Meet the Team
The Trust is excited to announce the eight young explorers who will walk in the footsteps of Scott and Shackleton and experience the Antarctic landscapes that challenged and inspired them.
The group, aged 16-35 from New Zealand and Australia, will join the tenth Inspiring Explorers Expedition™ which will travel to the Ross Sea region with Expedition Partner Heritage Expeditions, into the beating heart of Antarctic exploration and the focus of the Trust’s conservation efforts.
Calum Turner
Age 28, Wellington
Calum is a creative polymath based in Te-Whanganui-a-Tara (Wellington), whose interests span music, photography, and video game development. Growing up in Whakatū (Nelson), he developed an early passion for exploration and finds an endless source of joy in discovery and creative projects.
As a member of the band Grains, Calum channels his artistic energy into music, with a particular interest in sound design and audio recording. His unique approach to creativity often finds him in unassuming places, searching for interesting sounds that others might overlook.
Driven by a passion for knowledge-sharing and community engagement, Calum lives by the principle of ‘giving what you want to get back’.
Calum brings his keen ear and observant nature to the Ross Sea Antarctica expedition, eager to capture and share the unique soundscape of the southern continent.
Daniel Bornstein
Age 32, Melbourne
Daniel is a cultural materials conservator with a Master’s degree from the University of Melbourne’s Grimwade Centre and specialist training in heritage management. His recent work at the National Museum of Australia involved managing the conservation of 800 Antarctic objects from the Australian Antarctic Division.
Before moving into heritage conservation, Daniel worked as a freelance photographer, including work with Herbert Ponting and Frank Hurley’s photographs from the Scott and Shackleton expeditions – an experience that sparked his fascination with Antarctic exploration.
A natural communicator with a philosophical bent, Daniel approaches conservation challenges with both professional rigor and good humor. When not preserving cultural materials, he enjoys playing banjo, ukulele, and various other fretted instruments.
Daniel sees the Antarctic expedition as an opportunity to observe firsthand the effects of extreme conditions on historic sites, while indulging his passion for both conservation and adventure.
Jake Bailey
Age 27, Arrowtown
Jake is an internationally recognised educator on resilience, the youngest #1 bestselling author in New Zealand history, and as a Commonwealth Study Conference alumnus, has been identified as one of the Commonwealth’s most promising emerging leaders.
Following his study in positive psychology, Jake has shared his work on resilience with over 100,000 people through thousands of presentations. His diverse audience range spans from Fortune 500 CEOs to prison inmates, elite athletes to schoolchildren in remote communities, demonstrating his ability to connect with people from all walks of life.
Based in Arrowtown, Jake’s passion for mountain environments shapes both his professional and personal life. Whether climbing, skiing, or trail running, he finds joy and inspiration in alpine environments. His personal experience with resilience drives his commitment to sharing these vital skills with others.
Jake sees the Antarctic expedition as a natural extension of his love for extreme environments and an opportunity to further develop his understanding of human resilience in challenging conditions.
Kitiona “Billy” Pelasio
Age 16, Auckland
Billy is a bilingual student with a passion for automotive engineering and a strong connection to his Samoan heritage. Speaking both Samoan and English, he brings a unique cultural perspective to the expedition team.
With a clear vision for his future, Billy is pursuing his passion through automotive studies while still at school. He has mapped out a pathway to become a qualified mechanic, with plans to continue his education either through university or specialised training programs to secure his apprenticeship.
Billy maintains an active lifestyle through various team sports including rugby, volleyball, and tag. When not on the sports field, he can be found at the gym or spending quality time with his nana.
Billy sees the Ross Sea Antarctica expedition as an opportunity to push his boundaries and bring a fresh perspective to the team’s journey to the southern continent.
Louise Piggin
Age 26, Christchurch
Louise works as a Conservation Technician at Canterbury Museum, where she helps preserve and share stories from the past. Currently pursuing her Master of Arts in Museum Studies, she is researching the management and accessibility of hazardous collections in New Zealand, working alongside a fantastic team to care for an incredible collection.
While she spent plenty of time outdoors with her family growing up, her adventure spirit truly awakened during her university years through whitewater kayaking and rafting. Following her undergraduate studies, Louise spent ten months traveling overseas, an experience that deepened her appreciation for exploration and conservation.
Now based in the South Island, Louise makes the most of her proximity to the mountains, regularly venturing into the wilderness. She sees the Ross Sea Antarctica expedition as a perfect fusion of her professional expertise in conservation and her personal love for adventure.
Louise is especially interested in learning about conservation practices in extreme climates and is excited to bring this knowledge back to her work at the museum.
Lucy Hayes-Stevenson
Age 33, Auckland
Lucy is a heritage architect at Cheshire Architects in Auckland, specialising in the preservation and adaptation of historic buildings. Her passion for architectural conservation led her to Rome in 2019, where she completed her Master’s in Conservation Architecture during the unique circumstances of the pandemic.
Her time in Italy, spanning two and a half years, offered rare opportunities to explore historic sites without crowds, meet incredible people, and broaden and challenge both her architectural knowledge and personal perspective – a truly unforgettable experience.
Travel is central to Lucy’s approach to life. Originally from Christchurch, she finds inspiration in both urban and natural environments, using these experiences to fuel her curiosity. Her travels have cultivated a deep appreciation for different cultures, historic preservation, and culinary exploration.
Lucy looks forward to being immersed in the wonders of Antarctica, from its dramatic landscapes and climate to the iconic historic huts, fuelling her passion for heritage architecture conservation. By experiencing the extreme cold, exploring the huts firsthand, and hearing stories from those that are a part of the history, she hopes to absorb invaluable knowledge and develop a deeper understanding and connection to enhance her ability to protect and preserve these remarkable structures.
Maia Ingoe
Age 22, Auckland
Maia is a journalist with Radio New Zealand’s Auckland newsroom, bringing her passion for creative storytelling and environmental advocacy to breaking news coverage. Growing up in Te Tairāwhiti (Gisborne), she developed a deep connection to the ocean through fishing and coastal living.
Her academic journey led her to Te Whanganui a Tara (Wellington), where she completed a Bachelor of Arts in Environmental Studies and Development Studies at Te Herenga Waka – Victoria University. Her writing has appeared in various publications including Living for the Climate Crisis (2020), Headland Magazine, and The Spinoff. In 2023, she served as co-editor of Salient, Victoria University’s student magazine, leading a team in creating content that resonated with young readers.
When not in the newsroom, Maia finds balance through yoga, walking, reading, and crafting. She maintains her connection to nature by escaping the city whenever possible to explore the outdoors and ocean.
Maia views the Antarctic expedition as the adventure of a lifetime and looks forward to witnessing the continent’s past and changing future, while sharing the stories of her fellow explorers with the world.
Ngawai Clendon
Age 21, Rotorua
Ngawai is a multifaceted competitor and student, pursuing studies in Human Development and Education with a unique focus on New Zealand’s three official languages: NZSL (New Zealand Sign Language), Te Reo Māori, and English. Her vision is to become an inclusive educator who can connect with students across all communication needs and backgrounds.
A competitive marcher since age four, Ngawai is part of SWIS, a back-to-back National Champion team based in Wellington. The women she competes alongside are not only her teammates, but also women she has looked up to for a very long time, having watched them on TV from a young age.
Ngawai maintains an active lifestyle through netball, gym workouts, and running, while balancing her studies with hospitality work, where she enjoys the chance to meet new people every day. She places high value on community connections and friendships, recognising their role in maintaining perspective and joy in life.
Ngawai approaches this adventure with gratitude and enthusiasm, eager to share the experience with others and inspire future explorers.
