Gina

My full name is…
Gina Morrissey.

But my friends call me…
Gee.

I grew up…
In Tāmaki Makaurau.

My cultural background is…
My mum is Dutch and my dad is Pākehā.

I am expecting…
My first baby on the 1^st of August.

I feel at home…
When I’m with my husband Waldo.

You will usually find me…
Walking or running the streets of Auckland.

When I'm in nature I…
Feel most alive.

I’ve been reading…
A lot of parenting and pregnancy books.. Like a Mother, Ina May’s Guide to Childbirth, Nurture and French Children Don’t Throw Food have been favourites.

My ideal morning…
It’s a warm summer morning, it starts with a cup of coffee (or two) in bed, is followed by a run and ends with a swim in the sea.

My happy place is…
Sunset on the deck at Manawaora.

Before my pregnancy, I was…
Running marathons, living in a 43m2 apartment on Karangahape Road and contemplating a potential move to Europe.

Right now I am…
Relaxing in front of the fire waiting for baby to come.

I am where I am today because of…
Our baby!

In the future I hope to...
Balance work and family life, I’m nervous about what my return to work will look like post parental leave and how my priorities might have changed.

Running is…
An important part of my morning ritual, some time to myself before the busyness of the day to reflect, relax and release.

My favourite childhood memory…
My dad recounting stories of his own childhood to me and my sister before bed (after an afternoon hooning around with my sister and neighbours on our bikes).

A tradition I hope to pass down…
Sunday family dinners and brunch on the weekend with friends.

I feel womanly when…
Growing another human and my body changing to enable me to feed that human in the future.

I feel safe when…
I am warm and surrounded by the people that I love.

As a climate change and sustainability consultant, I care for the earth by…
Professionally I help organisations identify and report on climate-related risks and opportunities, develop sustainability strategies and with sustainable finance transactions. Personally I eat a vegetarian diet, try to minimise car and air travel and I consume consciously.

I find comfort in…
Conversations with friends.

My favourite body part is…
My belly.

My favourite snack…
Kiwifruit and peanut butter…try it before you knock it!

My favourite colour is…
Blue.