During a special dinner at the Edinburgh Ocean Leaders (EOL) Annual Meeting in April, the inaugural Kristina Gjerde Ocean Leaders Award was presented to 2025 Ocean Leader (OL) Beth Tupara-Katene. This award has been created to honor the late Kristina Gjerde and her integral involvement in EOL and ongoing inspiration to our community. Kristina’s style of leadership was visionary, inclusive and empathetic. As such, the Kristina Gjerde Ocean Leaders Award is about recognising individuals whose leadership style aligns with this and exemplifies the spirit of selfless leadership through support for others. Moving forward, the award will be presented annually to one person from each year’s outgoing OL cohort, as voted for by their peers.
This year, Beth became the well-deserved inaugural recipient of the award. At our Annual Meeting in April, Kristina’s husband Adam Pool – himself a valued member of the EOL community – presented Beth with a specially engraved Scottish quaich. Often referred to as ‘Scotland’s Cup of Friendship’, the quaich is a traditional symbol of union, trust and hospitality.
“To be recognised by my peers through the Kristina Gjerde Ocean Leaders Award is incredibly humbling. Kristina's legacy reminds us of the power of leadership, collaboration, and persistence in protecting our oceans. I am proud to carry that inspiration forward and to champion Indigenous leadership in ocean stewardship for future generations.”
Congratulations to Beth, and we look forward to continuing to honor Kristina through this award scheme in years to come.
