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About

Vision

A Healthy Ocean for a
Healthy Future

Mission

Scaling up Science, Innovation & Outreach for a
Healthy Ocean

Our Purpose

To have the future we want, we must have a thriving ocean, full of life.  Where we understand the role a healthy ocean plays in mitigating the brutal effects of climate change. Where we understand that by restoring and protecting our ocean, we all benefit. 

THE CHALLENGE

The ocean and the life in it face multiple stressors; climate change, pollution, and over-fishing. But it also faces another more pervasive issue – lack of prioritisation, funding and support.

Aotearoa New Zealand has a special role to play as guardian to one of the largest and most significant ocean spaces on the planet. As ocean people we need to step up and act with urgency and decisiveness.

HOW WE WORK

We partner with exceptional New Zealand scientists and innovators to fund action for a healthy ocean. Using the powerful platform of sport, we bring global attention to the vital message to protect what we love and need, the ocean.

New Zealand’s maritime territory is 15 times its landmass
but we only protect 0.4% of it.

TOTAL TERRITORY
≈ 4,000,000 km²
≈ 0.4%
≈ 10 % Unprotected

OUR IMPACT

IN NUMBERS

1

Marine conservation projects supported

$ 1 M

Directed to the projects we support

0

knowledge partners working with us to drive action for a healthy ocean

0 +

ocean champions engaged using their voice and platform for the ocean

Blair Tuke
Founder
Blair Tuke’s love of the ocean has driven both his extraordinary sailing career and his mission to protect it for future generations. With six 49er World Championship titles, Olympic gold, and two silver medals, Blair transitioned from the 49er class to new challenges, including a podium finish in the 2017-18 Volvo Ocean Race on MAPFRE. He has also won the America’s Cup three times—first as flight controller on Emirates Team New Zealand’s foiling catamaran in 2017, then defending the Cup in New Zealand in 2021 and Barcelona in 2024. In 2021, Blair took on another challenge, leading the Black Foils New Zealand SailGP team as joint CEO alongside longtime sailing partner Peter Burling. A Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, a BLAKE leader, and World Sailor of the Year, Blair is equally committed to ocean conservation. As co-founder of Live Ocean Foundation and Live Ocean Racing, he channels his passion into protecting the ocean that has shaped his life and career.
Peter Burling
Founder
Peter Burling is one of New Zealand’s most accomplished sailors and a passionate champion for ocean restoration and protection. His sailing achievements include Olympic gold and two silver medals, nine World Championship titles (six in the 49er class), and three America’s Cup victories. As co-CEO of the Black Foils New Zealand SailGP team, Peter continues to excel on the global stage. His growing awareness of ocean health, sparked during the 2017/18 Volvo Ocean Race, fuels his commitment to conservation. A member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, a BLAKE leader, and twice crowned World Sailor of the Year, Peter combines technical brilliance with an innate understanding of wind and sea. Peter seamlessly merges his sailing career with his mission to protect the ocean. As the co-founder of Live Ocean Foundation and Live Ocean Racing, Peter works to drive action to safeguard the ocean and raise awareness around the vital role it plays in the health of the planet.

Our Team

Our small but mighty team brings a range of ocean experience, both on and off the water.

Rosalie Nelson
Chief Executive
Rosalie is passionate about helping Aotearoa New Zealand create global impact as a testbed for world-class innovation, science and technology. Over the past decade, she has held executive roles translating policy and mission into strategy and delivery across complex public and private sectors. As Chief Executive of the Hillary Institute and Edmund Hillary Fellowship, she worked with global climate leaders, innovators and investors to attract talent to Aotearoa. Earlier roles at Chorus and Callaghan Innovation strengthened her ability to turn high-impact missions into action. She believes the ocean is central to Aotearoa’s identity and future, and that Live Ocean’s work can inspire global change. Outside work, she enjoys hiking, cycling, kayaking, live music, and exploring New Zealand and beyond with her daughter, Georgia.
Hannah Prior
Impact Director
Hannah has over a decade of experience in New Zealand’s environmental non-profit sector, focusing on leadership and engagement. She created and led BLAKE’s Young Blake Expeditions, voyaging to the Kermadecs and Sub-Antarctic, and worked as a Science Communication Fellow with the Ocean Exploration Trust. With degrees in Law and Arts and a Master’s in Environmental Law, her passion for the ocean drives her mission to safeguard and restore its health for future generations.
Jodie Bakewell-White
Partnerships & Communications Manager
Jodie brings a deep passion for the ocean and sailing to her role as Communications and Partnerships Manager at Live Ocean, backed by a strong track record in brand, storytelling, and communications for leading New Zealand charities. She most recently led communications at Melanoma New Zealand and previously worked at the Starship Foundation, where she managing high-profile awareness campaigns, supporting fundraising for the Starship National Air Ambulance and the Paediatric Intensive Care Unit expansion. Jodie’s communications career began at Yachting New Zealand after a global circumnavigation as crew aboard a privately-owned 110-foot luxury schooner. Her professional and personal ties to sailing have remained strong, including media and comms leadership for two of New Zealand’s Olympic Sailing Teams, notably during the medal-winning Rio 2016 campaign and short-term communications support for the Black Foils.
Sue Ratcliffe
Chief Financial Officer
Sue is a Chartered Accountant and has had a long career in the not-for-profit and charity sector, primarily leading out finance in large health and philanthropic organisations. Sue is passionate about the environment and has worked for many years for BLAKE, which has strong synergy with Live Ocean Foundation. Sue enjoys outdoor pursuits, travelling and time with family and friends.
Elaine Harris
Project Manager
Exploring the connection between people, land and sea has played a pivotal role throughout Elaine’s career. Working with organisations such as Environment Canterbury and FarmIQ, Elaine executed a variety of successful marketing campaigns and outreach programmes, designed to educate, and evoke positive action. Her SaaS and environmental management background inspired Elaine to utilise her skills for the ocean and transition to the non-profit sector, where she has spent the past four years developing Live Ocean’s digital presence and optimising the team’s internal business functions. Raised on tales of her dad’s sailing adventures, Elaine jumped aboard a 420 at her first possible opportunity. With a special knack for capsizing and spending more time ‘in’ the water than ‘on’ it, she eventually traded the boat for a pair of fins. Now a trained scuba instructor, she can often be found exploring the bays around the Hauraki Gulf and Wellington Harbour.
Stephanie Soh Lavemaau
Digital Manager
Steph is a storyteller, photographer, and award-winning producer with more than a decade of experience in digital strategy, brand, and content for kaupapa-led organisations. She has worked across Parenting Place, Zeal, and Media Chaplaincy, strengthening engagement and connecting these organisations to their communities through thoughtful, creative, and highly relational mahi. As tauiwi, she brings a deep curiosity and appreciation for the ocean’s place in Aotearoa’s unique story and is excited to explore and share these connections with others.
Jax Todd
Office & Events Assistant
With the ocean in her blood, Jax grew up in, on, under and beside the Hauraki Gulf before working on sailing yachts around the world. Her time in the marine industry strengthened her appreciation for the ocean and deepened her awareness of the challenges it faces. Jax holds a degree in Environmental Science and brings strong administration experience from both the marine and education sectors. At Live Ocean, she’s proud to be applying her skills to a mission that reflects her lifelong connection to the sea and her commitment to a healthy ocean future.
Stephen Jones
Executive Director
NEW ZEALAND BOARD
Stephen is the Chair of the Live Ocean Board. Following a degree in engineering Stephen has had an extensive career in operational, commercial, and strategic roles in corporates in New Zealand and globally. These roles included 17 years with Fletcher Challenge in New Zealand, United States, South America and Australia and a further 16 years with Air New Zealand. More recently Stephen spent three years as Deputy CEO of Wizz Air in Geneva, Switzerland and four years as CEO of Flair Airlines in Vancouver, Canada. Growing up in the Bay of Islands, Stephen has always been involved with the ocean and has a passion for surfing and sailing and snowboarding.
Shelley Campbell
Trustee
New Zealand Board
Shelley (Ngāti Hine) is the Chief Executive of Wise Group, one of the largest providers of mental health and wellbeing services in New Zealand. Prior to that she was the CEO at the Waikato Bay of Plenty Cancer Society. Her passion for the  environment was honed during her time as CEO of the Sir Peter Blake Trust through their leadership development and environmental programmes for young New Zealanders.  She is on the Next Foundation Advisory Board and is also on the Board of the national science challenge, Sustainable Seas. She’s also an honorary Captain of the Royal NZ Navy, and a member of the New Zealand Order of Merit.  Shelley is a current board member of Te Pou o te Whakaaro Nui and Le Va, and has previously served on the board of the Halberg Foundation among others.  When she isn’t working Shelley can be found out fishing in the Coromandel, training for Iron Māori or with her three mokopuna. 
Sally Paterson
Trustee
New Zealand Board
Sally was Live Ocean’s founding Chief Executive, leading the organisation’s development alongside the founders. With a background in communications, she has spent over a decade in the for-purpose and philanthropic sector, including time at Blake, where she saw the power of sportspeople to raise awareness of environmental issues. In 2017, she earned a Graduate Certificate in Business (Philanthropy and Non-profit Studies) with distinction from the Australian Centre for Philanthropy and Nonprofit Studies. Before that, she spent 15 years providing media relations advice to corporate, consumer, and not-for-profit clients. Sally is also a trustee for First Foundation and the Cann Charitable Trust.
Jez Fanstone
TRUSTEE / DIRECTOR
NEW ZEALAND AND US BOARDS
Jez’s passion for the ocean started on the South Coast of England. His path was set with his first Whitbred 97/98 ocean race and then again with the 2001/02 race. Jez was involved with the British Olympic Sailing Team, coaching Ben Ainslie for the 2008 Olympic Games, before moving to NZ in 2006. He spent eight years as Yachting New Zealand’s High-Performance Director, where he led arguably the country’s most successful Olympic sailing campaigns (London 2012 and Rio 2016). It was through this he met Peter (then 17) and Blair (19) and coached them for the three years leading up to their Olympic silver medal in London. Jez sits on both the board for Live Ocean in NZ as well as the US board. The ocean has provided Jez’s life with so much and he is a strong advocate for leaving a healthy and productive ocean for future generations, an ocean full of life.
Andrew Judge
DIRECTOR
US BOARD
Andrew has worked with non-profits since 2005, serving as Programme and Capacity Development Director for Live Ocean during its establishment, before becoming CEO of the Australian Himalayan Foundation in 2023. Previously, he was COO and CEO of SurfAid International, leading significant program expansion, emergency responses, and securing government aid funding. Andrew holds a Master’s in International Law from Columbia University. A keen diver, he is always seeking out saltwater redemption.
Amanda Martin
DIRECTOR
US Board
Amanda has over 20 years experience as a tax advisor working in a Big 4 firm, a UK investment bank and Tax Principal at nsaTax Limited – New Zealand’s largest specialist tax practice.  In 2021,  Amanda founded New Zealand tax specialist firm, Tax Advisory Limited.  Her clients include SMEs, high net worth families, non-profits and other chartered accounting and law firms. Amanda has a Bachelor of Laws and Commerce from Otago University, is a member of Chartered Accountants Australia New Zealand and is an enrolled barrister and solicitor of the High Court of New Zealand. Amanda brings to Live Ocean her extensive experience with tax compliance and reporting obligations with tax authorities. Originally from Wellington, Amanda is a passionate advocate for ocean health. When not at work, Amanda loves spending time with her family on Rakino Island and diving in or sailing on the beautiful Hauraki Gulf.
Erin Miserlis
DIRECTOR
US Board
Erin Miserlis is a philanthropy and community engagement specialist with over 20 years in the non-profit sector. Specializing in organizational leadership with an emphasis on fundraising, marketing, and communications Erin most recently served as the US-based Executive Director for SurfAid International, which originated in Gisborne. As well as development roles with the YMCA and American Heart Association, Erin also worked for the Center for Community Solutions (CCS). She was the agency’s first-ever Development Director and raised over a half-million dollars for their emergency services programs and $250,000 in grant revenue, including the prestigious Oprah Winfrey Angel Network Grant. Erin spent her youth on the shores of Oxnard, CA which is home to the beautiful Channel Islands National Park. Spending the bulk of her time in and around these waters became the foundation for a lifetime appreciation of the ocean, its inhabitants, and preserving it for generations to come.

Our advisors are an invaluable resource for Live Ocean, providing decades worth of specialist knowledge, passion and insights.

Rochelle Constantine
Professor
UNIVERSITY OF AUCKLAND
Rochelle is a renowned biologist, lecturer, and relentless champion for the marine environment. Through her work at the University of Auckland, she has mentored future marine scientists, achieved unimaginable feats and led groundbreaking research, including Maui63—an AI-powered drone tracking Māui and Hector’s dolphins. Rochelle’s dedication to preserving New Zealand’s marine biodiversity has driven influential conservation efforts, making a lasting impact on science and ocean protection.
Tom Trnksi
HEAD OF NATURAL SCIENCES
AUCKLAND MUSEUM
Tom has over 30 years of expertise in South Pacific marine biodiversity. A global authority on marine fish larvae, his research spans biogeography, marine connectivity, and the benefits of marine reserves. As Co-Director of Te Mana o Rangitāhua, Tom integrates indigenous knowledge with ecosystem modeling to support the thrivability of Rangitāhua’s ocean, guided by Ngāti Kuri. He is also an accomplished author and researcher.
Our Supporters

Our supporters are people and organisations who passionately believe we need to do everything we can today for a better tomorrow. They’re ocean lovers. Like us they know Aotearoa has a special role to play in the fight for a healthy ocean. 

Their generosity supporting the organisation and amplification projects means 100% of public donations go to the projects we support. 

Ocean Champions

The ocean is an ecosystem. The better the life in it connects and works together, the more productive and vital it is.

We work with other ocean champions who provide a powerful platform to share the message of the urgent need for restoration and protection of our ocean.

Take Action to Create Lasting Solutions for Ocean Conservation

We need people like you to go the extra distance and bring your community around the ambition for a healthy ocean. Whether you are keen to join the club and hear more about the work we do, run a fundraiser, donate or jump on board as a supporter
GET ON BOARD

Every Stroke Counts. Every Signature Does Too.

Add your name to the
85,817 others calling for an end to bottom trawling!
Postcards for the Gulf

We’re on a mission to create 1,000 postcards to protect the Hauraki Gulf and we need your help.

Send us your favourite ocean photo and a few words about what you love most about the Gulf, and together, we’ll spotlight why the Gulf deserves urgent protection – for us, and for future generations.

Create Your Postcard