Our Team
Fiona Tarlton
Trustee
Being raised in the Bay of Islands, the daughter of Kelly and Rosemary Tarlton, Fiona and her sister Nicole frequently went boating with their Shipwreck diving father. Learning to snorkel, then Scuba Dive from a young age, the wonders and appreciation of the ocean's marine life was instilled. Kelly Tarlton’s Museum of Shipwrecks, was a treasure trove of historic artefacts. Before her father lead expeditions in search of historical shipwrecks, he researched them, often taking Fiona to search microfilm in library archives.
Research skills led Fiona to complete her Master’s Degree, specialising in Archaeology, receiving First Class Honours, for her Thesis 'Effects of Tropical Cyclones on Archaeological Sites in the South West Pacific’. After working as an Archaeologist for a few years, often doing Rescue Archaeology, she went onto other areas of work. Well travelled and adventurous, her now adult son Tane Tarlton also has a passion for the ocean.
Through creating Kelly Tarlton’s Underwater World (1985) her father’s legacy for marine conservation lives on, including two International Hall of Fame honours. Fiona is an Ambassador for the Endangered Species Foundation of NZ, as she cares deeply about Conservation, including Marine Conservation.
Living in Auckland, Tāmaki Makaurau, Fiona represents her family, with the aim of helping with restoration of the Hauraki Gulf, through Kelly Tarlton’s Marine Wildlife Trust
Dan grew up in Tāmaki Makaurau with early memories of a school sleepover at SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton’s Aquarium and the wonder of seeing piranha. In 2009 he moved to London working for Merlin Entertainments Group, now owners of the aquarium.
Since then, Dan has worked in operational and general management roles at Manly SEA LIFE Sanctuary, SEA LIFE Sunshine Coast Aquarium and is now Director and General Manager of SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton’s. He’s a member of the Zoo and Aquarium Association’s Conservation Engagement Committee which aims to support members with further enhancing their significant conservation engagement and education work.
Dan Henderson
Trustee
Craig Thorburn
Growing up in and around the Hauraki Gulf, sailing , fishing and diving inspired Craig to study Marine Science at Auckland University. Starting at Kelly Tarlton’s as a volunteer diver in 1985 he spent the next 13 years with Kelly’s before moving to Melbourne for the build of Melbourne Aquarium in 1999.
Since that time Craig has worked as a consultant and also a senior curator for SEA LIFE Aquariums throughout the Asia Pacific region. Returning to a consulting role in 2020 Craig is now focused on helping aquariums and communities get behind strategies and programs that will contribute to growing efforts to restore the marine ecosystem of not only the Hauraki Gulf, but may help coastal communities everywhere to take action.
Trustee
Growing up moving around the world, mainly north and east Africa and the Middle East, Jen was always going to work with animals and has always been happiest underwater! She has worked around the world ever since, running marine conservation projects as an environmental consultant in Africa, the Middle East, and south-east Asia, and studying in Australia and Papua New Guinea.
Jen moved to New Zealand to do her PhD on how different soft-sediment habitats influence how our coastal areas work, and continued on to her work now as a lecturer of coastal restoration. This role focuses on how we can make our oceans better for everything and everyone, with the main efforts being in shellfish restoration both in the Hauraki Gulf and at the top of the South Island.
Dr Jenny Hillman
Trustee
Dr James Chatterton
Trustee
Mitch has been exploring and filming in and around the Hauraki Gulf / Tīkapa Moana since 2013, the same year when he got his open water certification. Over time through his studies of Communications, PR, Film and Screen Writing (plus becoming Dive Master through Waiheke Dive and Snorkel), he has developed a vision that lead him on a path to tell a story, not just his story but stories of others who contribute to conservation efforts in and around Tīkapa Moana.
Currently working as an Aquarist at SEA LIFE Kelly Tarlton’s, Auckland. He encompasses the best of both worlds to bring continuity to what goes on when it comes to the care that goes into Sea Turtles at the Turtle Rehabilitation Centre. Always ready to capture the next conservation adventure, camera on one hand and mask and snorkel on the other.
Mitch Thorburn
Media Creative
Dr Hayley Nessia
Hayley has worked with the Kelly Tarlton's Marine Wildlife Trust since April 2024, supporting a range of conservation projects in the Hauraki Gulf/Tīkapa Moana.
She completed her PhD in marine biology at the Leigh Marine Laboratory (University of Auckland) in 2024, where her research focused on the ecology and fishery status of spiny lobster (Jasus edwardsii) in the Hauraki Gulf. Her current work involves collaborations with groups including the Waiheke Marine Project, Revive Our Gulf, and the University of Auckland, as well as contributing to initiatives such as Ocean Youth Aotearoa and the Auckland Tāmaki Makaurau Seahorse Survey.
She is passionate about conservation ecology and developing initiatives that empower communities to engage in and contribute to the protection of their local marine environments.