Caring For People & Place Treasures

One Health is the intersection of human, animal and environmental health. One Health Resilience co-design and implementation are crucial as this combination strengthens proactive risk mitigation rather than relying on a reactive crisis response. 

For nearly three decades, the foundation of my work was laid across the world’s oceans. As an "Explorer of Lands & Oceans," this period was dedicated to  understanding the complex relationship between land, marine  environments and human health; green-blue and relational infrastructure. I partner with professionals (such as those in health, urban planning, parks & rec. and tourism) strengthening Sense of Place or dealing with disruption. I channel almost three decades of project management, technical communications and risk-resilience experience to strengthen One Health Resilience.

I have experience with:

• Systems Thinking & Design
• Design Thinking & Implementation
• Mātauranga Māori
• Permaculture Design
• Biophilic Design
• Therapeutic Gardens
• Disaster Risk Reduction
• Living Labs

Previous Bluewater Endeavours collaborations include, but are not limited to:

• Independent international & national practitioner-led research & design (2024-2026)
• Sample Postgraduate Research reports (look for this two-thirds down the page) (2025)
• The Identity Anchor Living Lab project (2026)
• The Power of Stepping Back Living Lab project (2026)
• Part of Expert Review Group (People, Health and Communities) National Climate Commission Risk Assessment (NCCRA) (2026)

Don't miss Our Blue Home (Earth Day Special 2026). Please see  additional podcasts and publications and what others say. 

Future Focused co-design

If you are interested in having me contribute to your project, please reach out here. Don't forget I also offer resilience and awareness training for leaders.

Bluewater Endeavours was founded in 2023 and was launched on International Women's Day in 2024. Learn more history below and in the "About" section of the living labs.

History of Bluewater Endeavours

In 2023 Deborah Early, PhD realised there was a need to offer "hard skills" such as research and design separately from "soft skills" such as awareness. Together these support holistic resilience and healthy adaptation. She named the "hard skills" area of her offerings Bluewater Endeavours. Bluewater Endeavours was part of an education and advisory initiative first launched on International Women's Day in 2024. 

Bluewater Endeavours was relaunched in 2026, to offer expertise in One Health Resilience and Sense of Place, especially in times of disruption and is informed by evidence-based research and Mātauranga Māori. 

Deborah brings over 30 years experience as an international science-health-nature-culture writer and project manager. With a diverse background including, but not limited to, cell biology, pluralistic medicine, social prescribing and a view of "the City as a Cell", she initially was able to easily contribute to wellbeing and resilience work with urban planners, architects and engineers. She was invited to contribute Internationally and Nationally. 

However, Deborah saw a need for a more nuanced place-based approach, especially following disruption and disasters. She was also inspired by science writer Rachel Carson, whose work laid the foundation for modern environmental toxicology and who described the ocean as the "great mother of life", drawing a direct parallel between the ancient sea and the human womb. Thus, Deborah (with a PhD in placentology) undertook additional Lincoln University postgraduate research and trainings including, but not limited to, Mātauranga Māori, ocean-human health, technology, a 12-month program with Rongoā Māori practitioner Donna Kerridge (Ngāti Tahinga, Ngāti Mahuta) and Massey University Emergency Management. For real world application, in the summer of 2026 Deborah proposed Bluewater Endeavour Living Lab (BELL) projects as an user-driven approach to strengthen resilience in Marlborough. For additional details on the foundation of the living labs please go here. 

The name Bluewater Endeavours was inspired by the bluewater near Deborah's boat-access only home in Endeavour Inlet in the Marlborough Sounds woven with her personal endeavours to present an unique and place-based perspective to move adaptation and resilience awareness to action.  

To discover how Deborah can contribute to your project, please connect here.