Our presenters

Hi there, my name is Anne and, initially, started out my career in the fashion industry. This I pursued for 10 years in Christchurch in the employment of fashion designer: Rosaria Hall (considered the Karen Walker of the ’80s). I then entered the theatre industry and was employed in the wardrobe at Downstage Theatre for four years. After that I studied at the Academy of Art and in Amsterdam and attained a Teaching Degree in Art, majoring in Textiles.

On return to New Zealand I was contracted to teach at Massey University in the fashion department and also the Technical department of the New Zealand Drama School/ Toi Whakaari. Alongside teaching at these institutes, I completed a Masters in Design on costume designers and design principles in New Zealand. Since then I took over a haberdashery shop in Island Bay from which I operated a dressmaking business for 7 years. The dressmaking I continue to pursue along with teaching and costuming for various theatre companies.

I have various interests including: distance walking, tennis, yoga, cycling and am taking up the ukulele.

Anne Troy joined the Community Education Centre in 2012.  She has been a qualified ESOL teacher since 2004 and graduated in 2014 with a Postgraduate Diploma in Second Language Teaching.  She also holds a Masters in TESOL Leadership. Her love of educating and helping people, led Anne to train as a certified Mental Health First Aid Instructor in 2023. 

Her teaching career has taken her all over the world with various teaching positions in South Korea, Turkey, the UK, the Czech Republic, Italy and now in her home country of New Zealand.

She has taught people from over 30 different nationalities and believes that this experience has given her a better understanding of her students and their unique cultures. Her classroom is a friendly and comfortable learning environment where students can feel confident to express themselves openly.

"I love my job, and teaching at WHS allows me to take an active interest in the learning and well-being of all my students, both in and outside the classroom. I am thrilled to help people in both subject areas I tutor - English language and Mental Health First Aid."

Sawasdee Ka, My name is Aranya and I am from Thailand.

I moved to New Zealand nearly 20 years ago and opened a Thai café called Aranya’s House at Wakefield Market in Wellington which we owned for 12 years.

We then opened Nakhon Thai in Haitaitai which we owned for 17 years. Now that we have sold the restaurant I have time to share my passion for teaching Thai cooking. I hope you will come and share the experience with me.

Austin, proudly from Ōtautahi/Christchurch, is a professional theatre-maker based in Wellington. He holds a Master of Fine Arts in theatre from Victoria University of Wellington and regularly performs with Playshop, The Improvisers, FIDKarts and produces independent work. He co-founded VUW’s dedicated improv club mmmpop Improv and created the interactive crime-thriller phenomenon Magnus Steele (nominated Most Promising Emerging Artist, NZ Fringe 2020). Austin performs and produces work all over Aotearoa. He recently established On the Spot Studios, hosting improvisation, dance and drama classes for young people.

Ben comes from a background in professional cooking and food policy, and used to run a business in Melbourne called the Social Food Project - https://www.instagram.com/socialfoodproject/?hl=en 

Recently Ben has been in a collaboration for Wellington on a Plate where he and his partner won best use of a theme award

https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2456234217895768&id=404855963033614

It is this passion that has Ben offering these preserving workshops in Wellington - sharing knowledge for sustainable food with the community!

Novae7: Leading the Way in Comprehensive Training Solutions 

Novae7 are dedicated to providing top-tier training solutions across various domains, including employment, sales, and education. As part of this commitment to addressing the evolving needs of people, we are excited to announce the development of a new course focused on men’s well-being and ageing.

This initiative comes in response to a growing market demand for support and guidance for men navigating the challenges associated with aging. 

Presenter, Brendon Harris, brings a wealth of skills and experience - from having created and then sold his own successful digital marketing company - through to having worked in fitness clubs and as a sports radio DJ.

These days Brendan creates and delivers workshops in subjects as diverse as employment, through to education and men's health. His engaging manner, matched with his love of helping people to realise their own potential, sees Brendon offering this course to help you understand your own health and aging.

Cat Connor is a crime thriller author, New Zealander, and instigator of trouble. By day she’s a warm body in Writers Plot Bookshop in Upper Hutt, NZ where she spends time answering questions from authors (budding, new, and established) and sharing the joy of kiwi authors with kiwi readers, she also teaches writing classes via the book shop. By night she writes crime novels; wrangles teenagers; enjoys the company of Bucky Barnes & Timmy the guinea pigs and wrestles Patrick the kitten. She flourishes on coffee, tequila, travel, knitting, reading, binge watching Netflix series, and a lot of music - not necessarily in that order and usually not all at once.

For the last fifteen years Cat has been writing The Byte Series: Which follows FBI Special Agent Ellie Conway on her journey as a member of an elite FBI team that functions on dark humor, close relationships, and strong coffee. Each book is a standalone story with the same core characters. 

Cat was published by Rebel ePublishers in the USA for 10 years and her short stories appeared in many ezines, journals, and magazines in the UK and USA. In late 2018 her publisher closed and she (with two other Rebels) formed 9mm Press.
Cat hosted a large writing workshop every fortnight at Upper Hutt City Library from 2012-2015 - that group produced three collections of short stories that were published via Writers Plot Bookshop.

 www.catconnor.com

 and

 www.writersplot.org.nz

Catherine Anderton has been sewing for the past 40 years and has worked in costume departments for film, opera, TV and theatre.

Catherine spent two years working for Sally Eagle Bridal and has two years experience tutoring sewing for Whitecliff Fashion Tech.  She is qualified to certificate level in Adult and Tertiary Teaching.

Catherine loves to create a warm and friendly class environment, embracing what learners bring to the classroom and helping them to achieve their best results!

Chris Dunn loves working with clay, using colour and design to create images and impressions inspired by New Zealand’s natural and lived environment. The decoration on his work reflects the energetic, diverse and changing climate and culture of Wellington city, its harbour and country side.  

Chris has been the selector for the Hutt Art Society Potters exhibition and for Ceramicus, the Wellington Potters’ exhibition. He has also been the resident potter at the Wellington and Canberra Potters Societies, and a mentor to developing ceramic artists at the Otaki Pottery Group on the Kapiti Coast.