additionally, he has a passion for wildlife photography, which occasionally results in images of wildlife appearing on social media feeds.