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Phill Mudgway - Programme ManagerCity and Guilds Certificate in Motorcycle Repairs, C&G Diploma in Motorcycle Repairs, Diploma in Tertiary Teaching, NCALNE Phill has been with WelTec for a number of years, working in the academic team before moving to automotive, initially as a tutor and now as Programme Manager. Motorcycles have always been his passion. This, combined with his love for working with people and seeing them achieve their goals is why Phill enjoys being part of the automotive school. |
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Kerry Butters - TutorKerry started in the motor industry in 1985 after growing up helping his father work on cars at their gas station. His own passion for motorcycles and cars is what drove him to work in a range of workshops, both big and small, as a technician, foreman, and later as a Service Manager before coming to WelTec. Kerry enjoys seeing the evolution of technology in the industry, passing this knowledge onto ākonga, and seeing their confidence grow. |
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Vijay Chhika - TutorVijay started off as an automotive technician and is now a senior academic staff member. He began working at WelTec in 2016. He began his automotive career as an apprentice mechanic in Wainuiomata before working for BMW and then owning his own business for 13 years, specialising in BMWs. Vijay is passionate about working with people and passing on his knowledge to his students, as he says you can’t take it with you to your grave. |
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Grant Davies - TutorA Grade Diesel Mechanic Grant has been at WelTec since 2006 after starting out doing an adult apprenticeship at Gough Gough and Hamer and then moving into a role as a Diesel Service Manager. He loves helping ākonga to develop their skills and confidence to prepare them for their vocation. |
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Stewart Doherty - TutorNZ Certificate in Automotive Engineering, NZ Certificate in Tertiary Learning and Teaching Stewart has been at WelTec since 2014 after coming to us from the industry where he completed an apprenticeship in 1995. He then worked as an automotive engineer working on light vehicles, forklifts, and construction equipment. He has also worked as a service advisor, workshop foreman, workshop controller, service, manager, and fleet manager. His love of automotive started at a young age which saw him carrying out his own motorcycle maintenance on his motocross bikes, encouraged by his father who was a mechanic who ran a motorcycle repair business from home. He enjoys working with and teaching young people and seeing them develop and go home feeling successful. |
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Carl Donaldson - TutorAdvance Trade Cert After owning his own business for several years, Carl became a vehicle compliance certifier for VINZ, before starting at WelTec in 2007. One of the things he enjoyed most when he owned his own business was training apprentices, so moving to WelTec and working with students felt like the natural progression. |
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Stuart Henderson - TutorAdvanced Trade Certification in Automotive Engineering, Diploma in Tertiary Teaching Initially, working on cars was a hobby Stuart did with his friends, but after finding he really enjoyed it, he decided to turn it into a career by pursuing an apprenticeship. He honed his skills, gained invaluable experience and entered the industry, where he went on to accumulate 20 years of experience working with Jaguar, Rolls Royce, BMW, Porsche, and American cars. He has worked at WelTec since 1998 and enjoys passing his knowledge and experience onto students, then getting to work with them over the years as they work through their apprenticeship. |
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Husmuck Kala - TutorNZ Trade Cert, Teaching Cert and Literacy and Numeracy L5 Hus began his career as an apprentice when he left school. His industry experience started with busses. He was self-employed in the Hutt Valley for over 30 years as a qualified Automotive Electrician. He has worked at Weltec since 2018 and has his NZ Trade Cert, A Grade Teaching Cert and Literacy and Numeracy L5. |
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Adrian Gardiner - TutorDiploma Engineering Management UK, Certified Automotive Engineer NZ & UK Adrian has been working at WelTec since 2012, after working in the industry in both NZ and the UK. His love of the industry started at age 8 after Denny Hulme brought a race car to a calf day at school. He really enjoys working with students and watching them progress through to getting their qualification. |
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Dean Riches - TutorTrade Certificate and Advanced Trade Cert Dean has a love of cars and all things mechanical and has been at WelTec since 2007 after previously owning his own business and being a tech rep for a paint supplier. He enjoys watching learners grow learn and achieve. |
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Jason RobertsonBA Education, Certificate in Tertiary Learning and Training, National Certificate in Automotive Engineering, National Certificate in Motor Industry: Automotive Heavy Engineering, 4098/11281 Workplace Assessor Training, National Certificate in Adult Literacy and Numeracy Education After completing a pre-trade course at what was then Hutt Valley Polytechnic, Jason (Rob) spent 9 years working as a diesel technician and 4 years as a petrol technician before joining WelTec in 2012. |
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Damian Ward - TutorA Grade petrol light trade qualification Damian has been working at WelTec since 2010, he originally completed a course at Hutt Valley Polytechnic (now WelTec) and then gained an apprenticeship at E.J Motors in Petone before moving on and working for Honda Cards and Ford Motor Company. He has spent 3 years tutoring at the Ford Training Establishment. He finds it very satisfying to pass on his experience to today’s learners so they can develop into successful technicians in the automotive industry. |
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Gareth McGhie - Associate Programme Manager Creative and Senior TutorPG Cert in Applied Practice Gareth has taught across the suite of Creative Technologies programmes since 2010. Prior to this Gareth worked across many fields in the creative industry including hairdressing, film work including design, SPFX make-up, costuming, miniatures, props manufacture and set construction. Initially training as a hairdresser, Gareth spent 10 years in this industry and was actively involved in Wella’s design team and national competition circuit winning both regional and national titles during the 1990s. Gareth then moved to the NZ film industry in 1999 and worked for Weta Workshop for the following 10 years, the last 5 of which were spent as workshop supervisor overseeing production on multiple film, gaming, and public art work projects including King Kong, Lion, Witch and Wardrobe Trilogy, District 9, and Avatar films. Gareth still works closely with Weta Workshop and film-based manufacturing companies in the Wellington region and actively researches in this area. Gareth’s personal art practice centres on contemporary Māori carving and adornment working predominantly in bone, wood, and stone. The Kaupapa of this work is settled firmly within the concepts of Te Ao Māori and Whakapapa in particular. His work is exhibited regularly both in NZ and internationally. The intersection of this carving practice and his work in the film-based manufacturing industry is a primary area of research in regard to materiality, process, and development. |
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Craig Anderson - Senior TutorBCrea, Dip. Computer Graphic Design, C. Adult Education Craig teaches across a range of creative fields, with a focus on digital media and emerging technologies. His core teaching includes graphic design, web media, photography and video. Craig is a passionate educator, who combines creativity and critical thinking in his student projects and enjoys mentoring students through their educational journey and into creative careers. Craig’s knowledge of multimedia, photography and graphic design is translated in direct collaboration and multidisciplinary projects with industry including Tourism Industry Aotearoa (TIA) and GS1. |
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Darren Ward - TutorPG Cert in Applied Practice Darren has been teaching in the tertiary sector for 10 years. Darren has over twenty years of experience in various engineering fields which include NZ Defence, high speed packaging engineer for Lever Rexona and locomotive rebuild engineer for KiwiRail. Darren also has over 15 years of experience working within his Māori art practice which includes Marae, gallery work and providing work for private collectors and commissions. Darren’s research expertise is in Māori art and design and 3D methodologies and processes. He utilizes his knowledge of engineering to apply hard materials and processes along with emerging technologies into his teaching and creative practice. Darren has interests in the digital modelling, scanning, and virtual reality fields. Darren also has a close link with Te Papa which includes various back of house collections visits and links with local Iwi and industry relationships that bridge into the props making, game design, and world building areas. |
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Mike Robinson - TutorBDes Mike completed a BDes (Hons) at Massey University majoring in Visual Communication Design and Digital Media in 2013. He has since been working as a freelance designer and artist in areas spanning illustration, ceramics, graphic design, web design, costume design, sound design and sculpture. Much of his work has been based in central China in the last three years where he has been teaching design courses for various institutions. He has a keen interest in mixing technologies both old and new and brings this multidisciplinary approach to all his teaching and personal practice. |
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Adrian McCleland - TutorPGDip FA, Dip VCD Adrian teaches within the image making courses, across all year groups. His skillset acquired over many years means he comes well equipped to cover a vast array of crafts, skills, methodologies, and mediums. Teaching from the practicalities and artistry of printmaking, through the precise observational world of photography, all the way to the digital application of these via software and fundamental design principles, helping lead to students always being kept on their toes, engaged, and pushing further with their work. The students develop not just a comprehensive list of techniques, but new ways to investigate and explore our world, their surroundings and work. Adrian has worked in the vocation of education for many years, as well as working in the design industry in Tongatapu, New York, Canada and here. His work has involved print, web, motion graphics and illustration work and has covered everything from infographics, branding through to VJing. But teaching is his love, to support and nurture the abilities of others, to get the best from his students is where he thrives. To learn and to grow is a life-long journey, to explore and experiment is something that should never stop – E hoa ma, ina te ora o te tangata. |
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Alice Moore - TutorBDes Alice is currently leading Te Auaha’s China projects and has extensive experience developing tailored courses for the unique cultural context of China. She is a passionate teacher of visual communication design, encouraging students to discover and develop their own distinct critically informed creative practice. Alice is a multidisciplinary designer who works across illustration, motion design, animation, publication design and typography. Her work employs both hand and digital techniques and seeks to impart meaningful messages – it is playful and curious to sustain imaginative creative thought and thinking. |
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Deidra Sullivan - TutorBDes (Photography), MFA, BA History & Art History (Hons) Deidra (Dee) is a lecturer on the Creative Technologies programmes at Te Auaha, specialising in photography and 2D image making processes. She has been teaching at WelTec since 2012. Her research interests relate to alternative and historic photographic processes, and art and photographic history. In 2018 Deidra co-curated the exhibition ‘Still Looking: Peter McLeavey and the last photograph’ at the Adam Art Gallery, and in 2020 she was the (acting) Photography Curator at the Alexander Turnbull Library. |
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Andy Firth - TechnicianBDes Andy is the Technician for CT Programmes and the Whitireia Music Programme. Andy has worked for WelTec for over ten years. The Technician is responsible for the programme specific equipment and spaces as well as looking after the Health and Safety issues for the workshop and studio spaces. Andy’s expertise and support to students and staff are aimed at helping you to get the most out of your time at Te Auaha. |
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Robert Vansverry - Programme ManagerRobert is from the UK and has been working in and around the hospitality industry for over 30 years. He started his career as a silver service waiter but quickly moved into the kitchen as a chef, he has worked across multiple aspects of the industry in hotels, restaurants, café’s, pubs and bars. As well as working in commercial sales to the hospitality industry. Settling in Wellington in 2004 Robert started work at WelTec’s School of Hospitality in 2005 as a cookery tutor, Robert became the school’s first ever PASM (Principle Academic Staff Member) in 2016 and Programme Manager in 2018. “I love the diversity of hospitality and the opportunities it provides people; it is so rewarding. The positive effect we have on customers, the pressure and excitement of a busy service and the camaraderie of the team. Hospitality teaches us resilience, adaptability, systems and processes but also allows you a degree of independence, flare and showmanship that other careers do not.” |
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Ali Bahmad - TutorBorn and raised in Sydney, Australia. Ali has been a cookery tutor at WelTec for over 7 years now. Ali's worked in fine dining restaurants and hotels in Australia and Aotearoa including the Hilton Hotel, Sydney Cove, Oyster Bar and most recently as Head Chef of Wither Hills Winery Restaurant in Marlborough before joining the whānau at WelTec. Ali grew up in a household dominated by Middle Eastern cooking. Like many households the kitchen was the heart of the home. The ‘hands-on’ technique of mixing, shaping, and preparing this style of food appealed to him from a young age and cultivated his ambition that would later lead to the world of food as a career. Ali completed his formal training at the Hotel School in Sydney and his adult education training in Aotearoa. With his breadth of industry experience Ali understands many facets of our ever-changing industry and understands how to apply them to his delivery and teaching with a level of charm and passion. Away from WelTec, Ali loves keeping active by working in his extensive vegetable garden and tending to his flock of hens. At WelTec Ali teaches across the suite of cookery programmes with a primary focus on the Level 4 Managed Chef Traineeship. |
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Derek Yee - TutorDerek is a qualified Chef with New Zealand Cookery certificates 751, 752 & 753, and a City & Guilds Diploma (with Distinction). His tertiary education qualifications include NZ Certificate in Adult Education, and National Certificate in Adult Literacy & Numeracy Education (NCALNE). Derek has taught for 7 Years at WelTec, teaching L2 and L3 WTA Hospitality and L4 Cookery. He is a qualified Culinary Competition judge and Licensed Manager. Derek has 30 plus years' experience as a Chef, including 20 years as a business owner/restauranteur and caterer. Derek worked as a chef at New Zealand Government House and Parliament (Bellamys). He travelled and worked in Europe and Australia, working as a private chef to international clientele while working overseas. He has an interest in coaching youth development in various sports including basketball and cricket, from level 2 up to secondary school level. |
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Frank Prskawetz - TutorFrank has been teaching at the School of Hospitality since 2013. He is originally from Austria where he started his chef’s apprenticeship when he was only 14 years old. Before arriving in New Zealand in 1992 he travelled and worked around the globe including luxury cruise ships. His highlight is the opening of the first ever purpose-built hotel in an Olympic village for the 2000 games in Sydney. Frank loves teaching as no two days are the same and he is very proud to see students excel in their chosen career. |
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Gavin Mackenzie - TutorAfter gaining a Higher National Certificate in Professional Cookery, Gavin started his career as a chef and pastry chef working in hotels in Britain and France. He moved to New Zealand in 2001 and worked in hotels, restaurants and bakeries in Wellington before becoming a tutor at WelTec in 2008. He enjoys passing on his knowledge and skills to students, developing their confidence around food. As well as teaching cookery and bakery, Gavin has studied adult literacy and numeracy at Victoria University and developed the on-line learning for cookery at WelTec. |
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Liam Brash - TutorBorn in Dunedin with Scottish and Irish heritage, Liam moved to Wellington at age 10. He is a product of WelTec having graduated from the School of Hospitality in 2001. Gaining employment at Shed 5 through the work experience programme provided by WelTec, Liam had the opportunity to work at some high-end businesses, namely Martin Bosley’s Yacht Club, The Savoy Grill (Gordon Ramsay/Marcus Waring Holdings) and Popcorn Catering (George Michael 25 Live Tour) Having returned to New Zealand he found a passion for teaching through becoming a workplace assessor and having apprentices in his workplace at Smith the Grocer. Liam made the move to teaching in 2015 at the Porirua campus, first teaching Level 5 Pâtisserie, then working his way through almost every hospitality programme within the suite. In 2020 he moved to the WelTec Cuba street campus where he has been teaching Level 4 Cookery and Trades Academy classes. Outside of work his main interests are fermentation, home automation, DIY and golf. |
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Mark Francis - TutorMark has worked at WelTec since 2011 after having spent a career working at various hotels and restaurants in London, Italy, Canada and Australia. Arriving at WelTec with teaching qualifications, he has completed several qualifications during his initial years at WelTec including NCALNE and DTLT. Mark is a junior member of the team who enjoys assisting and helping to train students reach their goals. |
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Nick Huffman - TutorNational Certificate in Adult Education and Training 4098 Workplace Assessor Qualification City and Guilds of London 706/1 & 706/2. Nick joined Whitireia and WelTec in 2011. With almost 40 years in the restaurant industry to date, he has no plans to stop any time soon. Nick has worked in top restaurants around New Zealand, including the likes of Matterhorn in Wellington, Huka Lodge in Taupo, and Soul Bar & Bistro in Auckland Viaduct. In 1991 Nick was awarded Chef of the Nation and Chef of the Region (Wellington). He’s also been the finalist and winner for multiple national industry competitions, like Cervena Plates (1995), and Corbans Food and Wine Challenge (1994, 95 and 95) He was a consultant chef to Air New Zealand from 1994 to 2000, working on first class and business routes. Nick loves growing food in his garden, baking sourdough bread, curing meats of all descriptions and fishing from his kayak to feed him and his family in an effort to be as self-sustainable as possible. |
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Robert Bok - TutorRobert began teaching formally in 2013 at WelTec and has continued to gain skills from practical teaching to designing content and aligning assessments for the specialist area of bakery, patisserie, desserts and gateaux work. His main focus is to keep maintaining the core skills and logic of the work that bakers and pâtissiers need in today’s climate whilst still incorporating sustainable practices as we recognise the need to use all resources thoughtfully. Robert continuously keeps current with the industry as well as academia to fine tune and continuously bring out the best of education and skills for the baking industry in Aotearoa and beyond. Before coming into vocational teaching, Robert’s 28 years of work and education journey in his kitchen craft has taken him to multiple international hotels, resorts and casino patisserie and bakery kitchens from Malaysia to Singapore, France, Australia, New Zealand and now in Wellington. Highlights in his career have included running a million-dollar pastry operation, cooking for the regular, royalty and celebrities, volume catering to 5000 customers, representing New Zealand in both National and International competitions, judging and then managing pastry competitors successfully. He loves passing on knowledge and empowering junior professionals by enabling their talents through bakery and patisserie making. |
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Ray Morrell - TutorRay Morrell has worked in a variety of positions in kitchens in New Zealand and the United Kingdom including Glasgow and London. Ray has 20 years teaching experience and has taught on various programmes at the school including patisserie, cookery and bakery. His primary focus is on student success and ensuring that students achieve their goals. Culinary competition is also another passion that has allowed him to judge locally and internationally including supporting students competing in Hong Kong and America. A notable highlight was winning the Chef of the Capital and success with the student Toque d’Or, ICCC and Young Chef Olympiad teams. Qualified in cookery with the NZ Professional trade certificate 751, 752, 753, and City & Guilds Culinary Arts Diploma 7065. Tertiary qualifications include NZ Certificate in Adult Education, National Certificate in Adult Literacy & Numeracy Education (NCALNE) and the Diploma in Tertiary Learning & Teaching level 6. Ray also is a qualified L4 culinary judge. As a passionate Wellingtonian, he enjoys travelling and has spent time in Europe, Africa, Asia and North America experiencing the culinary differences around the globe. His favourite pastimes include running, DIY and tinkering with his beloved 1974 Kombi. |
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Robyn Appleyard - TutorRobyn began her career in office reception and business administration work but soon become drawn to work in the hospitality industry as there was more contact with people. She started with the Town House Hotel chain then moved onto the Quality & Copthorne hotels in Wellington. Robyn first joined Hutt Valley Polytechnic in 1994 as a tutor on the Hotel Front Office programme and since then moved to WelTec, spending time in tutoring and as Programme Leader for Business Administration, Retail and Hotel Front Office programmes. She has also taught across the Tourism and Business Management programmes. Now Robyn is a senior academic staff member and lectures on the Diploma in Hospitality Management Level 5 programme. She has a Bachelor of Hospitality Management L7 as well as a Certificate in Adult Literacy Education L5, City & Guilds Diploma in Reception Operations, a City & Guilds Certificate in Accommodation Operations, and the Certificate in Hotel & Catering Accommodation Operations (HCITB) A highlight of Robyn’s career has been the time spent training the reception and housekeeping employees at the Rarotonga and Aitutaki resorts in the Cook Islands. |
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Scott Campbell – Senior TutorSchool of Hospitality C&G 706 1&2 Scott has over 35 years’ experience in the world of kitchens and is a vastly experienced teacher. He has worked in the UK, Switzerland, the Channel Islands, Australia, and NZ in a variety of hotels and restaurants and event catering and still works in industry on the odd occasion. A passionate fisherman, Scott enjoys teaching others how to prepare and cook fish, how to use the whole fish, and will occasionally bring his catch in for students to see different species. Scott has been involved in culinary competitions, both competing and training our students in local and international competitions and is a well-respected culinary judge. Some of Scott’s highlights in this field:
Scott’s teaching philosophy is simple – get students to the stage where they can enter a job at the end of their studies and feel comfortable in that environment. |
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Steve Ray - TutorWellington born, Steve began his career in tertiary education in 2015, tutoring Certificate Cookery Level 4, Diploma Level 5 (Advanced) Cookery, and Diploma of Management Level 5. Steve is driven by bringing his industry experience to the classroom and training kitchen. Steve takes pride in developing students from all levels in a guided and supportive environment. Prior to 2015 Steve enjoyed a significant career as an Executive Chef in several well-known 5 and 4.5- star hotels in New Zealand, Australia, Fiji, PNG and Vietnam. Steve is a qualified chef and educator with City and Guilds 706/1 and 706/2, several food safety qualifications, Diploma of Management and Certificate in Adult Education level 5. |
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Toby Sanderson - TutorFollowing 15 years working around the world in a variety of kitchens (fine dining & wine bars to pubs & cafes), Toby returned to New Zealand and started sharing his knowledge and experience with his students here at WelTec. He continues to engage closely with the industry, working in a casual capacity at various venues around Wellington. Since 2008 when he started as a tutor, he has mentored hundreds of students including training very successful culinary teams for regional and national competitions. He’s currently managing and delivering the Wellington Trades Academy (WTA) Hospitality suite of programs. Toby gains great satisfaction from interacting with schools and supporting students as they begin their tertiary journey and staircase on to further studies and employment on completion of their programs. Qualified in cookery with national certificates 751 & 752, and a City & Guilds diploma (with excellence). Tertiary education qualifications include NZ Certificate in Adult Education, National Certificate in Adult Literacy & Numeracy Education (NCALNE) and a Diploma in Tertiary Learning & Teaching (DTLT) Level 6. Toby is also a qualified Culinary Competition judge and Licenced Manager. |
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Paul Gibbs - TutorHaving worked in many establishments around the world for twenty years Paul finally took on the role as a tutor at Weltec in 2004. Paul started his culinary career in London followed by a stint in Muscat, Oman and finally Wellington. His qualifications include City & Guilds 706-1, 706-2, 706-3 Pastry, 706-3 Advanced pastry, L5 National Certificate in Adult Education and Training, New Zealand Certificate in Adult Literacy & Numeracy and a 4098 Workplace Assessor Qualification. One of the things he enjoys about tutoring is watching the students skills grow and become more confident working in the patisserie field. |
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Gloria Hildred - TutorBAppA Music Gloria has worked in various fields of education and the music industry for over 20 years, playing with Kiwi artists including Jools Topp (Topp Twins) Brendan Power, Rodger Fox and the late Mahinarangi Tocker. She has also worked with NZ theatre groups such as Red Mole, Not Broadcast Quality and Magdalena Aotearoa in live sound production, event management, set building and performance. She has 30 years experience in a diverse range of businesses as a manager, director and sole trader. As a bass player, Gloria has played with The Kapiti Coast Big Band (jazz), Mtown (Motown covers), The John O’Connor Experiment and continues to play in various bands focusing on originals. She has been teaching and tutoring since 1992, and is a BAppA (Music) graduate of Whitireia. |
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Phil Hornblow - Senior TutorBMus, Amus T.C.L. Phil has worked in the Recording/Music industry for over 25 years. He owns and manages a music production studio, producing music across a wide range of genres including recording work with the NZSO and various classical choral ensembles, radio and television commercials, production work with singer-songwriters and bands and educational audio resources. He is also an arranger and keyboard player for the Dave Feehan Band and does recording work as a session player. Phil is a committed educator with 14 years’ experience teaching on the Whitireia music programme. |
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Daniel Adams - TutorBMus, BA, DipTeach Daniel Adams is a leading researcher of the arts at Te Auaha. He has presented papers at Arts and Humanities conferences in Brighton, UK and in Venice, Italy, and at the Australasian Urban History Planning History Conference in Launceston, Tasmania. Daniel’s Master’s thesis Crawford, On The Hill, By The Sea (2022) involved interviewing former inmates and staff of Mt Crawford Prison on Te Motu Kairangi Miramar Peninsula and representing those lived experiences in sound, song, music and video. Daniel has composed, performed and toured work with the Aotearoa New Zealand Festival of The Arts, Wellington Fringe Festival, Wellington Jazz Festival, Tauranga Arts Festival and Hamilton ‘Fuel’ Festival. His wide research interests encompass songwriting, audiovisual composition, community formation, penal reform and transgressive artistry. |
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Lisa Tomlins - TutorLisa has 30-plus years in the music industry as a backing vocalist and lead singer/songwriter with Fat Freddy’s Drop, Shapeshifter, Michael Parmenter, Hollie Smith and Neil Finn, to name a few and currently with, Lord Echo, LAB and Rhombus, is also a judge for Smokefree Rockquest, MC and music mentor. |
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Sandy Cairns-James - TutorBA Jazz, MA Ed, PG Dip (Singing Teaching) Sandy Cairns-James is a vocal coach and educator in the music department of Whitireia and Weltec NZ. Sandy's musical career started at a young age as the lead singer in original and local rock bands. In the music department, Sandy specialises in voice coaching and in more recent time's academic papers. Her singing career and knowledge has facilitated in developing a reliable and comprehensive vocal programme. To achieve her own goals in education, she has acquired a Jazz Performance under-graduate degree, a Post-graduate diploma in singing teaching, and an MA in Education. The educational pathway has enhanced Sandy's teaching abilities and given her the necessary tools to achieve success. The topic of interest for her MA in Education was to explore sport psychology methods and how these might transfer into voice training. The Whitireia Journal of Nursing, Healthy and Social Services Issue 26 2019 has published the findings of this thesis. With a musical career spanning over 25 years as the lead singer in original and local rock bands. With a Jazz Performance undergraduate degree, and her MA in Education which was to explore sport psychology methods and how these might transfer into voice training. Sandy's motivation is to see all students reach their full potential both academically and in the music industry. |
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Johnny Lawrence - TutorDip. Jazz Performance Jonny is a professional guitar/bass player who has worked extensively abroad in the Caribbean, Thailand and the USA and he brings 17 years of professional musicianship with him. When back on home soil Jonny regularly tutors and leads local soul/funk band Pyramids, funk/fusion band Hoonhunters and the electric duo Ugly Disco. He also plays bass for Eva Lankum and continues playing on cruise ships as time permits. |
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Marino Karena - TutorBAppA Music Having been raised at Ratana, Marino Karena began his music career at the age of eight, in the Ratana Brass Band. He has been working in the music industry for over 30 years, and in that time has played with or supported Herbs, Dalvanius Prime, Māori Volcanics, Roger Fox, Jenny Morrison, Adijah and Midge Marsden to name a few. Marino has been teaching for the last 20 years preparing students for employment in the music industry. He is highly proficient in a variety of music genres ranging from Rock, Blues, Reggae, RnB, to contemporary and has dexterity for teaching across all age groups and is an active band member himself, singing and playing guitar, bass, and trombone. |
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Tyson Smith - TutorDip. Jazz Performance Tyson performs as a guitarist in a range of genres from blues, jazz and funk gigs to TV and Theatre productions including the New Zealand Symphony Orchestra and was guitarist with singer Hollie Smith for many years. He has also been an itinerant guitar tutor at high schools around Wellington. He has produced various albums, including 2 under his own name. He regularly performs around New Zealand festivals and venues as a solo act or in various ensembles including psychedelic rock group The Electrons. |
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Rick Cranson - TutorBMus (Jazz) Rick has 18 years of experience teaching. Some of his work includes Little Bushman, Auckland Philharmonia, NZSO, Trinity Roots, The Tyson Smith Group, Darren Watson, The James Illingworth Trio, Jeff Henderson and Johnathan Crayford. Currently Rick plays around the country in various ensembles and bands and is drummer/composer for KITA. |
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Tom Scrase - TutorTom has established himself as one of Aotearoa’s leading drummers – performing with he likes of dDub, Corrella, and in New Zealand’s premier percussion ensemble Strike! Percussion. He has taught throughout New Zealand in workshops, masterclasses, and itinerant teaching for over 20 years and is excited to be part of the Whitireia whanau. Creating sound design for dance, film and installation, Tom’s creative outlet – Aotūroa – sees elements of ambient, textural soundscapes blended with complex and hypnotic rhythms and field recordings. Continuing with a regular performance schedule as a session drummer, Tom also makes and plays Taonga Pūoro, which forms a major part of his live ambient performances. Having performed at major festivals (Rhythm & Vines, New Zealand Festival, Hamilton Gardens Arts Festival) with commissions for the 2018 Commonwealth Games (Gold Coast), Tom has a wealth of knowledge to inspire the next generation of creators and performers. |
Lucas Zaner - TutorBoC Performing Arts (Music) Lucas is a Wellington based DJ, musician, and performer. After completing his bachelor's degree in music, he continued to develop his audio production which has since been featured on international electronic music platforms including EDM Movement, Drop Nation, and Digital High. Lucas has been involved in various roles throughout the Wellington performance community with highlights including sound and lighting design for exhibitions at the Te Auaha gallery, performances at Toi Whakaari: NZ Drama School, and performances involving members of the Royal Family Dance Crew. |
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Esther Robinson - TutorDip Commercial Dance, NZAMD Esther Forsyth Robinson trained at Wellington Performing Arts Centre to complete her Diploma in Commercial Dance in 2007. After graduating, Esther spent two years living and working in Melbourne and getting involved with the Australian dance scene. Since that time, she has travelled the world performing in Australia, America, and Japan. Credits include Tokyo Disneyland, Tokyo Disney Sea, and Princess Cruises. Esther loved her time working on cruise ships and has been lucky enough to visit almost all the continents and see many countries. She feels blessed to have lived a life where she was able to dance and travel at the same time – her two biggest passions. After retiring from performing in 2014, she focused on teaching in New Zealand. She loves working with the students at Te Auaha, especially those that aspire to have careers in the dance industry. Esther is passionate about dance and hopes to instill this same passion and love for the arts in her students. Her wish for them is that they will leave the course as strong, hardworking, versatile dancers ready to tackle the ever-changing dance world. |
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Vivencio (Jun) Samblaceno JR - TutorDip Commercial Dance, NZAMD Vivencio, (Jun as he is also known by), trained in Manila, Philippines and danced professionally with the Philippine Ballet Theatre. He later joined the Royal New Zealand Ballet Company and performed classical, neo-classical, and contemporary works in Australasia, Europe, America, and Asia for twenty years as a soloist and principal. He received his Fellowship degree with distinction under the International Dance Teachers' Association UK and is a Mutually Recognised Teacher of the Royal Academy of Dance. He has an Adult and Tertiary Teaching qualification through the Open Polytechnic of New Zealand. He also teaches at the New Zealand School of Dance and the Chilton Ballet Academy. He has taught adjudicated classes at the Alana Haines Australasian Awards and was an artistic judge at The Royal Academy of Dance Solo Seal Award. Jun holds Ballroom, Latin American and New Vogue NZ titles and continues to train and dance competitively. He has been teaching Classical Ballet, Pilates and Dance Styles for the Commercial Dance and Musical Theatre courses for over ten years and has a passion for mentoring and passing on his knowledge. |
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Carmel McGlone - TutorBA, Dip Exec Mus, Dip Teach Carmel McGlone is one of New Zealand’s most renowned actresses. She has performed in theatres, film and television her entire professional life. During the 1990s, Carmel was a member of Simon Phillip’s ensemble of actors at the State Theatre Co, Australia. In 2004, Carmel received the Chapman Tripp Best Actress award for her role as Lady Macbeth in Circa’s production of Macbeth. In 2009, Carmel was nominated for Best Supporting Actress in the Chapman Tripp Awards for her role in the Willem Wasenaar directed production of Blood Wedding. Carmel has been nominated in the Film and Television awards three times. In the latter half of 2010, Carmel acted in both series of the Emmy award-winning on-line TV drama Reservoir Hill. Carmel stars in the feature film Hook Line and Sinker which premiered at the Embassy. For eight years Carmel held the position of senior drama tutor at Wellington Performing Arts Centre in Wellington, and since 2009 has tutored at the Whitireia Performance Centre. In 2011 Carmel was granted a prestigious fellowship to work at Shakespeare’s Globe in London. |
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Tess Jamieson - TutorKaraha BPA Tess gained a BPA from Toi Whakaari in 2010 and has worked as a professional actress in the TV, film, theatre and radio industry since. Her many credits include Seed by Elisabeth Easther at Circa in 2015, the feature film How to Meet Girls from a Distance in 2014, Pop Up Pantomime by Geraldine Brophy in 2016, and playing Beth in the internationally successful web series Potluck by Ness Simons. Potluck gained six nominations worldwide including the United Kingdom and Dublin webfest and has been picked up by TVNZ On Demand, Kinda T.V and Revry. Her solo show Please help yourself was picked up by Radio New Zealand and transcribed for radio in 2012. Tess produced, wrote and performed in her short film Coffee Group which was nominated for an online audience award as part of the Promofest Short of the Year competition in 2016. She is currently producing her next film project, a web series called burnt chops. She is a regular voice over artist for New Zealand Media and Entertainment, school journals and Clemenger BBDO. |
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Paula van Beek - TutorPaula van Beek is an artist and arts educator with a passion for supporting emerging arts practitioners to create original performative work. She has found many ways to live this passion throughout her career including founding a theatre company (Open Book 1999), being the Programme Manager of BATS Theatre (2001-2004) and teaching performance and creative practice at Victorian College of the Arts (VCA), Melbourne University (2008 – 2018) and Toi Whakaari NZ Drama School (2018). Dedicated to pushing her practice and finding new forms and frames for performance Paula has just recently completed a Research Masters in Fine Art from RMIT School of Art, Melbourne (2018). She also holds a Graduate Diploma in Animatuering (Performance Making) from the Victorian College of the Arts (VCA), Melbourne University (2006) and a Bachelor of Arts in English Literature and Theatre and Film from Victoria University, Wellington, New Zealand (1998). She has travelled widely with her work with projects across Aotearoa/NZ and Australia, as well as in Colombia and Indonesia, training in the UK, residencies in Europe and the US, and teaching in Tokyo. She has made works in car parks, theatres, hallways, galleries, on river banks and online. Paula is thrilled to be back in her hometown of Wellington and join the Stage & Screen team to train the next generation of actors, performance makers, artistic thinkers and doers. Her extensive experience working in the arts sector as a devisor, performer, director, lighting designer, and arts manager enables Paula to approach making work from multiple angles. She is excited about the potential of collaboration, cross-pollination and inter-disciplinary practice under the roof of Te Auaha. Paula is active in her own arts projects and within an expanded performance practice she investigates self, site and alternative performance forms with a focus on feminine experiences. |
All staff of the publishing programme come directly from industry, where they honed their skills and knowledge. Most are still working for publishers alongside their teaching.
The programme also draws on the expertise of numerous specialist tutors and industry speakers. Many publishing professionals take classes through the year – whether to teach a core part of the curriculum or take a specialist lesson or simply as a visiting speaker.
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Odessa Owens - Senior TutorOdessa Owens has worked in publishing for over a decade, making award-winning books for Te Papa Press until 2015, when she joined the Whitireia Publishing programme. In 2016 she was the convening judge of the PANZ Book Design Awards, and she was one of the judges of the 2020 Ockham New Zealand Book Awards. |
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Theresa Crewdson - TutorTheresa Crewdson completed the Diploma in Publishing in 2006 and the Editing Masterclass in 2012. She worked at Lift Education for nearly a decade and is now a freelance editor for both local and international clients. |
BA Theatre, G.Dip. Film and Television, BSc Ecology and Biodiversity, C. NZ Film and Television Corey is a producer, director, 1st AD, and tertiary-level tutor in production and assistant directing. He has worked behind the scenes across a wide range of fields, including natural history and documentary, television, short and feature films and live theatre and performance. He is Secretary of the Wellington Branch of the Screen Industry Guild of Aotearoa, New Zealand, and a member of the Directors and Editors Guild of New Zealand. |
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Anna Taylor - TutorMA (Creative Writing) Anna’s first book ‐ Relief, a collection of short stories – won Best First Book of Fiction at the 2010 NZ Post Book Awards. The first draft of Relief, which was awarded the Adam Prize in Creative Writing in 2006, was written during her MA in Creative Writing at Victoria University's IIML. Anna was the recipient of the 2009 Todd Writer’s Bursary and a Sargeson Fellowship in 2012, where she was writer in residence at the Frank Sargeson Centre in Auckland. Her work has been published in Hue and Cry, Sport, Turbine, The Penguin Book of Contemporary New Zealand Short Stories, and the German language edition of Some Other Country. |
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Donna Banicevich-Gera - Senior TutorMA (Creative Writing) Donna’s work has been produced for radio, page, stage, and screen, with her stage plays being presented in New Zealand, Australia, Spain, Austria, the USA, and Alaska. She has had several overseas artist residencies, and attended many offshore workshops, seminars, and conferences, enabling her to acquire knowledge and write outside her New Zealand framework. Donna has written a trilogy of plays based on Croatian immigration into New Zealand: Anton’s Women, Land without Sundays, and Tarara Child. Two scripts My Name is Ruhi (which premièred at Waikato Museum), and Burn, have been developed using oral history interviews. She currently writes a bi‐monthly column for PANZ (Playwrights Association of New Zealand), and is presently researching storytelling and scriptwriting in business. |
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