From environmental educators and project managers to community connectors and zero waste champions, we are united by a shared mission: to empower our region towards a more sustainable, resilient future.
Together, we represent decades of collective knowledge across climate action, circular economy solutions, waste minimisation, and community development. Whether we’re running workshops, delivering impactful programmes, or collaborating with local businesses and iwi, every action we take is shaped by our values and our people.
When you partner with Sustainable HB, you’re not just supporting a cause – you’re joining forces with a capable, courageous team committed to creating real and lasting change for generations to come.
Michelle is the friendly face that greets you at our Hastings Centre and the driving force behind community engagement across both our Hastings and Taradale Hubs. As Community Education Lead, she’s all about building connections, sharing knowledge, and helping locals take practical steps toward sustainable living. From hosting events and workshops to running our Zero Waste Hubs, Michelle ensures these spaces are welcoming, informative, and empowering for everyone who walks through the door.
Originally from Malaysia, Michelle moved to Aotearoa in 2016 to study Zoology. With a background in animal husbandry and wildlife rehabilitation – including hands-on training at Kiwi Park in Queenstown – she brings a deep passion for conservation and environmental stewardship to her role. When she’s not leading sustainability efforts in the community, you’ll likely find her exploring the great outdoors, camping, or tramping through the landscapes she works so hard to protect.
michelle@sustainablehb.org.nz
Born and raised in Hawke’s Bay, Jae combines a love for people and the natural world in everything she does. With a background in Social Sciences and a major in Community Psychology, her career has spanned health, education, and community development – all of which she brings to her work at Sustainable Hawke’s Bay.
As part of the Wai Connection team, Jae runs biodiversity-focused workshops and delivers hands-on freshwater education in schools across the region. Whether it’s water quality testing, native planting, pest trapping, or litter clean-ups, she helps students connect deeply with rivers, lakes, and wetlands. Jae also wears a second hat as a Sustainable Homes Assessor, supporting whānau to make their homes warmer, drier, healthier, and more energy efficient. Passionate about community and the environment, she’s proud to help guide Hawke’s Bay toward a more sustainable future.
If you’re organising an event in Hawke’s Bay and want to make it more sustainable, she’d love to connect.
John is Sustainable HB’s Research Manager, bringing with him a strong academic background and decades of experience in applied research. His first project with the team was leading Sustainable HB’s contribution to a joint study with the University of Auckland on the health and wellbeing impacts of Cyclone Gabrielle.
Since then, John has continued to spearhead collaborative research efforts, including a partnership with Manaaki Whenua investigating the motivations and barriers landowners face when restoring wetlands and native forest. He is passionate about research that informs real-world outcomes and is actively growing Sustainable HB’s network of research partners to support impactful, community-driven work.
john@sustainablehb.org.nz
