Our trustees are volunteers who bring a diverse range of interests and skills, and all of whom share a passion for Hauturu.
David holds an LlB Victoria University of Wellington, practising lawyer in private practice for 43 years until retirement but continues as a Notary Public. He has been involved in conservation and environmental matters since university days (Native Forest Action Council) in governance, advocacy and active roles, and continues to be with various organisations. David counts himself as fortunate every day to look out on Hauturu from his home at Omaha.
Currently Executive General Manager Risk & Assurance at Auckland Transport, Rodger is a Chartered Accountant and retired partner from Deloitte. He has spent 30 years in governance, risk management and audit roles assisting many New Zealand organisations in the public, private and not for profit sectors. Rodger initially developed an interest in Hauturu through his keen interest in boating and fishing around New Zealand.
Hauturu is an island of stark ecological contrast. Above the coastline around Hauturu the ecosystem is highly prized and protected, while below the tideline the ecosystem continues to be trashed by relentless fishing activities. This enigma is of concern to Andrew Jeffs, a marine scientist at the University of Auckland. As a trustee he aims to bring greater attention to resolving this enigma to restore the whole ecosystem of Hauturu.
Kate is an experienced business and conservation leader. She is a writer and consultant with strategy, facilitation and change experience across the public and private sector in New Zealand and globally. Kate advocates for a collaborative approach to biodiversity and ecosystems restoration, and is a member of the Auckland Conservation Board, Chair of the Aotea Great Barrier Environmental Trust and Deputy Chair of the Aotea Conservation Park Advisory Committee. She is married with three daughters and is completing Masters in Creative Writing at the University of Auckland.
Born in 1971, Richard Griffiths gained his MSc at Lincoln University in 1996. He began working for the Department of Conservation in 1998 and over the next 13 years spearheaded a number of threatened species programs and island restoration projects including the operations to remove rats from Hauturu and eight pest species from Rangitoto and Motutapu. Richard led the Hihi Recovery Group between 2000 and 2007 overseeing the species’ successful reintroduction to the mainland after a 120 year absence. Richard now works for the non-profit organisation Island Conservation for whom he leads a team of project managers and island restoration specialists to prevent extinctions through the removal of invasive vertebrates from islands across the world. He remains an honorary member of the Department of Conservation’s Island Eradication Advisory Group.
Chris has worked with seabirds in northern New Zealand for 20 years, first through observing them at sea, then through island visits and surveys including a leading role in finding the breeding site of the NZ storm-petrel. He is a founding member of the Northern NZ Seabird Trust and is fascinated by seabirds’ lives and their capabilities and enjoys telling their stories. Chris was one of the inaugural winners of the Holdaway Environment Award 2013 (Hauraki Gulf Forum) for his advocacy for seabirds and contributions to conservation and research.
Shaun is a seasoned visual communicator who protects and regenerates te taiao (the environment) through design, illustration, and photography. A visit to Te Hauturu-o-Toi inspired him to amplify his efforts for Predator Free 2050 Limited.
As a trustee of Mussel Reef Restoration Trust, he is particularly passionate about the restoration of marine ecosystems. Shaun’s volunteer work with shorebirds led to the development of NZTracker.org and decoys for Aotearoa’s rarest endemic bird. A vocal force for positive environmental change in Tīkapa Moana / Te Moananui-ā-Toi / The Hauraki Gulf Marine Park, Shaun actively advocates for marine conservation, combating overfishing and pollution.
Peter works for Manaaki Whenua – Landcare Research – leading a team of science staff studying Aotearoa’s fungal, bacterial, plant, and invertebrate biodiversity. Trained as a fungal scientist (mycologist), he first visited Hauturu to collect fungi in the 1980s. Manaaki Whenua’s national biological collections and databases include many specimens and records from Hauturu.
In promoting public awareness of biodiversity, Peter assisted establishment of BioBlitz events in 2004 and the annual NZ Fungal Forays in 1986. Peter encourages school students to understand fungal ecology and traditional uses via a bilingual teaching resource on fungi, while also advocating for conservation of our threatened fungi.
Sue is a clinical psychologist, who has a passion for the outdoors and community. She grew up in nearby Whangaripō Valley with Hauturu being part of her physical and emotional landscapes. There is also a deep family connection through her great grandfather, Donald Petrie. The Auckland Museum President and notable botanist visited Hauturu with Shakespear in 1896 in an advocacy role.
Sue’s own visits to Hauturu opened her eyes to the island’s magic and she became involved to ensure its magic and mana are treasured and upheld. She looks forward to working with key stakeholders to this end.
Patrick is an experienced trusts and property lawyer based in Warkworth who has acted for charities and helped them navigate compliance and governance issues.
He has always had an interest in conservation and its issues and been fascinated by the Islands of the Hauarki Gulf. He appreciates the huge part Hauturu has to play as a nature reserve locally, nationally and beyond and would like to play a part in supporting its protection and help the Trust to continue and improve its role in this special place’s conservation.
Anna is a highly experienced public relations professional who is skilled in strategy development, communication strategy implementation, and advocacy. She is a Fellow of the Public Relations Institute of NZ and was Chief Judge of the Institute’s annual awards for four years. During her career, Anna has worked with a wide range of organisations, including profit, not-for-profit and environmental advocacy.
A lifelong love of the natural environment drew her to become a Hauturu supporter. Anna’s desire to support the Trust’s goals was further strengthened by a visit to the island in 2018 – an experience she describes as “magical”.