About Us

We are a charitable trust offering school-based teacher education and learning in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Our mission is to support primary and secondary schools to ensure their students have access to exceptional teaching and learning.

We will work towards this mission by:

Increasing the number and diversity of new teachers entering the profession by offering high quality teacher training
Offering outstanding professional learning for existing teachers
Increasing the pipeline and effectiveness of school leaders

Our
People

Heather McRae
CEO

Widely respected as one of New Zealand’s leading principals, Heather is currently the principal of Diocesan School for Girls as well as the President of the Executive of the Association of Heads of Independent Schools (AHIS) and is a member of the Curriculum Assessment Group and the College Sport Board. Prior to her appointment at Diocesan, Heather was Principal at Pakuranga College, a co-educational school with 2100 students. Between 1996 and 2002, Heather gained extensive international experience as Director of Educational Operations at Multi Serve Education Trust, a leading exporter of education. This included the establishment of an International School for the Sultan of Brunei and a range of educational projects in Japan, Indonesia, Malaysia and China.

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Dr. John Etty
Academic Director

Secondary Programme Director

John trained to teach History in England in 2001, and taught there for eight years before moving to New Zealand. John has been at Auckland Grammar School since 2012. John has a PhD in Soviet history and 1930s-1960s visual culture and has written several texts for academic publications, as well as several history textbooks and teacher guides for Cambridge University Press. He has marked external exams in the UK and in NZ, run professional development for teachers, and is currently Associate Headmaster (Academic) at Auckland Grammar School.

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Casey Taylor
Director of Operations

Casey brings over 25 years of experience in the education sector to her role as Director of Operations at The Teachers Institute. With a Bachelor of Education and a Postgraduate Diploma in Business, she has spent the past 12 years in general management, where she has developed a strong reputation for effective leadership and people-focused management. Casey is known for building strong relationships across teams and organisations, and for her ability to lead with empathy, clarity, and purpose. Passionate about ensuring all tamariki have access to high quality education, Casey is proud to be part of an organisation that shares this commitment. She is dedicated to strengthening the systems and culture that enable teachers to succeed and is excited to support The Teachers Institute in delivering on its mission of excellence and equity in teacher education across Aotearoa.

Dr. John Etty
Academic Director

Secondary Programme Director

Dr. Nina Hood
TTI Founder

Nina has a background as a secondary school teacher in Auckland. She has a DPhil in Education from The University of Oxford, and worked as an academic at The University of Auckland for eight years. She is the founder of The Education Hub, a not-for-profit with a mission to bridge the gap between research and practice in education. Nina is passionate about finding innovative ways to address key educational challenges. She has been involved with The Teachers’ Institute since its inception and is passionate about the work it is doing to strengthen the teaching profession in Aotearoa New Zealand.

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Adrienne Birtwistle
Secondary Programme Manager

Adrienne gained a Bachelor of Arts Degree from Auckland University and trained to teach English at Auckland Secondary Teachers’ College. Adrienne holds extensive domestic and international teaching experience. Currently in the role of Deputy Headmaster (Pastoral) at Auckland Grammar School, Adrienne holds positions of responsibility in her curriculum area and has marking experience on external examination panels. As a Specialist Classroom Teacher, Adrienne has run professional development programmes for Provisionally Certificated Teachers, and induction programmes for trainee teachers.

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Sarah Taylor

Primary Programme Director

Sarah was Deputy Principal at Summerland Primary School where she played a lead role in the school’s structured literacy and science of learning journey. During this time, she developed a strong passion for how multi-tiered systems of support, high-quality instructional design, and the purposeful use of assessment data can transform student achievement. She is currently completing her Master of Education, specialising in Language and Literacy, through La Trobe University in Melbourne.

Dr. David Williams

Senior Secondary Teaching Fellow

David began his teaching career as a language assistant in Germany and the former Yugoslavia. He trained as a secondary teacher in South Auckland before spending a decade at Hamilton Boys' High School, where he taught English, art history, and German, and held senior leadership roles focused on curriculum and teaching and learning. David is particularly interested in the interplay between formal education and family background in the formation of our aesthetic preferences and sense of self. He is also interested in the performative nature of teaching – in how teachers "generate their own weather" and create their own classroom cultures. He holds a PhD in comparative literature and is the translator of four works of contemporary Croatian literature.

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Dr. Barbara Ormond

Senior Secondary Teaching Fellow

Subject Lead - History

Barbara has been a teacher educator for many years at the University of Auckland where she was Director of Secondary Programmes and lecturer for History, Art History, Classical Studies, and Social Sciences education. She taught for eighteen years as a secondary teacher at Selwyn College where she was a Head of Department and on the Senior Management Team. Barbara has held lead roles in curriculum and assessment for Art History at a national level as a writer of the achievement standards, an examiner for Level 2 NCEA and the Scholarship examination, and the National Moderator. She is the current President of the New Zealand Art History Teachers Association. Barbara has researched and written on curricula and assessment matters in relation to her subject areas with a particular interest in the place of knowledge in History education, which was the focus of her PhD. Using an interdisciplinary approach which draws upon both art historical and historical methodologies, Barbara has also published on pedagogies for teaching students how to interpret visual evidence. She is passionate about teacher education and the transformative and positive effects excellent teachers can have on every individual student they teach.

Becky O'Gram

Secondary Teaching Fellow

Becky began her career as a Mathematics teacher in England before moving to New Zealand with her family in 2011. She has held a range of roles at Westlake Boys' High School, most recently serving as Associate Principal with responsibility for Curriculum, Teaching and Learning, and Professional Development. Becky is passionate about education and committed to developing high-quality teachers for Aotearoa’s rangatahi. She is dedicated to supporting trainees to build pedagogical confidence, engage in reflective practice, and enter the profession well prepared to meet the needs of diverse learners.

Dann Finlayson

Primary Teaching Fellow

Dann joined The Teacher’s Institute after working as an Assistant Principal at Murrays Bay Intermediate, where he led teaching and learning as Director of Curriculum. He has supported Provisionally Certified Teachers and facilitated professional development workshops focused on effective, research-informed teaching practice. Dann will begin his master’s study in 2026.

Joann Bevans

Primary Teaching Fellow

Jo joins TTI from Gulf Harbour School, where she served as Assistant Principal and Special Education Needs Coordinator. Since training as a Structured Literacy Teacher in 2010, Jo has been an active member of the Science of Reading and Learning Disabilities community. She played a key role in implementing Multi-Tiered Systems of Support at Whangaparāoa Kāhui Ako and drove professional development in curriculum and pedagogy initiatives. Jo holds a Masters of Science in Special Education from East Texas A&M University.

Mary Robinson

Teaching Fellow
Subject Lead - Geography

Mary studied geography, history and economics at the UoA and became a passionate geography teacher after completing a Master’s of Arts in coastal geography. Mary has taught for the past 25 years and in 2022, she became the national Kaiārahi (leader) for Geography to assist teachers with the implementation of the NCEA changes. Most recently, Mary has taught geography classes at Saint Kentigern College.

Victoria Macann
Teaching Fellow

Victoria is an NZ-registered secondary school science and biology teacher. She is also a New Zealand Ministry of Education accredited professional development facilitator. Victoria has submitted her PhD in Technology Education, and worked as a research scientist at Michigan State University, and Koi Tū (the centre for informed futures) based at the University of Auckland. Victoria was also a Fulbright graduate award recipient. Victoria is an advocate for connecting research to teaching practice to make learning more meaningful, relevant, and effective.

Jo Spencer
Subject Lead - Health and PE

Jo graduated from the University of Auckland in 2000 and spent 12.5 years teaching overseas in Johannesburg and Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Jo is a parent of two and a committed lifelong learner, with plans to begin further study in 2026. For the past three years, she has been at Auckland Diocesan School, where she has served as the Head of Faculty for Health and Physical Education and also teaches Psychology, Scholarship Health and Physical Education. Active, energetic, and dedicated to wellbeing, Jo is genuinely looking forward to the challenge of teaching future educators at the Teacher Training Institute.

Rob Griffiths

Subject Lead - Latin / Classics

Rob discovered a love of Classical Studies and Latin as a student himself and has enjoyed the privilege of teaching these subjects in a range of secondary schools across Auckland, including single-sex and co-ed, state and independent, NCEA and IB. In addition to classroom teaching, Rob has been a Head of Department, Head of Faculty and most recently, Deputy Principal. He served on the executive of the New Zealand Association of Classical Teachers including a number of years as President and has undertaken numerous contract roles with NZQA and the Ministry of Education. Over his career, Rob has had the pleasure of mentoring student teachers and has worked on the strategic development of initial teacher education both within and across schools. However, his fondest memories come from his time in the classroom itself.

Melissa Dyer-Causton

Subject Lead - Visual Arts

Melissa has taught Art for more than 30 years and is currently the Head of Visual Arts Faculty at St Cuthbert’s College. She trained at the Dunedin school of Art, majoring in Printmaking, completing her teacher training in Visual Arts and Art History at Auckland College of Education. She has worked as an IB MYP coordinator, Key Stage 3 Wider Learning Facilitator, and an NZQA Examiner alongside her roles as a subject leader. Melissa has taught in a wide range of schools in New Zealand, Europe, Africa and Asia. Her experience spans across NCEA, the International Baccalaureate, and Cambridge qualifications.

Hayley Barker
Subject Lead - Music

Hayley graduated with Bachelor of Music (Jazz) from UoA in 2003, and after two years as an itinerant music tutor and then an extensive OE, she returned to Auckland to complete her teacher training in 2010. For many years Hayley was Assistant HOD Music at Westlake Boys High School, where amongst other things she directed the award winning Westlake Big Band, and was also the Music Curriculum studies for AUT Teacher trainees for 3 years. Recently she taught at Saint Kentigern College leading the IBDP Music programme and serving a term as Acting HOD Music. Hayley is currently HOD Music at Carmel College.

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Gerard Leeuw
Subject Lead - Mathematics

Gerard completed a Bachelor of Science (Mathematics) at Auckland University and a Diploma in Teaching from Auckland College of Education. Early in his career, Gerard discovered a passion for the development and writing of specialised maths course resources. He assisted in the Form 5 Revision textbook (RJ Watson) published by ESA Publications in 1989. In 1997, Gerard became the Head of the Mathematics Department at Auckland Grammar School and has gone on to write several more textbooks and workbooks. In Gerard’s 27 years at Auckland Grammar School, he has organised NZEST Scholarship marking panels for Statistics and Calculus, helped develop the AGS Scholarship programme, and has led a diverse group of Mathematics teachers.

Stacey Leggett

Subject Lead - Biology

Stacey completed a Bachelors of Science (Physiology and Human Nutrition) at Massey University and a Diploma in Teaching, Post Graduate and Masters in Educational Leadership from the University of Auckland. Stacey has been teaching Biology and Science since 2012 and is currently the assistant Curriculum leader of Science at Marist College. She is committed to fostering excellence in Science education through collaboration, innovation, and evidence-based practice.

Ian Torrie
Subject Lead - Chemistry

Ian taught at Carmel College as HOD of Science for 14 years and then for 30 years at St Cuthbert’s College as both Head of Science and Chemistry, interspersed with 1-year teaching fellowships at Auckland and Waikato Universities. Ian attended a number of international chemistry education conferences early in his career, which sparked a lifelong research interest in how we learn. Ian has been actively involved for 40 years in curriculum and assessment at the national level, having assessed, led marking panels and set national exams at all levels from L1 to Scholarship. Ian believes that we need to pass on the “guild of knowledge” to the next generation of teachers.

Maurice Nelson

Subject Lead - Te Reo Māori

I am a father of two boys and two girls, a husband, a student, and an educator with a deep commitment to learning and teaching. My journey in education began on Waiheke Island over 15 years ago; however, my passion for mātauranga Māori and lifelong learning began well before that. I whakapapa to Ngāpuhi, Ngāi Te Rangi, Ngāti Te Wai, and Ngāti Porou through both of my parents. Although I was born in the Bay of Plenty, I spent most of my life on Waiheke Island, where my values around community, identity, and education were strongly shaped. Throughout my career, I have taught and held leadership roles at several well-respected schools across Auckland. I am currently the Head of Department for Languages and Te Reo Māori at Carmel College on Auckland's North Shore. In this role, I lead curriculum development, support staff growth, and advocate for high-quality, culturally responsive teaching and learning. My purpose is to share my love for te reo Māori and to empower others on their learning journeys. I strive to challenge and encourage learners in ways that enhance their mana, fostering environments where people feel heard, valued, and confident. I am a strong listener and communicator, and I am committed to education that uplifts individuals, whānau, and communities.

Jessica Lane
Subject Lead - English

Jessica is a passionate English educator who has taught and led English curriculum in a range of schools. Jessica began her teaching career at Hamilton’s Fraser High School before relocating back to the North Shore of Auckland. Jessica has been a Curriculum Leader for Junior English, Curriculum Leader of Literacy, Within School Lead (professional learning and literacy) and Head of Faculty. She is currently the Curriculum Leader of NCEA and Year 11 English at Kristin School where she also teaches IB and MYP English. Alongside teaching, Jessica serves on the NZATE ( New Zealand Association for Teachers of English) council, has been an external marker for NZQA for over a decade, moderates English internationally for Steinar schools and hosts a range of best practice PLD via webinars and workshops at online and at conferences throughout the country.

John O'Neill-Fuller

Subject Lead - Physics

John brings over 20 years of experience in teaching Physics and Science. His career started at private Schools in Sydney, Australia, before overseas experience in education reform at Ministry level. He has also held advisory and Director level positions in postgraduate Medical & Dental Colleges. John currently serves as a Specialist Classroom Teacher and Physics teacher at Auckland Grammar School.

Kelly Easton

Subject Lead - Commerce

Kelly has been teaching Commerce subjects since 2002, beginning her career in the UK before relocating to New Zealand. She is currently the HOD for Economics at Westlake Boys High School. In addition to this role, she serves as the Specialist Classroom Teacher, a position that has enabled her to work closely with both beginning and experienced teachers to strengthen their pedagogical practice. Through this role, Kelly mentors and supports teachers in developing confidence and capability in the classroom, particularly those in the early stages of their careers. Kelly designs and delivers professional learning and development programmes extensively within her school and has done so at national and international conferences. Her expertise spans both NCEA and Cambridge curricula, and she has contributed to assessment development by marking and writing external examinations for NZQA.

Denis Mclay

Subject Lead - Religious Education

Ko Denis McLay tōku ingoa. Kei Tāmaki Makaurau ahau e noho ana. Tēnā koutou katoa. I have an interdisciplinary academic background, holding a Bachelor of Arts in Ancient,Medieval and Modern History, a Master of Arts in Russian Politics, and a Graduate Diploma in Theology. I am currently completing a further graduate qualification in theology, sponsored by the Catholic Diocese of Auckland. I have held leadership roles in Religious Education across Aotearoa New Zealand and currently serve as Head of Faculty Religious Studies at Diocesan School for Girls.Previously, I was Assistant Head of Department for Religious Education at St Patrick’s College, Silverstream. I have a strong interest in curriculum design and am a member of a national working group developing a new Religious Education curriculum framework for the Anglican Church. My teaching and leadership practice is informed by experience across both Anglican and Catholic education systems. In 2026, I will serve as the TTI Subject Lead for Religious Education.

Matt Bennett

Subject Lead - Technology

Matt has been teaching Technology subjects since graduating in Industrial Design with Education at Loughborough University, UK in 1999. He taught in the UK prior to moving to New Zealand. Matt has spent the majority of his teaching career in middle and senior leadership roles and is currently Head of Faculty, Creative Industries Faculty at Diocesan School for Girls. In 2019, Matt completed a Master's in Educational Leadership from AUT. Matt’s teaching experience spans NCEA, Cambridge and the IB curricula and has a particular interest in product design and design thinking. He has contributed to assessment, leading a marking panel and assessing NCEA external at numerous levels.

Anita Lam

Head of Admissions

Education and teaching has always been a passion of Anita’s. Originally a primary trained teacher, Anita went on to teach English and Music in a secondary school in Hong Kong, before moving to NZ. Anita taught adult ESL for a few years and moved into student recruitment and education sales within the NZ tertiary sector. Before joining TTI, Anita was looking after postgraduate student recruitment at the University of Auckland's Faculty of Arts and Education. Anita loves building relationships with our community of schools, prospective teacher trainees and is always just a call or email away. Anita is deeply passionate about education and its power to transform lives and break the poverty cycle. Anita is really excited about the mahi the TTI team works to achieve.

Cherilynn Buckingham

Student Placement and Academic Services Co-ordinator

Cherilynn brings 20 years' experience in the education sector to her role as Student Placement and Academic Services Coordinator at The Teachers Institute. With a Bachelor of Teaching and Learning, Cherilynn has spent the past 15 years in leadership roles throughout the Early Childhood Sector, where she has developed a strong reputation for building a great rapport with the people she is supporting. Cherilynn enjoys working with prospective teacher trainees or anyone who is thinking about applying to our programmes - she’s just a call away if you need to chat. She is genuinely driven by the mahi that the The Teachers' Institute team is working hard to achieve and is excited to be part of the journey.

Morgan Holyoake

Academic Administrator

Morgan has nearly 25 years of experience in early childhood education, both in Aotearoa New Zealand and internationally. She holds a Bachelor of Teaching and has held a variety of leadership positions across the sector. Her work is grounded in a commitment to high-quality practice, collaboration, and continuous improvement. Morgan is particularly known for her ability to build strong, respectful relationships that support positive outcomes for children, whānau, and teaching teams. She enjoys supporting the academic team with a wide range of administrative tasks and is always available to assist trainees when they need support.

Tim O'Connor
Chair

Tim (Ngāti Tuwharetoa and Ngāti Hauiti) has a proven track record in education management and is currently serving as the Headmaster of Auckland Grammar School. He began his secondary teaching career in 1990 and was appointed Deputy Principal of Nelson College in 2000. In 2002, Tim took on the role of Rector at Palmerston North Boys’ High School, where he engaged in various initiatives related to boys’ education. In recognition of his contributions, Tim was awarded both a Woolf Fisher Fellowship and the Sir Peter Blake Trust Emerging Leader accolade in 2007. Additionally, he has pursued post-graduate studies in both educational and executive leadership at Harvard University.

Deborah George

Trustee

Deborah has spent her career in the education sector; initially as a secondary teacher and then in a variety of roles in commercial, government and not-for-profit organisations. She has owned her own businesses in both Hong Kong and NZ, worked for the NZ and Australian governments, and helped grow several NFP start-ups. Her work more recently has focused on two passions: initiatives to support equitable outcomes for all students in Aotearoa NZ; and strengthening the teaching workforce by creating different pathways into teaching. Deborah is a trustee of the Woolf Fisher Trust and the former chair of the InZone Education Foundation and Ako Mātātupu Teach First NZ which she co-founded in 2011. She has also served on the Auckland Grammar School Board of Trustees, as a judge of the Prime Minister’s Excellence in Education awards, and on the Rhodes Scholarship selection panel. In 2020 Deborah was made an Officer of the NZ Order of Merit for services to Education and Governance.

Debi Marshall-Lobb

Trustee

Debi (Rangitāne, Ngāti Kuia, Ngāti Rangi, Te Wainui-ā-Rua and Ngāti Apa) has over 40 years of experience in Aotearoa-New Zealand’s education system, with a significant portion of her career spent as a principal in mainstream schools and as a Tumuaki in Kura Māori. Debi brings extensive practical experience from working across various educational settings, including primary, secondary, and tertiary sectors, as well as special education and Māori medium education. Throughout her long-standing service in education, Debi has dedicated her career to empowering students, whānau, iwi, and educators to realise their potential through targeted and effective strategies, with a strong commitment to the roles of culture and education.

Andrew Nicoll

Trustee

Despite originally planning to become a history teacher, and so following his mother into teaching, Andrew stood in the wrong queue at university and ended up as a corporate/commercial lawyer. He is now a partner at long established Auckland CBD law firm Martelli McKegg. Andrew provides business and commercial legal services to clients across a wide variety of industries. Prior to rejoining Martelli McKegg as a partner in May 2025 he was a partner at technology, media and IP specialist law firm Hudson Gavin Martin for 13 years from 2012, which he joined after being a partner for six years at Martelli McKegg from 2006. His previous experience included eight years in Bell Gully’s corporate and commercial team followed by three years as a corporate and commercial partner at Brookfields. He has a BA/LLB from the University of Auckland and gained a Master of Laws at the London School of Economics, University of London, in 1993. Andrew was on the Board of Westlake Boys High School from 2010 to 2025, and chaired that board from 2016 until early 2025. He is on the boards of the Northern Cochlear Implant Trust (which he chairs), and the Tamaki Makaurau Hearing Trust. He also assists The Pindrop Foundation, and theatre and arts organisations MixIt and Nightsong. He is a Chartered Member of the Institute of Directors.

Mark Kippenberger

Trustee

Over many years, Mark’s career has been within a Private Enterprise environment at KPMG, working in both Christchurch and Auckland. After retirement from KPMG, Mark’s experience in business has led him to sit on several advisory boards providing analysis and independent perspective to Directors around improving performance. Marks contribution to TTI centres around his business focus and commitment to growing the NZ Education sector capability in producing teachers that can develop students to maximise their potential.

Steven Hargreaves
Trustee

Steven holds an Honours degree in Business Economics and gained industry experience prior to training as a teacher in his late twenties. In his teaching career, he taught mathematics and economics. Steven has served as principal at Macleans College since 2018, following his tenure as principal at Wesley College. Steven is on the Professional Advisory Group supporting the Minister with changes to the new senior secondary school qualification. He is on the Board of SIEBA (International Student Business in Schools) and on the Board of the Association of Cambridge Schools. He has served on the Polyfest Trust for 10 years, was Chairman until recently, and is a past president of the Auckland Secondary Principals Association.

Our Founders

David Ferguson

CEO - TTI

Dr. Nina Hood

Academic Director - TTI

Upcoming Events

Information Session - Considering Teaching?
Wed, 29 Jul
Textile Centre, Level 2
RSVP
Primary vs Secondary Webinar
Thu, 02 Jul
Webinar (Zoom link to come)
Details
AI Fundamentals with Maya Pan
Wed, 01 Jul
Textile Centre, Level 2
Details
Webinar : What it's really like to be a teacher
Thu, 28 May
Webinar
Details
Information Session
Wed, 13 May
Textile Centre, Level 2
Details
Improving behaviour and engagement in the classroom with Dr Mark Dowley
Wed, 13 May
Textile Centre, Level 2
Details
Career Change Webinar
Wed, 08 Apr
Webinar
Details
2026 Trainee + 2025 Alumni mixer
Fri, 20 Mar
Textile Centre, Level 2
Details
Information Session
Thu, 12 Mar
Textile Centre, Level 2
Details
Mentor Teacher Information Session
Wed, 11 Feb
117 Saint Georges Bay Road, Parnell, Auckland 1052, New Zealand
Details
Teaching to the North-East workshop with Professor Russell Bishop
Tue, 29 Jul
Auckland
Details
Student Information Session
Wed, 21 May
The Teachers Institute, Level 1

Our Work

We are a charitable trust offering school-based teacher education and learning in Aotearoa New Zealand.

Our mission is to support primary and secondary schools to ensure their students have access to exceptional teaching and learning.

Teacher Training

TTI offers two school-based Postgraduate qualifications: Primary and Secondary. Trainees are carefully selected in collaboration with partner schools and TTI staff to enrol in a one-year, full-time programme leading to New Zealand teacher registration. The programme features a unique mode of delivery, with all trainees based in a home school for the entire year, fully engaging in all aspects of school life.

Professional Development

We support schools in enhancing their teaching and leadership practices by providing professional learning and development opportunities. We offer a range of seminars and workshops led by highly experienced specialists both from New Zealand and overseas.

Partner Schools

We are establishing a network of partner schools across Auckland that share our kaupapa and are eager to become home schools for our teacher trainees. Our programmes recognise the essential role that schools play in the pre-service training of teachers and are designed to foster true partnerships with these schools. Our partner schools are not merely practicum sites; they are integral to the programme, working in harmony with the theoretical component delivered by TTI.