October 2025

Alumni Spotlight: Gloria della Porta

Now General Manager at the Terra Nova Foundation, Gloria leads with a mission to empower others to take meaningful action for the planet. Her journey in environmental leadership began a decade ago through the Untouched World Foundation Ōruawairua / Blumine Island Programme — an experience that sparked a deep connection to conservation and helped shape the course of her career.

Growing up in Waikawa and spending her childhood exploring Tōtaranui, Gloria’s time on Ōruawairua offered a meaningful opportunity to give back to her local ecosystem and strengthen her connection to the place. Through hands-on conservation and shared learning, she discovered the power of collective action, deepened her understanding of kaitiakitanga, and found clarity in her purpose as an environmentalist.

Reflecting on the experience ten years later, Gloria describes it as a keystone moment, a reminder of what she is fighting to protect and a catalyst for the positive impact she continues to create today.