2021 Speakers
Sandra Clair
Integrating plant-based medicine into New Zealand’s healthcare system
Plant-based medicines are essential for supporting long term human health so why are they not prescribed in medical practice in New Zealand? ‘Lack of evidence’ for use and efficacy are often cited. In this enlightening talk, Sandra explains that there is indeed enough longstanding clinical evidence. It is her vision that people in New Zealand and globally have supported access to traditional plant medicine for their personal health needs.
Dr Sandra Clair is a health scientist, medical anthropologist and the founder of traditional plant medicine company, Artemis. Sandra grew up in Switzerland where plant-based medicines are an integrated part of mainstream healthcare. During Alongside her academic studies she apprenticed with a renowned Franciscan nun, midwife and Swiss herbal expert. She is one of New Zealand’s most highly qualified Registered Medical Herbalists. Sandra’s scientific research focuses on validating centuries-old clinical plant medicine expertise for a modern, evidence-based healthcare system.
Angela Loucks Alexander
Escaping the Hidden Prison of Auditory Processing Disorder
If your auditory system works like a computer, your ears are the hardware and your brain is the software. Even when the ears hear normally, errors in the software (the processing) can interfere with understanding or remembering what was heard. This is called Auditory Processing Disorder (APD) and often leaves sufferers feeling isolated and disconnected. Of the approximately 6% of the population struggling with APD, most don’t even know it’s a disorder. The good news is that with specialised audiologist help, dramatic improvement in auditory processing is possible.
Dr Angela Loucks Alexander, Audiologist, has spent fifteen years specialising in diagnosing and treating Auditory Processing Disorder (APD), a hearing difficulty with less to do with the ears and more to do with the brain. Despite significantly affecting potential and well-being, many of those affected are unaware of the condition, let alone their treatment options. Angela is the host of Between Two Ears podcast and founder of the Auditory Processing Institute, where she trains audiologists and speech-language pathologists to provide APD services. She has also created an online, searchable map to help clients find the help they need.
www.AuditoryProcessingInstitute.com
APDsupport.com
https://linktr.ee/apdsupport
http://linkedin.com/in/angelaloucks
Meng Foon
Racism in Aotearoa New Zealand, everyone can make a difference
Meng Foon draws on his life experiences with racism as a person of Chinese descent in New Zealand to offer simple guidance to address our present race issues. Through Awareness, Affirmation and Action, each of us can contribute to a more harmonious Aotearoa for the future.
Meng Foon was born in Tairāwhiti to working class migrant parents but soon immersed himself in a community that didn’t look or sound like him. His family’s early toil as market gardeners was profitable in a business sense but more importantly it brought its social benefits– with the Foon’s connecting with people across the region and from all backgrounds.
Made in China – born in Gisborne – working for Aotearoa.
Akash Dutta
Pushing the Boundaries of Contemporary Jazz
Akash Dutta works his magic on the piano as he performs three jazz pieces, beginning with a solo piano arrangement of the jazz-samba fusion classic “Spain”, written by piano maestro Chick Corea. He then plays two original compositions. The first is “The Migration,” a through-composed tone poem inspired by the sea-battered coastlines of Wellington and contemporary jazz composers like Avishai Cohen and Tigran Hamasyan. And finally “Typhoon” from his 2020 album Tales of A Traveller, blending Indian classical music and elements of heavy metal with the modalities of post-bop jazz artists such as John Coltrane.
Web: www.akashdutta.net
Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/3ToRx…
iTunes: https://music.apple.com/nz/artist/aka…
Matt Watkins
3D Printing Houses with Recycled Plastic
Matt Watkins re-imagines how one of our biggest environmental problems, waste plastic, could be key to solving one of our biggest social issues – affordable , healthy housing. He makes a case for 3D printing beautiful, functional houses quickly and affordably with recycled plastic, all while diverting tens of thousands of tonnes of plastic from the waste system.
Matt Watkins is the founder of One Earth Technologies, a nascent startup combining 3D printing and recycled material processing to build the houses of the future. He also operates Special Studio, specialising in 3D printed designer homewares made from recycled materials.
http://www.oneearthtechnology.com/
https://www.specialstudio.co
https://www.linkedin.com/in/pomattwat…
https://www.instagram.com/specialstud…
Vitale Lafaele
The Invisible Leader
When Vitale found himself in charge of a hostage situation in Auckland, he had two choices – follow orders which he believed would endanger the lives of the hostages or go against protocol and authorize his team to use explosives to save everyone. In the aftermath, his examination of why his team stuck with him when it mattered most, led him to unpack the meaning of true leadership.
Vitale Lafaele served in the New Zealand Army for seven years and the Tamaki Makaurau Police for 30. He rose through the ranks to command the Northern Region Armed Offenders and Special Tactics Group where he led successful tactical squads in some of the most nationally significant events in recent times. Vitale’s leadership journey is fascinating, powerful and always led by deep
Vitale’s leadership journey is fascinating, influential and powerful and he sums it all up in one simple word – “Values”
https://impactfulconversations.co.nz/
https://www.linkedin.com/in/vitalelaf…
https://www.facebook.com/vitale.lafae…
