Professor Amanda Black (Tūhoe, Whakatōhea, Whānau-ā-Apanui) is the Director of Bioprotection Aotearoa, a TEC funded National centre of research excellence hosted at Lincoln University. Her research expertise is environmental soil and water biogeochemistry, focusing on soil health . She has recently focused her Rutherford Discovery Fellowship research on ecosystem resilience, forest health and tree dieback, with a particular focus on investigating ecological disturbance and how this translates into resilience to withstand challenges such as climate change.

Dr McIntosh is an Associate Professor and Researcher in Sociology at The University of Auckland. Completing her doctorate in sociology in 2002, she has lectured at the University since 1999, and in 2004-2005 was a Fulbright Visiting Lecturer in New Zealand Studies at Georgetown, Washington D.C. Tracey is also the Acting Director of Ngā Pae o te Māramatanga (NPM). She brings a wide level of experience to her role at NPM in international work, community development, student equity and her contributions to the academic community.