TOOLS FOR NAVIGATING OUR CRAZY WORLD

Dr Alia Bojilova is a registered psychologist with a focus on resilience. She grew up in Eastern Europe during some of the most tumultuous times in recent history before immigrating to New Zealand at age 17. During her service with the NZDF, she worked as Lead Psychologist and Officer with the SAS. While serving as a UN military observer in Syria, Alia negotiated her release and the release of her team after they were taken hostage. She has a PhD from the University of Waikato, identifying the link between curiosity and resilience in the Special Forces. Since leaving the military Alia has served as coach and advisor to leaders and teams, globally and in New Zealand, and across a wide range of sectors including government, venture capital, peak performance sports, corporate services, creative industries, and more. 

Victoria Bruce is a media and communications advisor with a background in journalism and nursing. She has worked for news agencies in Australia and Southeast Asia, including the Australian Associated Press, Myanmar Times and Fairfax’s Sydney Morning Herald, and held communications roles with a number of public, private and non-profit organisations. She is also a keen tramper and writer and, in 2021, she quit her corporate job, packed up her life and embarked on Te Araroa trail with her then seven-year-old daughter, Emilie. Her popular social media and blog accounts ‘Adventures with Emilie’ documented their journey. Her new book, also called Adventures with Emilie, is a story about the healing power of nature, our wondrous unique environment, the deep bond between mother and daughter, and survival – both in the wilderness and in life itself. 

Liz Price describes reading as one of her greatest pleasures, along with photography and listening to music. With a background in education, psychotherapy and counselling, she taught ethics on the counselling degree programme at NMIT Te Pūkenga for 15 years (retiring from this role in 2022). For the past 21 years, Liz also operated a private practice in counselling, clinical supervision and mediation. She is a Life Member of the NZ Association of Counsellors. Her two adult sons and  grandsons live in Wellington. Liz is based here in Nelson, where she lives with Kindra, her life partner of 26 years.