08 May 2024 Graduate Shelley King's journey of triplets and triumph

When 5-year-old triplets started questioning the state of the estuaries and beaches they called home in the Sounds, it ignited a spark in their mum, Shelley King.

The young trio discovered plastic pollution littering the shores, a disheartening sight made worse by its origin from marine farms instead of general shoregoers.

Amidst two farm moves, King sought a course that would equip her with the expertise to effect change without starting from scratch.

Fast forward four years and King is graduating with a Master of Environmental Policy and Management (MEMP) and has landed an ideal job as a Policy Planner for the Hawkes Bay Regional Council (HBRC).

“With the triplets and my husband's career change into farming taking us to remote places, my career had effectively been shelved for nine years,” she reflects. “The MEMP degree was absolutely the key to successfully returning to career life.” 

Having access to coastal experts alongside the depth of knowledge provided by the MEMP programme were crucial factors for her. Additionally, the online format of the course was essential.

“Remote study was the only option for me, and I believe a hugely important pathway for women, in particular, to return to study. I found Lincoln’s papers easy to complete online," she shares. 

It wasn’t all plain sailing and full wifi bars for King, however. Devastating Cyclone Gabrielle hit her home at the start of the semester, causing her to lose all power, water, and internet.

I managed to find cell coverage up a hill to inform my lecturers, and luckily coverage returned just in time,” King recalls. “Power took another month and I did a lot of study by candlelight to conserve generator fuel.

Having originally completed a Bachelor of Landscape Architecture at Lincoln ‘in another life’, King's dedication and hard work in this career pivot paid off, earning her place on the 2023 Dean list and securing her role with the HBRC shortly after. 

"My interest in coastal policy and the focus of my research project on marine spatial planning in the region significantly contributed to my success," she explains humbly.

It was a real testament to the quality of the MEMP course delivery that I was able to confidently gain a position weeks after finishing my last papers.

In her current role, King works as the Coastal Environment Lead for the Policy Planning Group, working on the Kotahi Plan to manage and protect environmental values and resources while balancing community health and well-being needs. The work is well supported by HBRC’s coastal scientists.

You’ll often find King walking along the beach on her way to work, “to keep connected."

Her mahi aims to safeguard such coastlines so her whānau and yours can enjoy them for generations to come. 

“I really want to make inroads in improving the way we govern our marine environment," she says. "It is currently fragmented and competing, but I can see some pathways to fundamentally change the way we interact with marine space."

Shelley King’s dedication and achievements, culminating in her graduation, are inspiring to see. Congratulations on this significant milestone.