Our
Team

Blair Tuke’s love of the ocean has driven both his remarkable sailing career and his environmental mission to preserve it for future generations.

With seven world titles to his name, Olympic gold and silver medals, and legendary tactical nous, Blair has never been afraid to step out of a 49er skiff and into new and challenging sailing environments.

He’s sailed around the globe, finishing second in a down-to-the-wire finish in the 2017-18 Volvo Ocean Race on MAPFRE. And he’s won the holy grail of sailing, the America’s Cup, as the flight controller on Emirates Team New Zealand’s revolutionary foiling catamaran in Bermuda in 2017.

Blair was at the forefront of Emirates Team New Zealand’s successful 2021 Cup defence and in 2021 added a new challenge to his list, leading the New Zealand team as joint CEO with long time sailing partner Peter Burling in SailGP, the global series raced in F50 catamarans. The team took home SailGP’s inaugural Impact League, sport’s first podium for the planet, in their first season.

In 2022, Blair is taking on another season of SailGP, and has also recommitted to Emirates Team New Zealand for another America’s Cup campaign which takes place in Barcelona in 2024.

A Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit, and World Sailor of the Year, Blair is also committed to ocean conservation charity Live Ocean he’s founded with Peter.

As a keen free diver and surfer, Blair has always put the ocean first. He’s only too well aware how much it has given him and understands the importance of protecting and restoring the ocean for future generations.

Hannah has worked in the environmental NGO/non-profit sector in New Zealand for over a decade, with a focus on building environmental leadership and engagement. She has experience in programme development and delivery, working collaboratively across sectors.

With a life-long love of the ocean and passion for adventure, it is unsurprising that Hannah’s career has seen her traverse much of New Zealand’s ocean space, including voyages to Rangitahua the Kermadecs and the Sub-Antarctic with the Young Blake Expeditions programme which she created and led at BLAKE. She also worked as a Science Communication Fellow with the Ocean Exploration Trust for two seasons of their Caribbean Sea expeditions.

Hannah holds undergraduate degrees in Law and Arts from the University of Auckland, and in 2019 completed a Master’s degree in Environmental Law – with a focus on ocean health and the Law of the Sea.

Hannah takes every opportunity to be near, in, on, or under the water. She is highly motivated to ensure that the health of our oceans is safeguarded, and restored, so that future generations may enjoy them as much as we have.

Jodie brings both a passion for sailing and the ocean, and an extensive professional career in leading brand, storytelling and communications for prominent non-profits as she joins Live Ocean team as Group Brand and Communications Manager.   

Most recently Jodie has spent six years with prominent New Zealand children’s charity, the Starship Foundation, where she led brand and media for numerous successful fundraising and awareness campaigns including the annual Starship National Air Ambulance appeal and the Paediatric Intensive Care expansion campaign.  

Jodie’s connection to the ocean and to sailing is long-standing and multifaceted having chosen global circumnavigation on a 110-foot schooner as a superyacht employee over a more traditional OE, going on to subsequently launch her professional career in communications starting at New Zealand’s national body for sailing – Yachting New Zealand.  

Jodie has supported two of New Zealand’s Olympic Sailing Teams as communications and media lead including the four-medal winning 2016 Rio campaign achieving unprecedented coverage for Olympic sailing across New Zealand media outlets.  

With many blue water miles under her belt, Jodie still enjoys any opportunity to get on the water most often in the form of stand-up paddle boarding on Auckland’s upper harbour on a calm day.  

Alina’s career spans the corporate and non-profit sectors with a solid foundation in administrative assistance, and a degree in International Relations. She brings the winning combination of strong relationship skills, and an aptitude for numbers and data, to her all-rounder role at Live Ocean Foundation.

Originating from Siberia, Alina’s upbringing instilled in her an appreciation and respect for the natural environment and it’s a theme throughout her professional journey. In recent years Alina has been an active member of the Spirit of Adventure shore crew. She now calls New Zealand home, living on Auckland’s North Shore where she enjoys connection to the ocean through beach time with her young son, and year-round morning swims.