Team
National team
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| Kristel van Houte-Howes |
Kristel van Houte-Howes: National Director. Kristel graduated
from University of Waikato with a MSc in marine and freshwater ecology, and
currently works as an aquatic ecologist at NIWA (National Institute of Water and
Atmospheric Research) in Hamilton. She also has experience in agriculture and
zoology. Kristel was born in the south of The Netherlands, but became a “kiwi”
when she moved to New Zealand with her family at the age of 11, and has been
passionate about NZ, its diverse people and unique flora and fauna ever since.
Kristel recently spent 2 years living and working in the Pacific island of
Samoa, and regularly returns there to teach for short periods of time. Together
with her husband Justin, and 15 year old son Jordan, she was a volunteer at
Mwamba, A Rocha Kenya in 2005. She also loves spending time outdoors,
travelling, hanging out with friends, reading a good book and surfing... to name
a few...
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| Rob Davies-Colley |
Rob Davies-Colley: Practical projects co-ordinator. Rob is a
principal scientist at NZ's National Institute of Water and Atmospheric research
(NIWA). He has worked in the field of water quality and aquatic ecology for NIWA
and its predecessors for 30 years. Rob has particular interests in NZ’s geology,
natural history and biogeography. He is also a keen outdoor recreationalist
(hiking, surfing, snorkelling, diving, kayaking), and has special interests in
healthy and sustainable living (gardening, composting, nutrition, exercise,
cycle commuting, and reducing personal ecological ‘footprints’). He lives in
Hamilton with his wife Julie, and one of his three adult children.
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Andrew and Ingrid Shepherd: After completing a PhD in
Biology, Ingrid has spent the last decade in a variety of roles including
teaching (English language teaching to International students), co-directing an
environmental studies program for University students, administration for a
community trust, free-lance journalism (around science-ecology issues), and
parenting. Andrew has spent the last decade or so involved in various forms of
educational work with tertiary students, including working with student
movements in NZ and Colombia; co-directing an environmental studies program and
teaching theology at different tertiary institutions. He is currently engaged in
PhD studies exploring the Ethics of Hospitality. They live, with their two
children (Julia & Kristin), in Makarora in the South Island, and if not
home, can usually be found ‘tramping’ (hiking) or climbing in the outdoors.
* * *
Liza Storey: Prayer co-ordinator. Liza is interested in
global environmental change and how this affects people. She has submitted a
PhD, at the University of Waikato (UoW), looking at the combined effects of
climate and land use changes on an invasive weed and is now a researcher at the
International Global Change Institute, (IGCI), UoW. Liza was born in Brunei, and
has lived with her family in Jamaica and Fiji before moving to New Zealand in
2002. She enjoys a bit of art and craft, long walks, cooking, and more recently
- plant propagation. Liza is married to Richard Storey, and is enjoying
exploring some of New Zealand’s beautiful natural places and reflecting on what
it means to care for God’s creation. She is excited by the role A Rocha has in
joining with people, so we grow into a deeper understanding and demonstration of
caring for God’s creation.
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Board
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| Richard Storey |
Richard Storey: Chair of the Board. Richard Storey has had a
fascination with the natural world since his early childhood. Though not brought
up as a Christian, the testimony of God’s creation constantly reminded him of
God and was fundamental in his decision to follow Jesus in his late teens.
Richard studied biology at Auckland University, and then completed a PhD at
University of Toronto, Canada, focusing on the ecology of small rivers. For 2
years after graduating he worked for A Rocha Lebanon as scientific officer. Now
back in New Zealand, he is a freshwater biologist at NIWA (National Institute of
Water and Atmospheric Research) in Hamilton. He also chairs the national
committee of A Rocha Aotearoa New Zealand.
* * *
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| John Flenley |
John Flenley: John Flenley has been a committed Christian for
20 years and a research palaeo-ecologist for 40 years. He is best known for his
work on the Tropical Rain Forest and on Easter Island. He recently retired from
the post of Professor of Geography at Massey University, Palmerston North, New
Zealand. He is now active in forest restoration.
* * *
Nicola Hoggard-Creegan: Nicola lectures in systematic
theology at the Bible College of New Zealand and Tyndale Graduate School. She is
interested in issues at the boundaries—in particular those of
science/theology/ecology, and also feminism/evangelicalism. She takes part in
the Templeton Oxford Summer Seminars in Science and Christian Faith. And she has
co-authored a book, Living on the Boundary, with Christine Pohl,
exploring issues at the intersection of evangelicalism and feminism, published
by IVP.
* * *
Peter Willcox: Peter has a background in running small
businesses, and though now semi-retired, he continues to run a fish farm,
raising grass carp which are useful in clearing waterways of aquatic plants. As
well as his involvement with A Rocha, Peter is involved in prison ministry.
Peter and his wife Rita have 2 daughters and foster 2 more.
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Council of Reference
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| David Moxon |
Archbishop David Moxon: Archbishop and Co-Presiding Bishop
in the Anglican Church in Aotearoa, New Zealand and Polynesia; Bishop of the
Diocese of Waikato.
"A Rocha is one of the Gospel's most significant and dedicated responses to
the care of God's creation at this crucial time in the life of our planet. A
Rocha is an inspiring and effective response by Christians to the dramatic needs
of God's earth, our home, as we face the dangers of pollution and environmental
decay. We are called to renew the face of the earth by the Spirit of God."
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Professor John Morton: Emeritus Professor of the University
of Auckland, specialist in marine biology.
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| Glyn Carpenter |
Glyn Carpenter is national director for Vision Network of New
Zealand, a broad-spectrum Christian network and NZ member of the World
Evangelical Alliance. As well as having an interest in the environment, Glyn is
personally involved in several of Vision’s other networks including prayer,
evangelism, marketplace, missions, and politics. Glyn is married to Christine
(26 years) and has 3 late-teenage sons. Glyn worked for 28 years in computing,
training, and leadership, running his own NZ and Australia-based training
business from 1986 to 1997. Glyn lives in Auckland and relaxes through music,
reading, and being in, on, or near, the beautiful Waitemata harbour.
* * *
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| Anthony Cole |
Anthony Cole: Anthony is a transdisciplinary scientist. He
teaches at Te Wananga-o-Raukawa (a Maori cultural university) but is primarily
involved in contract research. Research interests include: modelling complex
systems, ecological restoration, whole-of-system accounting, trans-cultural
research, epistemology, classical history and religion.
* * *
Geoff Stevens: Trained as a soil research technician, Geoff
has been involved in Pastoral care ministry for about 40 yrs but only
intermittently in ‘normal’ Parish type ministry. Mostly his ministry has been to
the unchurched and marginalised of society. Geoff served as an Industrial
Chaplain for several years. He has been involved in the founding of 2
residential Christian Communities (Orama, Great Barrier Is. and Kodesh Community
Trust, Avondale), and in the late 1970s, managed the Environmental Ethics Trust
for which he was partly funded to carry out one of the first exploratory
recycling projects in NZ.
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Original A Rocha Aotearoa New Zealand initiative group, from left to right:
Top row: Eelkje Visser, Keith Hamill (and baby Laura), Glyn Carpenter, Andrew
Shepherd, Nicola Hoggard-Creegan, John Flenley, Ken Mickleson, Richard Storey,
Peter Willcox, Geoff Stevens
Bottom row: Anthony Cole, Kristel van Houte-Howes, Gerben Visser, Carolyn
Hamill, Rob Davies-Colley
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