Our Team

Time at WIO: Since 2003
Time working in the outdoors: 25 years
Favourite Pursuit: Kayaking, rockclimbing, mountain biking, photography (lots of the great images on our website are Johnny’s)
Favourite place for adventures:  New Zealand!
Favourite piece of equipment: My bike and my camera

Time at WIO: Since January 2001 
Time working in the outdoors: 22 years
Favourite Pursuit: Mountain biking.  Lots of great riding in the Kaiteriteri and Nelson areas.
Favourite place for adventures: Love the Tasman and Golden Bay area.  Kahurangi and Nelson Lakes National Parks are great venues for the family especially the Owen, Arthur, Cobb areas.
Favourite piece of equipment: Enjoying trying different mountain bikes.  Converted to soft tails – there’s no going back!

Time at WIO: Since October 2018.
Time working in the outdoors: 5 years.
Favourite Pursuit: Would hate to have to choose, there is always a favourite that fits with who you are exploring with and what the weather forecast is.
Favourite place for adventures: Arthurs’ Pass and Tongariro National Park would be the current top two, but really anywhere where the hills are big and the view is awesome.
Favourite piece of equipment: Running shoes, paddle, a bike. And a map to guide me on awesome adventures.

Time at WIO: AVT 2000 was the start. Currently working through my 5th year.
Time working in the outdoors: 1982 got kicked out of school…been outside ever since.
Favourite Pursuit: Kai gathering.
Favourite place for adventures: Anywhere in the Tauihu.
Favourite piece of equipment:  A sharp knife.

Time at WIO: Since January 2016
Time working in the outdoors: Since 2005
Favourite Pursuit: Telmark skiing – free the heel, free the mind.
Favourite place for adventures: Rock of Ages Biv, Kitchener Cirque, Mt Aspiring National Park, its a magical place.
Favourite piece of equipment: My cozy creek chair – its compact, amazingly comfortable, doubles as a half length sleeping mat and can be made into a splint if somebody breaks an arm or a leg.

Time at WIO: Originally in 2012 and then back in September 2016
Time working in the outdoors: 20+ years
Favourite Pursuit: Staying in as many Mountain Huts as possible, Brevet long distance cycling and listening to as much U2 as possible.
Favourite place for adventures: The Mountains.
Favourite piece of equipment: Coffee plunger and light sabre.

Time at WIO: Since Feb 2018.
Time working in the outdoors: I have been facilitating, teaching hairdressing with young people in Auckland, Wellington & Nelson for 13yrs…Then after having the opportunity to do a course at Outward Bound, I get to work with young people in the outdoors.
Favourite Pursuit: Having fun with the whanau – catching up with the children and grandchildren here and away – and if everyone is busy, paddling waka.
Favourite place for adventures: Any of the beaches around this area to explore with the grandchildren and the water to paddle waka.
Favourite piece of equipment: My waka paddle, maybe soon a VI waka?

Time at WIO: Started October 2018.
Time working in the outdoors: 3 years.
Favourite Pursuit: Kayaking or mountain biking are the two things I do the most but am pretty happy doing anything outside!
Favourite place for adventures: Kahurangi National Park.
Favourite piece of equipment: Aeropress – world’s best portable coffee maker (voted by me)

Time at WIO: Since January 2015.  When not working at WIO, I volunteer with Tides of Rites of Passage for young women, and on the  board of Leave No Trace NZ as the Training Co-ordinator.
Time working in the outdoors: Since 2010 after a previous life as an Environmental Engineer.  My favourite thing about outdoor education is imparting a strong sense of place, seeing students work together in a team to achieve more than they thought they could and having adventures underground!
Favourite Pursuit: Caving! but I also love spending time in the bush, permaculture, cooking and more caving.
Favourite place for adventures: The northern side of Mt Owen, Kahurangi National Park.
Favourite piece of equipment: My gumboots!  I also love my climbing trad rack.

Time at WIO: Since January 2019.
Time working in the outdoors: Since October 2018.
Favourite Pursuit: It’s too tricky to narrow it down to just one activity. Anything in and on the ocean – especially sea kayaking and surfing. Mountain biking, rock climbing, tramping & climbing.
Favourite place for adventures: The rugged, wild West Coast rivers, mountains and crags.
Favourite piece of equipment: A frisbee, yeeeeew!

Time at WIO: 1 year.
Relevant Experience: 10 years working in the outdoors.
Favourite Pursuit: Facilitation – asking the right purposeful questions to allow students the opportunity to reflect and incorporate their kinesthetic learning within themselves.
Favourite place for adventures: Sea. Marlborough Sounds. The moods the changeable weather creates is awesome.
Favourite piece of equipment: Compass – you need to know where you are before learning where you can go.

Time at WIO: 6 weeks volunteering in 2015 and now working from January 2018
Relevant Experience: 2 years sea kayaking in the Abel Tasman and 1.5 years working in Australia instructing.
Favourite Pursuit: Either sea kayaking or off track hiking paired with awesome company and delicious food.
Favourite place for adventures: Has to be Marlborough Sounds!  Love the isolation, sometimes harsh weather and the stunning views.
Favourite piece of equipment: Rain gear, a compass and a full flask of coffee.

Time at WIO: 4 years.
Time working in the outdoors: More than 30!
Favourite Pursuit: Trail running or orienteering.
Favourite place for adventures: Lake Sylvester.
Favourite piece of equipment: My tent circa 1973.

Time at WIO: This is my first year working at WIO as an instructor but I’ve previously done 3 years of course under the korowai of Whenua Iti.
Relevant Experience: I haven’t worked in the outdoors for that long but I’ve participated in multiple outdoor activies with Whenua Iti; rock climbing, caving, waka ama & looong walks. They’re all highlights for me and a big reason why I have a passion for Whenua Iti.
Favourite Pursuit: Being outdoors with our rangatahi and watching them overcome their fears. I also love walking the Abel Tasman and being around our Māori atua. I see it as one of my safe havens.
Favourite place for adventures: Would definitely have to be Golden Bay. Wharariki beach, Waikoropupu, Pohara & the township itself.
Favourite piece of equipment: My head torch, red band gumboots & warm jacket. That’s all I need.