Keynotes 2025

Friday 4.30pm: Celia Hogan, Christchurch, Aotearoa NZ
Little Kiwi’s Nature Play

Personal Bio: Celia Hogan, CPO (chief play officer) and founder of Little Kiwis Nature Play, is a transformative force in nature-based education and mental well-being. As a Nature Education Specialist, Speaker, and Resilience Parenting Coach, she is a strong advocate for the essential role of nature and play in fostering resilient individuals. Celia believes that immersing children in nature inspires deep connections, nurturing the emotional and social well-being of both whānau and educators. She has over 25 years of international experience working for a variety of organisations, setting up, developing and running outdoor and wilderness programmes, leadership development programmes and establishing risk management and safety systems. Now, Celia runs a Bush Kindy, a nature play space, leads professional development training for teachers, and works as a parenting coach to support parents to navigate the challenges of parenting in the digital age. As co-chair of Education Outdoors New Zealand and an advisor for ECE Reform, her unwavering commitment is to all things child development and especially play.

Keynote Title: Reclaiming Childhood: The Power of Play
In an era dominated by screens, children face unprecedented challenges that threaten their development and well-being. As they spend increasing amounts of time tethered to devices, opportunities for face-to-face interaction and outdoor play diminish, leaving a profound impact on their mental health and resilience. In this thought-provoking keynote, Celia Hogan, Founder of Little Kiwis Nature Play, argues for the vital need to prioritise play in our children's lives and explores the crucial balance between digital engagement and authentic human connection. Celia advocates for the power of play as a vital antidote to our tech-centric lives. Through immersive, nature-based play, children can reconnect with themselves and their environments, fostering emotional intelligence, confidence, and mental fortitude. This is about reclaiming childhood, not only for individual well-being but for the health of our communities.
littlekiwisnatureplay.com

Saturday 9.00am: Robert McGowan / Pa Ropata, Tauranga, Aotearoa NZ
Tiwaiwaka

Personal Bio: Pa has recently retired from the Department of Conservation, the Amo Aratu for Nga Whenua Rahui (NWR). He was one of the initiators of Tane’s Tree trust and remains an active trustee www.tanestree.org.nz. He is Patron of EnviroHub Bay of Plenty and Aongatete Outdoor Education Charitable Trust. He was the founder and Pou Korero for Tiwaiwaka (www.tiwaiwaka.nz). He has been a longtime member of the Bay of Plenty Conservation Board and past Chairman. Pa is founding Chair of the Kaimai-Mamaku Catchments Forum and current Patron (www.mkm.org.nz). He is an authority on rongoā Māori (traditional Māori medicine) and is well respected nationally for his work with and for the restoration of rongoā Māori practice in New Zealand. He is an expert witness to the Wai 262 Claim, and involved in the implementation of the Tribunal's Report and continues to work as an advisor to numerous Government agencies, Māori tribal authorities and for a number of rongoā Māori related research and education initiatives. Pa is currently heavily involved in helping to build a bridge between Western Science and Matauranga Māori.

Keynote Title: Tiwaiwaka - healing the mauri of the whenua. A pathway to give hope for the future.
tiwaiwaka.nz

Saturday 1.30pm: Nadia Clarke Cordick, Toronto, Canada

Personal Bio: Nadia Clarke, owner of Repetitions Fitness and co-founder of Soft Girl Sabbaticals, is an educator and holistic fitness trainer frequently featured on CTV’s The Social. She is a plant-based ultramarathon runner with a comprehensive background in holistic health and wellness. She holds a Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Education, and Master of Arts in Social Justice, with a research focus on Black women’s wellness. She also has various fitness and nutrition certifications. Currently, Nadia teaches in the Kinesiology department at the University of Guelph-Humber and is pursuing a Ph.D. in Education. Her doctoral research investigates the efficacy of redesigning curricula to prioritize culturally inclusive and anti-racist educational programs, with a particular emphasis on nature-based pedagogy and BIWOC educator wellness.

Keynote Title: Cultivating Inclusivity Through Nature-Based Pedagogy: Enhancing the Well-Being of Racially Marginalised Students
Learning thrives in environments of safety, connection, and play, but systemic barriers often prevent racially marginalized students from accessing these opportunities in nature-based education. This session reimagines learning through the lens of inclusivity, drawing inspiration from place-based learning and successful programs like the Black Youth Leadership Development Institute (BYLDI). It also explores how nature-based pedagogy can foster well-being and belonging while addressing challenges such as accessibility. Through interactive activities and case studies, we will uncover how educators and communities can create inclusive, culturally responsive learning spaces. Ultimately, this session highlights that while systemic inequities are the problem, educators and leaders hold the power to be the solution.

Sunday 9.00am: Kathryn Berkett, Wellington, Aotearoa NZ

Personal Bio: Kathryn has dedicated over 20 years of her life learning and training about how the brain and body develop and interact – understanding how this influences what we do, say, think and how we behave. She trains audiences nationally and internationally around how environmental trauma can impact our development, and how we can work in the most biologically respectful way with those who have experienced this trauma.
Kathryn has her Masters of Educational Psychology, and has certified as a Neurosequential Model of Therapeutics practitioner. She has done a TEDx talk titled ‘Neuroscience of Device Zombies’. Kathryn also has a podcast series with the amazing Pio Terei, called “I’ve Got Questions”

Keynote: The state of our stress response system dictates the capacity for our brain to engage in cognition. This session will work through how important it is to cultivate an environment of safety, movement, sensory etc, before expecting academic learning to happen. We also need 'moments of tolerable stress' to build positive resilience. Being in nature, in a state of more freedom and adventure can facilitate these moments. Many of us know this, and are already practicing it. This session will give you the science behind it all, so we can continue to help our tamariki thrive.
engagetraining.co.nz