Dr Helena Cook is a Samoan/Irish lecturer in the Faculty of Education at University of Canterbury. She holds a PhD in politics from University of Exeter and identifies as Tangata Tiriti.

Nina Oberg Humphries is a New Zealand multimedia artist and Pacific arts advocate and multimedia artist of Cook Islands descent. She graduated from Ilam School of Fine Arts at the University of Canterbury in 2015.

Stefano is Director of ISSI, published in more than 50 peer reviewed international journals and books, delivered over 50 conference & keynote speeches. He’s part of the editorial board of Small States and Territories, Mediterranean Experts on Climate and Environmental Change, Resilient and Sustainable Islands Initiative, and acts as expert reviewer for the IPCC.

Dr MahMah Timoteo is a Cook Island multidisciplinary teacher, Pacific student advisor, and researcher with a PhD in Anthropology from the University of Canterbury.

Josiah is a Children's Commissioner, wellbeing governance professional, and postgraduate history student. He brings frontline youth advocacy experience to his role through a range of health, leadership and young people’s networks. Outside of his community advocacy mahi, he was a panel member of the Government Inquiry into Mental Health and Addiction which co-wrote He Ara Oranga (2018). His work as part of PYLAT led to his appointment on the advisory group for the Ministry of Education's Civics and Citizenship Education Teaching and Learning Guide (2020). Josiah co-led younger Pacific communities support of the Polynesian Panthers Party Legacy Trust call for the Dawn Raids apology. He serves as co-chair of Pacific wellbeing organisation Le Va, and is also a director of Te Pou and trustee of Rātā Foundation.

Resident academic at the University of Malta, visiting professor at IMO International Maritime Law Institute and various Universities abroad. An academic and practitioner in International law, specializing in climate change, ocean governance, Law of the Sea and marine conservation. Author of various publications and peer reviewer for law publications of International repute.

Professor Hamilton is an international lawyer who previously worked in the prosecutorial division of the International Criminal Court. Her latest article, Criminalizing Ecocide, is forthcoming in the Harvard Human Rights Journal. A native of Aotearoa, she is an Executive Editor at Just Security. She was a 2024 Fulbright Scholar at the Islands and Small States Institute.

Marcos Orellana is the UN Special Rapporteur on toxics and human rights. Previously, he was senior legal advisor to the UNFCCC COP25 Presidency and represented the eight-nation Independent Association of Latin America and the Caribbean (AILAC) in the negotiations of the Paris Agreement on climate change.

Pedro Pombo is an Anthropologist researching cultural heritage, landscape and climate change focusing on small island states. Former Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral researcher, Pedro was based in India and Mauritius and has ethnographic experience in the Southwestern Indian Ocean. He has diverse publications resulting from several fellowships awarded.

Angelique Pouponneau is Lead Negotiator for the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) for Ocean matters and a PhD candidate researching legal environments for sustainable ocean economies in SIDS. Former Fellowship Director at AOSIS, she contributed significantly to the Loss and Damage Fund design and led ocean-climate nexus negotiations at COP26/27.

Dr MahMah Timoteo is a Cook Island multidisciplinary teacher, Pacific student advisor, and researcher with a PhD in Anthropology from the University of Canterbury. Their research explored the lived experiences of Pacific peoples navigating climate change spaces in Aotearoa.

Prof Hamilton: International lawyer who previously worked at the International Criminal Court. Her article, Criminalizing Ecocide, is forthcoming in the Harvard Human Rights Journal. A native of Aotearoa, she is an Executive Editor at Just Security. She was a 2024 Fulbright Scholar at the Islands and Small States Institute. Prof. Moncada: Director of ISSI, published in more than 50 peer reviewed international journals and books, delivered over 50 conference & keynote speeches. On the editorial board of Small States and Territories, Mediterranean Experts on Climate and Environmental Change, Resilient and Sustainable Islands Initiative, and acts as expert reviewer for the IPCC. Prof Borg: Resident academic at the University of Malta, visiting professor at IMO International Maritime Law Institute and various Universities abroad. An academic and practitioner in International law, specializing in climate change, ocean governance, Law of the Sea and marine conservation. Author of various publications and peer reviewer for law publications of International repute. Angelique Pouponneau is Lead Negotiator for the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS) for Ocean matters and a PhD candidate researching legal environments for sustainable ocean economies in SIDS. Former Fellowship Director at AOSIS, she contributed significantly to the Loss and Damage Fund design and led ocean-climate nexus negotiations at COP26/27. Prof. Orellana is the UN Special Rapporteur on toxics and human rights. Previously, he was senior legal advisor to the UNFCCC COP25 Presidency and represented the eight-nation Independent Association of Latin America and the Caribbean (AILAC) in the negotiations of the Paris Agreement on climate change. Dr. Pombo is an Anthropologist researching cultural heritage, landscape and climate change focusing on small island states. Former Marie Skłodowska-Curie Postdoctoral researcher, Pedro was based in India and Mauritius and has ethnographic experience in the Southwestern Indian Ocean. He has diverse publications resulting from several fellowships awarded.