Our presenters

Trained as a photographer in the early 1990s, John's major area of interest is the documentary genre and he has been working on a long-term project on faith, ritual and worship.

He has worked as a freelance photographer and has been teaching photography for a number of years across a variety of educational environments including community education, tertiary and secondary.

Professional Highlights/Exhibitions:

2012 "Exposed 2012" group show, Photospace Gallery, Wellington
2011 "Neither one thing nor the other" with Andy Palmer, Toi Poneke Gallery, Wellington
2011 "Snap Blossom revisited" Hastings Community Arts Centre, Hastings
2011 "Take me to the river" Pataka Museum of Arts & Culture, Porirua
2007 Two months photographic fieldwork in India.2006 “Exposed-2006” Photospace Gallery, Wellington
2006 “Southern Exposure”, New Zealand House, London
2005 “Seven Exposed”, Blender Gallery, Sydney.2005 “Exposed Group Show”, Photospace Gallery, Wellington
2004 Invited Presenter at “Expanding Documentary Conference”, Massey University Wellington
2004 “Domestic Bliss Part One”, Photospace Gallery, Wellington
2004 “Exposed Group Show”, Photospace Gallery, Wellington
2004 “25 Years of Mary Potter Hospice”, Touring Exhibition, Wellington

2013 “15 Years of Photospace Gallery”, Group Show, Photospace Gallery
2016 “Pilgrimage”, Photospace Gallery, Wellington
2016  Images from ‘Pilgrimage” at Auckland and Wellington Diwali Festivals
2017 “Sign of the times”, “four” group show, Photospace Gallery, Wellington

I have a degree in French and Italian as second languages and I have been teaching both languages for over 30 years.

I was born in Romania where I developed a passion for romance languages and where I am always pleased to return whenever possible especially to preserve my language skills.

After teaching in Europe for several years, I jumped at the opportunity to teach in New Zealand where I have successfully taught French and Italian for twenty years in a number of schools and organisations, both public and private. One of the most rewarding things I have experienced here is the interest of New Zealanders in learning French and/or Italian as well as the cultural aspects of these two countries. This is a great match as I love and know very well France and Italy and teaching these two languages has always been my passion.

I have been teaching students of every age from pre-schoolers to adults and I am happy and proud to learn from them that I am very good at motivating learners to study a foreign language through my language and tourism courses.

Before teaching in the NZ school system I had worked as a tutor at CEC Wellington for ten years, a rewarding and unforgettable experience. 

I am always happy to learn new things and meet new challenges especially if they are beneficial for my teaching and my students.

Every year I travel to France and Italy for language purposes and frequently around the world, as my main goal is to learn new things I can share with my students, develop and perfect my skills as a teacher and become a better human being.

Kitty Parker has a passion for improvised theatre and wants to share the joy to play freely and release the creativity that lies dormant inside us.

Kitty has been playing improv since July 2021, at several improv troupes in Wellington (WIT, Improv Connection, and Locomotive). She has been a contestant in the improvised competition Late Night Knife Fight (3 times!), and has been actively pursuing knowledge and experience by participating in online improv workshops and classes (Queen City Comedy) . Shows Kitty performed in are:“The Funny, because it is true show”(Improv Connection 2022). Micetro / Director’s cut and spooky Halloween jams and Ferris wheel (WIT/2022/2023). and Duets(NZIF 2021) & The B-movie (AIF 2023)

Lachman holds a Graduate Certificate in Education and Bachelor of Science degree with major in Mathematics. He taught mathematics in secondary schools at the senior level for 15 years and for the last 19 years has been a Microsoft application trainer with a number of IT training companies in Wellington.  He has been teaching all the Microsoft application courses in the Adult Education programme at Onslow College, and now Wellington High, for over 10 years.

Currently, he is the manager and senior trainer at softTRAIN Ltd, an IT training company.

His other interests are travelling, photography and chess.

Liping Chen - Tai Chi Master & Instructor
Liping is a certified Tai Chi instructor with over 25 years of training, competing, coaching and teaching.

She is very accomplished, achieving awards in Yang-Style Tai Chi and in using Swords, knives and fans. She has performed Tai Chi in major Wellington events.

The Ministry of Culture of China based in Wellington also employ Liping as a Tai Chi teacher.

Tai Chi is her passion! She thrives on helping and teaching anyone interested in Tai Chi. Liping is the real deal – come along and learn Tai Chi from a true expert!

Please note, Liping has very limited English, but a lifetime of practicing and teaching Tai Chi. She is so accomplished at Tai Chi and passionate to share it with you, that we do not think there is anyone better to be a tutor for you. Her daughter Karrie will attend some classes as needed, to translate.

Learn Tai Chi from a true expert!

Madeleine Taylor is a parent of three boys in their early 20s who started her professional life as a social worker in Health and Mental Health and now works as a People Skills Consultant. 

Madeleine is an accomplished workshop facilitator and long-time trainer of Negotiation and Conflict Management. Madeleine trained with Jean Illesly Clarke, co-author of “How Much is Enough? Everything You Need to Know to Steer Clear of Overindulgence and Raise Likeable, Responsible and Respectful Children" and is passionate about sharing this knowledge with you.

Madeleine works as a facilitator, executive coach, trainer and professional supervisor in workplace.

She is a:

• Parent Educator and Coach
• Adult Trainer 
• Mediator and Facilitator  of Conflict
• Executive Coach
• Restorative Justice Facilitator
• Mother of three sons

Malcolm Sime in New Zealand’s first Bob Ross certified instructor and he thrives on helping people to create an oil painting using the Bob Ross technique.

My name is Manjula Patel and I have been teaching cooking for 25 years. I was born in Nairobi, East Africa and moved to England at the age of nine. Although I was born and raised in an Indian community, I developed a passion for cooking through being exposed to many different cultures.

Being an outgoing person, I love entertaining friends and family and bring a positive attitude to all my classes.

Mei-Fen is a trained teacher. She uses effective language teaching methodologies that enhance learning and adapts her teaching to suit her students’ needs. Mei-Fen provides a supportive and fun environment for her students to learn.

She has over 20 years experience teaching Chinese Mandarin at all levels (from beginner to advanced) and to a wide age group (from children to adults). Mei-Fen is a fluent speaker in 6 languages - English, Mandarin and four other Chinese Dialects. She understands some Japanese.

What students say:

I am a NZ qualified teacher and have taught French as well as other subjects to all ages of students including adults. Because of my teaching background, I tend to be very critical of teachers of courses I attend, especially language courses.

Your teaching of the Chinese Mandarin Intro 1 class was excellent - the best I have experienced for a once a week course. Your mix of oral practice, conversation and grammar provides a good basis for anyone new to Mandarin and is varied enough to keep the class engaged for the full time each week.

Mike Styles is the National Specialist – Literacy and Numeracy for the Primary Industry Training Organisation, and a Dyslexia Practitioner in his private life beyond work.

Under Mike's leadership, the Primary ITO has initiated a major support regime to support staff members in the primary sector who have learning differences like dyslexia.

Mike has led a number of national research projects that explored the best way to support adults with dyslexia in education, training and in the workplace.  He has presented the findings of this research at conferences in the United Kingdom, Italy and Australia.  The results of the latest research project can be found on the Ako Aotearoa website.

Mike is an experienced facilitator and runs workshops for Ako Aotearoa and other organisations on learning differences. He's a member of the British Dyslexia Association and has written articles for international publications about dyslexia.

You can check out Mikes background on his website www.dyslexia-consulting.com