Our Tīma - Team
DAN THURSTON CROW - TRUSTEE
Dan describes himself as a businessman and an environmentalist. Alongside his role with Sustainable Taranaki, he’s an organiser in the regional entrepreneurship catalyst, Startup Taranaki, and operates a strategy consultancy. His belief in the need to transform our economy and restore our environment through uncompromisingly sustainable business activity also has a political outlet: Dan was the 2020 New Plymouth candidate for The Opportunities Party. Prior to arriving back to Aotearoa NZ in 2020, Dan spent a year volunteering in the Americas on Earthrace’s tactical conservation vessel, The Modoc. He lives in Huiroa on a small permaculture plot with husband Thomas.
CHAUNCY ARDELL - TRUSTEE
Chauncy is keen to support our planet and its inhabitants based on the cornerstones of social, environmental, economic, cultural, and spiritual sustainability. During his varied life journey, he has explored volcanic Pacific islands, created permaculture tepee retreats, played in noisy punk bands, and has lived in beautiful wildlife reserves. In recent years he has been helping to grow biodiversity restoration with community groups, rangatahi, local and central government, and ordinary folks. One of his roles is the Urban Project Lead for Taranaki Taku Tūranga – Towards Predator Free Taranaki, where he strives to build and maintain a strong collective vision and environmental restoration outcomes with wonderful, diverse communities.
His whānau is grateful to live in Ōmata where they are able to incorporate restoration of bush areas, regenerative farming practices and permaculture food production principles into their busy lives - facing change and uncertainty with wellbeing, connectivity, humour, humility, sustainability, and Aroha.
GLEN BAXTER - TRUSTEE
Glen is passionate about the outdoors and can often be seen on the beautiful tracks of Te Papakura o Taranaki, on the beaches of Ngāmotu and enjoying the coastal walkway on his ebike.
Glen has a passion for helping those in his community engage with what sustainable energy means and its role in a sustainable society and economy. Alongside his role with Sustainable Taranaki, Glen is a policy and insights analyst at Ara Ake – New Zealand’s Future Energy Centre, where he helps those in his wider Aotearoa New Zealand community realise the true value of their energy assets, such as solar and batteries. Glen has a growing interest in how good policy can help drive a sustainable future.
Tēnā koutou katoa
He uri ahau nō Ngā Puhi te Iwi i te taha o tōku pāpā, nō Te Atiawa, Ngāti Mutunga ngā Iwi i te taha o tōku māmā Ko Taranaki te maunga, Ko Waitara te awa, Ko Manukorihi te Hapū, Ko Manukorihi te papakainga. Tokorua ngā tamāhine Ko Teremoana Atāhua Porter-Rawiri te matamua Ko Anahera Tiri-Lee Carmen Antonovich te pōtiki o te whānau, Ko Tiri Porter taku ingoa no reira tēnā koutou tēnā koutou tēnā tātou katoa.
This is Tiri’s second time around being a board member of Sustainable Taranaki. Her focus is to apply a Māori lens to everything the organisation does, in order to strengthen and equip the organisation to be the best that it can in achieving its mission to educate, inspire, and enable our community to protect, preserve and enhance our region’s unique taiao - the natural environment. In her spare time, Tiri attends local dance classes (Zumba Gold and Salsa) in Waitara, alongside supporting her youngest daughter in her sporting activities.
TIRI PORTER - TRUSTEE
JOE TURTON - OPERATIONS TEAM LEADER
As a passionate educator, Joe is excited to lead the team with the goal of making Taranaki a healthier region. Joe was born in the United Kingdom but grew up in Inglewood and has returned to New Plymouth with whānau after spending 15 years overseas where he co-founded a Green School in Guatemala.
TANE MANU - KAIWHAKAHAERE (REGIONAL MANAGER) TE ARA TAIAO
Tane is passionate about sharing tikanga and is deeply connected to his hapū Ngā Māhanga ā Tairi, which includes Pūniho Pā and Ōākura Pā.
After teaching at New Plymouth’s WITT polytechnic and Te Wananga o Aotearoa, he focused on Te Ao Māori through delivering the Kai Oranga program with his wife Tara at Ōākura Pā.
Tane loves spending time with his tamariki and refereeing rugby league - so watch out for the whistle!
JANE BOWDEN-DOBSON - TE ARA TAIAO KAITUHITUHI (EDUCATION COORDINATOR)
Jane is an experienced leader in protecting our environment and teaching young people how they can create change. As the new Kairukuruku (education coordinator), Jane will connect rangatahi, schools and Ngā Mahanga a Tairi hapū in the Kaitake area.
"I'm excited to learn alongside students about our interconnectedness with the Kaitake forest, whenua (land), and awa (rivers)."
Jane is one of three coordinators working in the Te Ara Taiao program, that supports tamariki with their aspirations to care for our region's unique taiao -natural environment. Jane has worked for the Department of Conservation supporting restoration and education initiatives.
She loves to explore the beach with her boys or spend time in the garden.
DAVE MALCOLM - ZERO WASTE EDUCATOR
As a primary teacher, Dave developed a passion for educating tamariki about sustainability and fostering kaitiakitanga (guardianship of the environment).
Through working with tamariki participating in the Enviroschools Programme, he supported their efforts to build on their wider community's participation in caring for our whenua. He’s volunteered for Wellington’s Sustainability Trust in supporting community events to engage in zero waste practices.
Dave grew up in Taranaki and is following his dream of living a peaceful life on a rural property working towards self-sufficiency.
MIEKE VERSCHOOR - WORKSHOP COORDINATOR & FACILITATOR
Mieke is a talented organic horticulture tutor who loves to share her knowledge at workshops.
After migrating from the Netherlands in 2004, Mieke left a hospitality career of developing businesses to combine her passion for gardening, permaculture, and sustainability. She’s keen to educate people about the simple steps you can do to care for our whenua and reduce waste.
BRITTANY RYAN - PARTNERS LEAD
After working for the trust for a number of years as the Communications Manager, Brittany is excited to embark on a much sought-after passion project. Her degree in Horticulture and Business helps her to showcase the Sustainable Backyards Trail with the aim to inspire more people to find creative ways to live and work in harmony with our taiao. With a love for writing and capturing local, uplifting stories, as well as forming new relationships, Brittany looks forward to carrying the Trail legacy further. She is also the Partners Lead for the team, forming new relationships with businesses, tangata whenua, and organisations for a collaborative approach to sustainability. She has a young family and is an active volunteer at the Marfell Community Garden and Marfell Community School.
Alice loves being outdoors and is always off on an adventure with her husband and two tamariki. Growing up in the wonderful Taranaki region has allowed a passion for the environment to flourish and they love the opportunity to go out and explore it. She is a keen gardener, growing her own kai and as a family they love to visit the beach and the ocean to gather kaimoana.
As a Landscape Architect, Alice has designed residential gardens, parks, streetscapes, commercial properties and playgrounds. She loves seeing a project through from conception to becoming a place that brings people together, a place that people can share and a beautiful outdoor space that people love being in.
With a passion for the environment she encourages living sustainably through recycling, re-purposing, growing, sharing and borrowing.
ALICE ARNOLD - SOUTH TARANAKI COMMUNITY GARDEN COORDINATOR
Hineana is a yoga teacher, a creative crafter, and a keen gardener and surfer. She was raised with tikanga Māori, which naturally led her to having a strong sense of kaitiakitanga. Hineana’s whenua is in Tataraimaka, Taranaki. She studied geography and environmental studies at Victoria University, before setting off to explore the world and learn from other cultures, through volunteering in various projects. She recently returned to Aotearoa where she has been teaching yoga and studying to become an Ayurvedic Health Counsellor. She is passionate about integrating the wisdom of mātauranga Māori and the worldviews of indigenous cultures across the world into our relationship with the environment.
HINEANA TODD - TE ARA TAIAO KAIRURUKU (EDUCATOR)
ELRIC AUBLANT - COMMUNICATION MANAGER & NATURE CLEANUPS COORDINATOR
Elric grew up in Dordogne (France), studied both in France and Canada, and move to Aotearoa in 2016 with a background in sports marketing and communication.
After 3 years of managing the French Embassy’s communication in Wellington, he is really excited to be directly involved in all the sustainable actions he is passionate about: cycling, reducing waste and gardening to name a few!
You might find him around Taranaki riding his bike, surfing on the coast, running around the maunga or eating a French pastry (chocolatine!) in town!
ERIN STRAMPEL - EVENT SPECIALIST
Erin has a big heart for the outdoors and looking after our environment. She was in Christchurch working towards her Bachelors in Outdoor Education and Sustainability before the February earthquake in 2011. It was an inspirational time to help rebuild the community and engage with passionate youth. Erin started with Sustainable Taranaki in 2014, and is taking time to be a mum after previously working with rangatahi (students) to connect their environmental ideas and turn them into reality.
LEXI HARCOURT - ZERO WASTE EVENT COORDINATOR
Lexi, a Taranaki local, has joined our team after spending several years as a primary school teacher. She has always had a deep passion for caring for animals and the environment, having grown up watching David Attenborough. As an adult, she has worked for the SPCA, volunteered at wildlife sanctuaries, and fostered animals, all while trying to live sustainably. Lexi is the Zero Waste Events Coordinator at Sustainable Taranaki. She enjoys hanging out with friends, mountain biking, learning to surf, gardening, DIY, and upcycling. In her role, Lexi shares her knowledge and passion for reducing waste going to landfills, helping to create a cleaner Aotearoa for tomorrow for the people and the animals.
JENNI HAMMONDS - SUSTAINABLE BACKYARDS TRAIL MANAGER
Jen is a strong advocate for moving Aotearoa in a direction that values the environment and social justice. She is an educator, designer and entrepreneur who has worked on a number of Sustainable Taranaki projects, including the Taranaki Sustainable Backyards Trail.
Since its inception, Jen has been involved in the marketing and design of the Trail, and her property Native Nook featured in 2022. Partway through 2023 she took over the management of the event and has hit the ground running. Jen is supported by Mieke and Elric (what a team!), and together they look forward to growing more backyards sustainably!
DARLENE GIBSON - TE ARA TAIAO KAIRURUKU (EDUCATOR)
Ko Taranaki raua Pirongia oku maunga
Ko Waitara raua Waipa oku awa
Ko Tokomaru raua Tainui oku waka
Ko Te Ati awa, Taranaki iwi, Ngati Awa raua Ngati Maniapoto oku iwi
Ko Darlene taku ingoa
My passion lies within the Taiao realm, by giving back and healing papatūānuku I believe we can begin to right the wrongs of generations past. By restorative planting for wildlife and reducing erosion, planting for filtration of our waterways and planting maara kai, through education we can ALL create a better, sustainable tomorrow.
With my experience in holistic healing and rongoa practices, hua parekore maara kai and native restoration design -I hope I can plant ‘kakano of thought’ within our youth to become environmental advocates. Together, we can heal Aotearoa back to the green Godzone it once was.
CHERRY SMITH - TE ARA TAIAO KAIRURUKU (EDUCATOR)
He mihi maioha ki a koutou katoa.
He uri o te moana nui a Kiwa, o Ngaiterangi hoki, e mihi ana ki a koutou o Taranaki whānui.
Cherry was raised on a sheep farm in te rohe potae (the King Country) where she developed a deep connection to the land. After homeschooling her four children, Cherry ventured into education - teaching in bilingual and English medium schools, bush school and tertiary education.
After moving to Taranaki, Tiere was blessed with the opportunity to begin her journey learning te reo me ōnā tikanga, which further deepened her connection to the whenua through matauranga māori. Tiere is passionate about learning-through-doing and enjoys hands-on, authentic experiences that nurture both physical and spiritual connections between ourselves and the taiao we are part of.
SUZY RANDALL - ZERO WASTE EVENT SUPERVISOR
Working at Sustainable Taranaki, brings together the three things I love the most, people, sustainability and having fun at events!
My journey through life has taken me from studying Environmental Science in Australia, working in food cooperatives in Brisbane, bird conservation in Samoa and biodiversity training for the Dept. of Conservation in Wellington (that’s the Conservation and Sustainability part). To running training and culture change programme for Auckland Live (that’s the events stuff) and most recently Agile ways of working at Genesis (the people part).
I moved to Taranaki in order to be closer to my community, get back into sustainability and volunteer more. When I am not having fun with volunteers at events, I am volunteering at Tūpare, playing in my garden or cycling/tramping/dog walking.
MOON ANTHONY - MARFELL COMMUNITY GARDEN COORDINATOR
I come from Vietnam. I am a geologist and hydrogeologist. In Viet Nam, I worked for the Government for 17 years as an expert in water resource management. I participated in inter-government projects related to climate change, water environment management with Sweden, Japan and Rotterdam.
At the moment, I work for Sustainable Taranaki as the Marfell Community Garden Coordinator. I am a member of Climate Justice Taranaki and an External Affair Manager for a local renewable energy project. I am happy to contribute to Taranaki's environment and Community.