Jacqueline Evans

Jacqueline (Jacqui) Evans (born ) is a Cook Islander marine conservationist. Her efforts to protect the marine environment surrounding the islands came to fruition in July 2017 when the government created the Marae Moana marine park. It provided for the sustainable management of 763,000 square miles (1.98 million km2) of ocean territory, including 15 more highly protected exclusion zones covering 125,000 (324,000 km2). In recognition of her efforts, in April 2019 Evans was one of six environmentalists to be awarded the Goldman Environmental Prize.

Early life and education Born , Evans is the daughter of Mereana Henry from the Cook Islands and the late Roger Evans from England. She was raised in Masterton, New Zealand, together with her six elder siblings. When she was 15, she moved to the Cook Islands with her parents. They settled in Tupapa on the island of Rarotonga where she completed her school education at Tereora College. From 1993, she attended the University of the South Pacific in Fiji, graduating with a BSc in environmental studies in 1995. Later, she earned an MA in geography from the University of Hawaii at Manoa (2001–2004).

Career Evans' interest in marine life began when she went on school trips to the nearly lagoon as a 16-year-old. While snorkeling, she was struck by the beauty of the coral and the colourful fish. It was then she decided to become a marine conservationist.

After first working as a fisheries surveillance officer, she was employed by the Cook Islands Conservation Service. In 2005, she joined the Ministry of Health where she monitored the effects of waste water on the maritime environment. Five years later, she was appointed programme manager at the environmental NGO Te Ipukarea Society, liaising with government agencies on the development of structures for the marine park. The goal was reaching a balance between the use of natural resources and the needs of conservation.