Drawn to wild places from an early age, Nicki has spent nearly three decades building a life and career around New Zealand’s coastlines, islands and backcountry.

She earned a bachelor’s degree in biological sciences from the University of Auckland, specializing in marine and coastal ecology. She also completed a diploma in adventure tourism management in Queenstown and is a qualified personal trainer.

Nicki worked as a Department of Conservation ranger for more than a decade, leading biodiversity and biosecurity operations on remote, pest-free islands. She managed Te Whanganui-a-Hei Marine Reserve, assisted with kiwi and tuatara translocations and served as lead ranger for the New Zealand dotterel watch program. Her work brought her into conservation communities throughout the country and gave her extensive experience protecting native species and habitats.

Her connection to the South Island runs especially deep. Nicki has lived, studied and worked in Canterbury and Queenstown and has explored Fiordland, Otago and the West Coast by foot, bike, kayak and dive boat. As an Expedition Leader, she draws on her ecological knowledge and field experience to help travelers better understand New Zealand’s wildlife, landscapes and conservation work.

Nicki also creates hiking and outdoor content centered on connecting people with nature and encouraging kaitiakitanga—the Maori principle of guardianship of the natural world. When she is not leading a trip, she is usually hiking, diving, kayaking or planning her next adventure.