NYLD 2024 speakers
Brooke Neal – Former New Zealand Hockey Player and Founder of ‘All About Balance’ (All Events)
Brooke Neal is a former New Zealand hockey player who founded ‘All About Balance’ where she uses her high performance background to deliver mindset and wellbeing coaching to thousands of people in sport and business.
Brooke was a professional New Zealand hockey player for nine years, retiring from the game in 2020 after playing 176 games for the Black Sticks. She competed at the 2016 Olympic Games where her team placed fourth. She also won Gold at the Commonwealth Games in 2018, the first time in history this has been achieved.
Condensing a decade of experience in high performance into simple, actionable steps, Brooke runs workshops, online programmes, yoga sessions and corporate speaking, alongside her most important job – being a mum!
William Pike – Kiwi explorer, Inspirational speaker and Director of the William Pike Challenge (All Events)
William Pike’s tenacious passion for life has helped him to overcome serious challenges, tackle new opportunities and enrich his skills as a leader. Losing a leg after being trapped in a volcanic eruption on Mt Ruapehu has not changed William’s outlook on life, nor has it stopped him from doing the things that he loves. He climbs mountains, goes bushwalking, enjoys scuba diving, hunting, kayaking and more.
An impassioned teacher, he leads a nationwide youth development programme, teaching Kiwi kids that they too, can do anything they put their minds to. He is a sought-after motivational speaker and a role model to people of all ages.
William believes “to achieve and experience anything extraordinary, you need to be able to step outside of your comfort zone”
Photo of William Pike courtesy of Tessa Chrisp
Te Kahukura Boynton – Entrepreneur (All events)
Te Kahukura Boynton is a 20-year-old entrepreneur from Ngati Kahungunu, Ngai Tuhoe and Te Whakatohea. She is most well-known for her business Māori Millionaire which was founded in 2022, when she was just 18 years old.
Since then, she’s amassed a following of more than 40,000 people online, across TikTok, Facebook and Instagram. Te Kahukura is a huge advocate not only for Māori, but for women, and young people and is on a mission to help others take control of their financial futures and improve overall well-being.
Nate Wilbourne – Conservation and Climate Justice Advocate, Founder of ‘Gen-Z Aotearoa’ (All events)
Nate Wilbourne is a 16 years old Conservation and Climate Justice advocate, and founder of ‘Gen-Z Aotearoa,’ a non-profit organisation dedicated to empowering and educating rangatahi (young people) through digital platforms. With a passion for leveraging social media as a tool for advocacy, he uses his platform to advocate for nature, and climate justice.
As a content creator, Nate harnesses the power of storytelling to raise awareness about pressing environmental issues, in order to mobilise young people to take charge of their future.
He is an example of how age shouldn’t be a barrier to stepping up as a leader, and how small actions lead to incredible opportunities – such as being flown across the world to speak at conferences at just 15. His story starts as a passionate 8 year old, just wanting to plant trees, and now he has stepped onto the global stage.
YAHYAH – Musician (All events)
YAHYAH started out digging deep into the indie music scene of her time, before transporting to London at the fresh age of 18.
YAHYAH’s sound is a collection of the musical influences that have been thrust upon her- from jazz to rnb, to pop and drum & bass. With support from radio, major festival performances and an EP tour all taking place in 2023, YAHYAH has become a powerhouse feature in the pop banger landscape of Aotearoa.
YAHYAH has also released ‘Ngā Mahara Moenga’ and ‘I Like You’ for Waiata Anthems. Truly getting back to her roots with Te Reo Māori. Curating a catalogue of music and art from her travels, YAHYAH’s next wave comes with a huge amount of hype and promise.
YAHYAH’s latest single ‘Run’ is out now
Klaksy – Artist (Wellington, Auckland and Hamilton only)
Klaksy’s artistic journey began at the young age of 14 during COVID-19 lockdown. From humble beginnings, he ventured into the digital world by sharing his art on Instagram. Over time, his talent caught the attention of notable figures such as KSI from Sidemen, Beta Squad, and Logan Paul, leading to exciting collaborations with his childhood heroes.
Now 18, he has a growing following exceeding 50,000 across various social media platforms, Klaksy has transformed from a kid doodling in his bedroom to an artist/content creator in just 4 years. His ability to captivate audiences with his unique style and innovative approach has made him a source of inspiration for young people worldwide.
Despite the challenges of starting young, Klaksy’s unwavering dedication to his craft has allowed him to overcome obstacles and achieve remarkable success. His story serves as a reminder that with passion and consistency, even the youngest of talents can make a significant impact in the ever-evolving world of digital art and content creation.