Meet The Team

Maia came from Switzerland in 2011 with her son to Marlborough and created a lifestyle rooted in the yogic principle of AHIMA (non harming). She teaches yoga from beginners to advanced as well as to children at School. A former lawyer she has also graduated in facilitating and training family constellations and founded Essential Healing and Family Constellation VIRTUAL. Her passion for animals and being a ‘dog-person’ inspired her to establish Hounds4Life! to foster and to help re-home retired Greyhounds at the Top of the South Island in cooperation with Nightrave Greyhounds.

In need of more space to create a Sanctuary for 2 and 4 legged people who live together in a vegan community, Maia founded Te Paranui Permaculture Homestead & Animal Sanctuary in 2015. She also teaches plant-based whole food cooking and nutrition in the EARTHBOUND Kitchen at Te Paranui. Find out more about Maia (Andrea Bahlsen).

Marlborough born and bred Alex is a certified animal health and well-being caretaker. She holds a diploma in Animal Welfare, National certification in Animal Health Science and certificate in Functional Cattle Hoof Trimming.

The long term vegan has lived and volunteered at Te Paranui for 2 years until the opportunity opened up for her to take over the full time Managers position. “To work here with the animals all day is all I ever wanted” was her first reaction.

With her help Te Paranui has become a safe place for all sorts of animals for whom she is tirelessly finding forever pet-homes. Her best mate is Theo, the gentle giant cow whom she saved as a ‘Bobby’ calf. See more about her rescue activities at Te Paranui Farm Sanctuary.

His love for cows brought Auckland based Harrison to Te Paranui where he’s living and donating his time on a regular basis to care for the animals. Harrison’s skills as a roofer are put to task when building structures small and big for the Animal Sanctuary which provide safety and shelter for all our 4-legged and feathered residents.