Success. Your way.

Brendan has worked in radio for some of the largest media companies in New Zealand. He has a doctorate in communications and media studies, has been teaching for 18 years and has presented at conferences in Australia, Japan, England and Singapore. For Brendan, teaching is not just about just about imparting knowledge; it is about inspiring curiosity and fostering a love for learning. He gets a lot of satisfaction seeing students make their way into the industry and observing their speedy ascent in their chosen career.

Cheryl brings significant industry experience to her teaching role at Ara, including managing restaurants and working as a drink design consultant. She has a degree in applied management and has been teaching for over 20 years. She has also been a World Cocktail Competition judge. In 2012, she was part of a group that won an Ako Aotearoa National Sustainable Tertiary Teaching Award. Cheryl loves her role at Ara, teaching the craft of cocktail making and seeing students grow in confidence and gain transferable skills like problem solving, collaboration and creativity.

Claire has worked in the baking industry for 30 years, including in hotels in New Zealand and London. She has been teaching for 10 years. Claire believes in making every student feel comfortable and heard by understanding their individual needs. She treats international students as if they were her own children, showing them kindness and providing support and guidance.

Before joining Ara nine years ago, Emma worked for 27 years in private practice within a large, multidisciplinary primary healthcare practice. She has assessed osteopathy programmes for the New Zealand Qualifications Authority and been the president of two professional organisations. She was also a member of the Osteopathic Council of New Zealand for 11 years and chair of the organisation for five years. Emma loves sharing her real-world clinical experiences with students to help them bring the theory of osteopathy to life in both the classroom and the teaching clinic.

Imran has a doctorate in supply chain management and has worked extensively in the field. He has been teaching for 15 years. Imran integrates real-world operations and supply chain management scenarios into his teaching, guiding students to link complex theoretical concepts with practical applications. It is especially rewarding for him to see learners thrive as they use both quantitative and qualitative approaches to address a range of contemporary supply chain challenges.

Irene has worked in architecture, construction and project management, and has been teaching for 12 years. She frequently presents at conferences and contributes to publications and has a doctorate in Geography. Irene is a passionate educator, always looking for opportunities to bring real world experiences to her students while showing them how their architectural work can positively impact communities and the wider industry. She and her students have collaborated on many multidisciplinary community projects with industry leaders.

Lena has a PhD in environmental economics and has been teaching for 24 years. She is also a researcher and consultant who has worked with the Ministry for the Environment, the Ministry for Primary Industries, the Department of Conservation and the United Nations Environment Programme. Lena is passionate about bringing real-world, diverse perspectives on sustainability into the classroom and thrives on helping students connect theory with practice.

During his 30+ years in the hospitality industry, Mark has worked in a wide range of establishments, from cafes and five-star restaurants to high-end lodges. At Ara, Mark loves sharing his industry knowledge and experience to motivate and inspire students to excel in hospitality environments. In 2024, he coached and mentored New Zealand's team in the Global Chefs Challenge to eighth place.

Matt has worked as an engineer in Australia, Iran and New Zealand. He has a PhD in Civil and Environmental Engineering, has been teaching for 11 years and won an Engineering New Zealand innovation award. Matt is passionate about fostering a deep understanding of civil engineering principles through hands-on learning and real-world applications. Matt says teaching international students excites him as it enriches the classroom with diverse perspectives, allowing the class to explore innovative solutions to global challenges together. His goal is to empower students to become environmentally responsible engineers who appreciate the cultural significance of water and sustainability.

As a pharmacology lecturer in the Bachelor of Nursing programme, Sara is passionate about creating dynamic, student-centered learning environments through gamification. She finds joy in watching students engage deeply, grow in confidence and build a sense of connection within the classroom. Sara says teaching international students is especially rewarding and believes that their diverse experiences enrich discussions and foster a truly collaborative learning space.

Before joining Ara five years ago, Tyson worked in strength and conditioning and coaching. He has a masters degree and is currently working on his PhD in health science. Tyson's teaching approach is transformative and discussion-based, incorporating practical influences to enhance learning. He is deeply passionate about strength and conditioning, exercise science, indigenous social sciences and preparing students for professional practice. Tyson says teaching international students is particularly rewarding as they bring a wealth of cultural diversity and perspectives to the classroom.