Meet the committee

The Māui and Hector’s Dolphin Defenders committee crew is made up of dolphin lovers from across the motu. We are ordinary Kiwis and include or work with advocates, scientists, politicians and researchers.

Māui and Hector’s Dolphin Defenders became an Incorporated Society in 2012, and we became a registered Charity in 2024. The Society is run by a committee elected at our AGM every year. All decisions and transactions are transparent and overseen by the committee. We make campaign decisions by negotiation and agreement. We follow best available science to inform our views.

We meet at least four times a year, including committee members from around the country, who join in by video call.

Christine Rose

Christine is the founder and current chairperson of Māui and Hector’s Dolphin Defenders. She has been campaigning for these special ocean dwellers for about 25-30 years. She is lucky enough to have seen them from sea and land all around New Zealand, and will work to save them until her last breath.

Moira Barber

Moira Barber joined in 2014 She has lived on the west coast for years, in Raglan and Muriwai, and was captured by the elusive Māui dolphin who travel this coastline. An ocean lover, and strongly believing in doing what we can for future generations, Moira feels these beautiful creatures need more humans to be aware and take care of them, so they can share their joy for many years to come.

John Hieatt

Hi my name is John and I have been on the committee for about ten years now. I decided to join the committee because I am passionate about saving the Māui and Hector’s Dolphins from extinction. These beautiful dolphins are under threat from trawl and set nets as well as other threats, so I am doing my bit to help save them.

Beverly-Ann Lawrie

Over the last 10 years I’ve become aware of climate change and the impact our lifestyle is having on the wildlife, sea life. I started supporting causes, and dolphins, whales and Māui and Hector’s become my passion. I find it hard to believe how incredibly short-sighted our governments are. We are caretakers. We have no right to rape, plunder, destroy for our oceans. The fishers have a lot to answer for, so do our governments. I read the history. Over the last ten years we’ve lost so many dolphins and we seem to have very little impact on the government. Future generations of New Zealand have the right to enjoy Māui and Hector’s. We need to protect them from extinction for future generations. We need to become one voice.

Virginia Woolf

I became involved with the Māui and Hector’s Dolphin Defenders because I wanted to do something practical to help our endangered marine wildlife. I believe it is crucial to raise awareness with people through education and advocacy about the plight of not only NZ’s indigenous endangered species but also iconic species globally and to be their voice. By becoming actively involved in helping to save and protect endangered species such as Māui and Hector’s Dolphins, I believe I am doing something meaningful to make a difference, albeit in a small way. By networking with like-minded and inspiring people, who share the same mission to help the natural world and the creatures in it, means that you are not making this journey alone and have support.

Gemma McGrath

Gemma has 20 years’ experience working with cetaceans, she concentrates on Hector’s and Māui dolphins as a conservation priority. Gemma works with multiple NGOs, iwi and stakeholders. She conducts shore-based research around Southland and goes out on boats when she can. Her post-graduate research focusses on the historical abundance and distribution of Hector’s and Māui, as well as indigenous traditional ecological knowledge pertaining to the species.

Julia Graeter

Julia, born and raised in Germany, moved to New Zealand in 2020. Her journey overseas was driven by a profound desire for a life immersed in the ocean and its marine life. A lifelong whale enthusiast, she dedicated herself to protecting the natural environment, particularly the ocean and its marine mammals. Now based in Christchurch, she is fortunate to regularly encounter resident Hector’s dolphins while out on the water. Her first meeting with these small, endemic dolphins and the quiet yet powerful sound of their exhales made her fall instantly in love with these delicate and intelligent creatures. In 2023, Julia joined MHDD to help protect those who cannot speak for themselves.

Gloria Harvey

I grew up in Tōtaranui (Queen Charlotte Sound), where every excursion on the water was likely to include a dolphin encounter. It is to this upbringing that I accredit my fascination with the ocean and its creatures. In 2018 I moved to Ōtautahi (Christchurch), to study Geography and Environmental Science at the University of Canterbury. Since then, I have been involved with marine mammal research in NZ, the Cook Islands and Mexico, and am always looking for opportunities to support marine research and conservation in NZ. I believe we have a responsibility as humans, as kaitiaki (guardians), to protect and advocate for the species we share our planet with, and I am honored to be part of this important mahi with the Dolphin Defenders!