With a research background in weed and invertebrate ecology, Dr Imogen Bassett has since spent over a decade working in local government biosecurity and conservation, focused on leading and facilitating evidence-informed conservation operations and policy. Imogen has had lead roles in developing and implementing Auckland’s Regional Pest Management Plan 2020-2030 (RPMP). The RPMP introduced new initiatives to prevent pest spread to islands, including mandatory ‘Pest free warrants’ for commercial transport operators, and regulating the trade and movement of pet parrots and reptiles. The RPMP also set out a range of programmes managing established pests on islands, including eradication of possums, wallabies, stoats and rats from Kawau Island, and an ambition to eradicate 30 species of pest plants from Aotea Great Barrier. Imogen has led public conversations on the emotive topic of domestic cat management for biodiversity protection, including tailoring conversations to island communities. Imogen’s work also includes national collaborations, developing a ‘Clean Hull Plan’, co-chairing the National Biocontrol Collective, peer reviewing the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment’s report ‘Space Invaders: A review of how New Zealand manages weeds that threaten native ecosystems’, and contributing to the Biological Heritage National Science Challenge.

Keith has worked in the conservation field for 45 years, initially for the NZ Forest Service and later the Department of Conservation. Retiring from DOC in 2023, he is now a part time consultant, nature photographer and conservation volunteer. His focus throughout this career has been on pest management for biodiversity gain.  For almost 30 years he has led the Island Eradication Advisory Group, an internal DOC group established to share technical advice across pest eradication projects on islands and build capacity among eradication project managers. This group has supported many challenging projects throughout the world.

Luciana Luna Mendoza has been working in the restoration of Mexican Islands for more than 20 years. She has been directly involved in the restoration of Guadalupe Island, Mexico, as part of the Grupo de Ecología y Conservación de Islas (GECI), participating in the eradication of feral goats. She currently oversees a project, in collaboration with Mexican federal agencies and international donors, to restore vegetation communities on this island, as well as leading the feral cat eradication. She has also participated in many different island restoration projects in Mexico and elsewhere. In 2024, she received one of Mexico’s government’s most important environmental awards, the Reconocimiento a la Conservación de la Naturaleza [Recognition of Nature Conservation], in recognition of the conservation and ecological restoration of the unique Guadalupe Island.

Jessi Morgan is the Chief Executive of the Predator Free New Zealand Trust, a role she has held since the Trust’s inception in 2013. The Trust’s mission is to inspire, empower and connect people and community groups all over New Zealand in their efforts to suppress and ultimately eradicate introduced predators such as rats, possums, mustelids and feral cats. Before working at the Trust, Jessi led the Million Dollar Mouse fundraising campaign, a joint project between the Morgan Foundation, the Department of Conservation and other to raise a million dollars to eradicate mice from Antipodes Island. Jessi bring business and corporate experience from her previous life as Head of Operations at Trade Me, a role she held for ten years.

Nicola Rata-MacDonald MNZM is the Tumu Whakarae of Ngāti Manuhiri Settlement Trust and a nationally recognised leader in environmental restoration and protection. She has championed Indigenous-led restoration, grounded in kaitiakitanga and mātauranga Māori. Nicola has led landmark marine initiatives, including the deployment of over 25 million kūtai into the Hauraki Gulf through Revive Our Gulf, and the Kohunga Kūtai project, which replaces plastic spat lines with native plant fibres. She co-chairs the Exotic Caulerpa National Advisory Group, advocating rapid response solutions. Nicola is also the co-chair of the Hauraki Gulf Forum and holds governance roles across key conservation boards. In 2024, she was named New Zealand Environmental Hero of the Year.

Stephanie Rowe is the Deputy Director-General Biodiversity, Heritage and Visitors in the New Zealand Department of Conservation. Stephanie grew up dreaming of working in conservation. Her time as a scientist at DOC remains one of the formative and exciting parts of her career. She has gained experience leading across strategy, policy, research, intelligence and operations at multiple government agencies. The Biodiversity, Heritage and Visitors group is the centre of DOC’s technical and scientific expertise. They set the direction for conservation work and look at how we can achieve our goals. The group leads the implementation of Te Mana o Te Taiao (the Aotearoa New Zealand Biodiversity Strategy).

Emeritus Professor David Towns from Auckland University of Technology, is renowned for his pioneering work in conservation biology. Over more than 40 years, he has significantly advanced our understanding of invasive species impacts on islands and has developed innovative methods for reptile conservation. In 2019, he received the Sir Charles Fleming Award for Environmental Achievement from the Royal Society of New Zealand and in 2021 a Distinguished Service Award from the Society for Conservation Biology. His recent book “Ahuahu: A Conservation Journey in Aotearoa New Zealand”, won the 2023 Whitley Book Award for conservation zoology. In 2023, he was appointed Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to New Zealand conservation. Although supposedly retired, Professor Towns continues educational writing and conservation advisory work for community groups.

David Will is a leader in applying emerging technologies to improve the success and scalability of island restoration. With over fifteen years of experience, he has pioneered new methods such as AI-powered real-time cameras, eradication decision support systems, remote sensing technologies, baiting drones, eDNA rodent detection, and the development of genetic biocontrol strategies to improve eradication and restoration efforts. He is currently developing a scalable NASA Earth observation framework to monitor and adaptively manage ecosystem restoration after eradication. Through global partnerships, David is redefining how island restoration projects are designed, implemented, and monitored, ensuring lasting outcomes for nature and people.