REGIONAL HEAD QUARTERS
Jethro Gilbert
Director | Operations
Jethro is the founder of Pacific Guardians, a deployable humanitarian capability focused on rapid operations in remote and hard-to-reach areas across the Pacific.
He combines a background in corporate account management with operational experience as an officer in the New Zealand Army. His early leadership roles included managing teams within New Zealand’s Limited Service Volunteer programme, which led to the establishment of Triple Summits Limited—delivering employment and youth development services in partnership with government.
At Pacific Guardians, Jethro leads both strategy and field operations, with a focus on rapid disaster response, remote assessments, and strengthening local coordination systems. He has also designed and delivered more than 15 leadership programmes across the Pacific Islands through Future Leaders Academy, and regularly works with corporate and government teams to develop operational leadership capability.
His recent operational experience includes serving as a liaison officer during the response to Cyclone Gabrielle in Gisborne, and leading damage assessment operations in Vanuatu following Cyclone Lola as part of Task Force Kiwi.
Jethro’s work is grounded in practical field experience, strong regional relationships, and a focus on delivering clear, decision-ready information in the early stages of a response.
RAPID RESPONSE FIELD TEAM
Our rapid response field teams are made up primarily of experienced military veterans with backgrounds in disaster response and operations. Based out of Brisbane and Auckland, they are trained to deploy quickly into remote and challenging environments across the Pacific.
Operating in small, disciplined teams, they bring a practical, no-nonsense approach to early-stage response—focused on gaining access, establishing situational awareness, and delivering clear, decision-ready information where it’s needed most.
Jesper Reinink
New Zealand
Albie Rothman
New Zealand
Sean Lowe
Australia
Lyrique Harrington-Toma
New Zealand
IN-COUNTRY LIAISONS
Our in-country liaisons are trusted local partners embedded within the communities we serve. They bring deep contextual knowledge, established relationships, and real-time insight that enables Pacific Guardians to operate effectively from day one.
Working alongside community leaders, NGOs, and coordination centres, they provide critical local access, ground truth, and continuity—ensuring our operations are informed, respectful, and aligned with local priorities. Their role is essential to bridging the gap between remote communities and national response systems.
