Our Graduates & Students

Louisa Davies,
Research Consultant
Urban Economics, Brisbane

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Louisa Davies has made a career out of the study of people and places. Her job as a research consultant at Urban Economics is to help her clients – from retailers and property developers to local, state and federal authorities – better understand the communities they operate in. “The work for developers might mean providing them with locational advice to identify the best site for them to develop for a particular use, like a childcare centre, or helping them understand the market feasibility of their proposed development. With local councils, State Government and Federal Government we provide an independent advisory service and help with strategic planning for future growth.” She also helps prepare reports for court hearings when there is conflict over development and provides ongoing advice to Brisbane Airport Corporation over its master-plan for the airport’s expansion. Louisa is applying every day the principles learned in her Geography major: “It’s about understanding how different people interact with their environment and surroundings, and the influence their cultural, religious, socio-economic and environmental values have on that.”

Matt Lambert, BCS
European PR Manager
Amazon Web Services, Luxembourg

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High flier Matt Lambert was the first New Zealander to make it onto the UK’s top young PR professionals list. He was one of 29 public relations stars under the age of 29 named by industry magazine PR Week in its 2010 rankings – quite an achievement for someone from Whangarei who initially set out to be an airforce pilot. Matt has been working in the PR nerve centres of Europe for nearly a decade and has previously handled top global technology clients such as Microsoft, Sony, Yahoo! and HP before joining Amazon Web Services to lead their PR across EMEA. The thing about PR Matt likes most is that you can use strategy and thinking while letting your creative side loose. “There’s no other career where you can do that and PR encourages you to think outside of the box.”

Hannah Lerke, BTchg/BSc (Conjoint)
Science Teacher
Hamilton's Fraser High School

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Working with people, especially teenagers and trying to foster in them a love of both science and learning are just two of the many reasons why Hannah Lerke chose a career in teaching. A science teacher at Fraser for the past couple of years, Hannah is now off to the United Kingdom for a year or so. “As science is a subject in demand it appears it is quite easy to find work overseas and they like teachers from New Zealand. My references and contacts I’ve made at Waikato have helped. I hope that when I return from overseas those connections help me get a job!” Hannah has had a busy, enjoyable year and has particularly liked teaching the senior chemistry course. She says it has been really rewarding seeing the students’ progress through the year and hearing how positive they were when they came out of the exam. Hannah adds she can’t imagine doing anything else other than teaching. “I get paid to hang out and talk with people all day. I love it!”

Taima Pickering Moeke, BSocSc, MSocSc (First Class Hons), PhD
Director, School of Native Human Services
Laurentian University, Ontario, Canada

Experience as a Waikato Student:
“I began my journey into academia with the Psychology Department at Waikato University. Most of the courses I took were in the area of Community Psychology and Kaupapa Māori Psychology. I enjoyed the bi-cultural training emphasis as well as being able to study perspectives from a Māori world view. To this day, these formative teachings have helped me to become a mindful and responsible researcher, teacher and practitioner.”

Matthew Crisp, BMS
Finance Coordinator
NBA, United Kingdom

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Playing Wii sports in the office? Check. Strolling to Hyde Park for lunch? Check. Great career in finance? Check. Matt Chrisp has landed his dream job. Matt is a Financial Coordinator for the NBA, based in London and responsible for the financial accounting for the NBA offices across Europe, the Middle East and Africa. “My role is very broad, and aside from my main financial accounting responsibilities I also work with the new business team to discuss upcoming deals and value them for pricing and recognition in our books once contracted.” He works with colleagues from all different business functions to help the NBA perform, learning as much as possible from the people he works with. He enjoys the relaxed culture of the NBA, from the dress code to the live sporting events playing on TVs around the office. Matt even gets involved in some of the pre season basketball events, supervising NBA legends like Darryl Dawkins AKA Chocolate Thunder, and networking at VIP after-parties. While learning and developing in his role at the NBA, Matt is also studying to become a Chartered Accountant with the Chartered Institute of Management Accountants.

Georgina Dansey, BA
Drama and English Teacher
Te Awamutu College

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“This year has been full of interesting things. Our school production was called “Bless ‘em All” and was based on the experiences of the people of Te Awamutu during WW2. It was a huge success and gave people the chance to reminisce about old times. The older members of the audience shed a tear or two and sang along. “I’ve been a Te Kotahitanga facilitator this year so have been promoting Māori student achievement. We had a whānau hui where parents came along to discuss Māori achievement and we talked about what’s working in our school, and what we can do next to make a difference for our Māori students. “I’ve been studying through Waikato this year part-time and have just finished my Postgraduate Diploma in Education. “And most exciting, I’ve been offered a TeachNZ study award. Thirty two weeks paid leave to study my Masters. So I’ll be off school next year to do this. I want to write my thesis on how process drama as a pedagogy influences Māori secondary school students.”

Fiona Haiko, MA
Business Education Partnership Coordinator
Asia New Zealand Foundation, Wellington

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Fiona joined Asia New Zealand Foundation after returning to New Zealand from Japan where she worked and studied for more than seven years. She holds a Bachelor of Arts in Japanese and a Master of Arts in International Relations. Originally the Foundation’s Auckland office manager, Fiona is now in Wellington in the role of business education partnership co-ordinator. Fiona has been involved in a number of exciting initiatives over the year including organising and leading a visit for a group of 11 business studies HODs from secondary schools around New Zealand to Shanghai, China. She also works with schools and businesses through the organisations partnerships programme. Fiona says her studies at Waikato provided her with a strong foundation in Japanese language and culture and an understanding of social, political and economic issues facing Asia. “With this grounding I was able to pursue and complete my Masters and ultimately begin my career in Japan.”

Abby Heathcote, BTour
Sales Manager
Novotel and Ibis Tainui

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Abby’s role is to sell and market the Novotel and Ibis hotels in the right channels to generate business. She also manages a small team whose members look after the sales coordination of the conference departments at both hotels. She looks after the marketing and web-based distribution, attends tradeshows, liaises with corporate clients and represents the hotels at various networking functions. Whatever opportunities arise to add exposure and generate business for the hotels – Abby’s there! “I love working in hospitality because no two days are the same,” says Abby. “Between the two hotels we have accommodation rooms and conference facilities for up to 300 delegates so it’s certainly busy and interesting.” Abby plans to continue her hospitality career all over the world. “Hospitality has so many avenues to venture down and I’m excited to explore them all.”

Kerryn Chitty, BSpLS
Regional Coordinator for SADD (Upper North Island including Waikato and Bay of Plenty)

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Keryn did her degree with a double major in marketing and she says the best thing about her experience at Waikato was the practical element that was offered along with the theory side of study. “It has been this practical experience that has proven to be highly beneficial in starting my career after university,” says Keryn who was offered the job with Students Against Driving Drunk before she’d actually finished. “I started with SADD two months before I finished studying so juggled my university and work commitments and got a full-time job at the end of it. I support 190 secondary schools to run SADD and my role involves a range of different tasks.” Along with supporting students and schools with resources and contacts Keryn organises and presents a number of workshops to students and works with stakeholders such as Police, St Johns, councils and district health boards.

Michelle Kiri Mohi, BSW
Social Worker
Social Workers in Schools (SWiS)

Background:
Kiri holds a Diploma in Social Practice and is just about to complete her Bachelor Social Work while working full-time as a Social Worker in Schools (SWiS).

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“My role is in prevention and early intervention working alongside the school students, their families, school staff and other community networks to help make positive and lasting differences in the students’ lives,” says Kiri who is in her second year. “There are obvious challenges but I have enjoyed the work and absorbed the knowledge and experience of working in an educational environment. The best part of my role other than seeing set goals accomplished by children and their families, is having the freedom to develop programmes relevant to fit the culture of a particular school. “Completing my BSW has not been the easiest as I have been a fulltime single mum to three boys, full-time SWiS employee and student and there were times where I struggled. But I use the supports offered by the University and from other students along with my employers.”

Marc McHardy, BCGD
Interactive Designer
Click Suite

Background:
Marc works for one of New Zealand’s leading interactive media companies, Click Suite. His is the classic tale of discovery. Marc was on TVNZ7’s Ad Show showcasing a multi-stage interactive poster after winning a Design Institute of New Zealand student award and Click Suite spotted him, tracked him down and the rest, as they say, is history.

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Marc works with everything – from 3D interactives to character design and websites and he is always looking for new and exciting ways to surprise people. In his spare time Marc continues extending his knowledge into as many areas of design as possible as well as working on his own research and projects.

Sheilah Jacay Munguia, Studying Women's and Gender Studies

Background:
A New Zealand Aid student from Peru, Sheilah is studying in the Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences for her masters. She already has a Bachelor of Laws and has worked in research portions in the Ombudsman Office of Peru, the Andean Commission of Jurists (a nongovernmental organisation focused on human rights) and in the Centre for the Promotion and Defence of Sexual and Reproductive Rights. Sheilah’s educational background also includes international training on human rights, gender and children’s rights and a postgraduate Diploma in Gender Studies from the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru.

Experience as a Waikato Student:
“My background has enabled me to be a guest lecturer on gender issues, children’s rights and youth rights, among others,” says Sheila who has also been a keynote speaker at a variety of events. “Gender issues are not easy to understand in as much as they are guided by cultural assumptions about what being a woman means,” says Sheilah. “Culture develops from the behaviour of people and, at the same time, influences their life performance. Following Women and Gender Studies at Waikato allows me to develop a critical point of view about gender relations and how it is practised by different cultures and nationalities.”

Kylie Zinsli, BSocSc
Educator Coordinator
Young Workers Resource Centre

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The best bit about Kylie’s job is she knows she is making a difference to people in the community. The centre’s objectives include raising awareness about issues confronting young workers and job seekers and providing young people with the skills and knowledge to enable them to apply their rights at work. As part of her job description Kylie is expected to ensure the organisation meets its goals and she’s had an extremely busy and enjoyable year. “The work has been awesome,” she says. “I’ve had a number of opportunities and challenges and a highlight was winning the Manaakitanga Award. One of my favourite aspects of this role is that when I have ideas of how to improve the centre I have the ability to put them into action.”

Toby Christophersen, BECom
Digital Design and Experience Manager
Internet Banking – ASB

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Working with talented people across ASB to create the best online customer experiences makes Toby Christophersen’s job rewarding. Toby manages a team of usability experts, designers and developers who work across the gamut of ASB digital properties – marketing, internet banking, share trading, mobile apps. “Online-related roles are generally very dynamic because of the pace of change in the sector, and there is a real need for people who are comfortable working in the interface between businesses and the technologies that enable them.” The BECom included case studies of collisions between traditional businesses and the internet. “This collision zone is continuing to evolve, with the recent emergence of mobile internet as an exciting new channel to take businesses to where people are at any time, via smart phones and tablets,” says Toby. Previously Toby has worked in media-related e-businesses including the NZ Herald and TVNZ. He has some valuable advice for new graduates. “Get a start somewhere near where you’d like to be, try to learn as much as you can and prove your value to an organisation. The opportunities will come from there.”

Catherine Charleston, BSc(Tech) (Biological Sciences)
Clinical Embryologist
The London Women’s Clinic

Experience as a Waikato Student:
Following high school at Waikato Diocesan School for Girls in Hamilton, Catherine Charleson studied a Bachelor of Science (Technology), majoring in Biological Sciences and specialising in the Biomedical Sciences programme. The programme included papers in physiology, genetics, anatomy and biochemistry.

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Hearing heart-warming pregnancy success stories from her patients is the ultimate reward for Catherine, who works in a London fertility clinic as a clinical embryologist. Everyday tasks for Catherine include working in a lab with oocytes and sperm to create human embryos; interacting with and educating patients; and helping women with IVF cycle management.

Jenny Johnson, BMus(Hons)
Principal Oboe and Music Librarian
Christchurch Symphony Orchestra

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Jenny auditioned for the orchestra’s principal oboe at in 2011. After the audition she was offered a trial for the position, which was to start in March, but Christchurch’s earthquake delayed her start until July. Luckily it didn’t mean Jenny missed out. She accompanied the orchestra on its first South Island tour in a decade and she also joined members on a tour to Japan as part of Asia orchestra Week where the orchestra played in Tokyo and Sendai. “I just love being a member of the Christchurch Symphony Orchestra,” says Jenny. “Everyone has been so supportive and we have a varied concert schedule.” “I really appreciated the foundations and the opportunities given to me at Waikato University, especially as a Sir Edmund Hillary scholar. The lecturers I studied with still support me and I feel lucky to have known them.”

Rachael Kuka, BMPD

Background:
Doing her practica in bi-lingual units while studying for a Bachelor of Teaching (Primary – Kākano Rua) motivated Rachael Kuka to continue studying and increase her knowledge of Te Reo. Becoming more confident in using Te Reo and being able to speak in front of an audience has been a highlight of her Te Tohu Paetahi study – a specialisation in intensive total immersion language taught under the Bachelor of Māori and Pacific Development.

Experience as a Waikato Student:
Rachael, whose iwi affiliations are Ngai Te Rangi and Ngāti Ranginui, says she has learnt an incredible amount of Te Reo as well as Tikanga in her Te Tohu Paetahi course. She has found the classwork intellectually stimulating and the lecturers knowledgeable and enthusiastic about their teaching and also very approachable. “Within your class you form a whānau type unit, so you can always rely on each other for help which is really great. You have to be prepared for a full on workload but ultimately it comes down to good time management. I have managed to achieve very good results and that all has come from hard work.” She also valued the support networks including the Māori Mentors who were able to help with queries and various assignments.

Ashiq Hamid, LLB (Hons)
Law Clerk
Chen Palmer

Background:
After completing a science degree at the University of Melbourne then graduating with a Bachelor of Laws (Hons) at Waikato University, Ashiq Hamid landed a job at Chen Palmer – New Zealand’s public and employment law specialists.

Experience as a Waikato Student:
Ashiq says that Te Piringa - Faculty of Law was invaluable in paving the way for his career. “One of the things I really enjoyed about Waikato is the support I received from staff. If you want to do well there is always someone who is willing to look after you and help develop your career. Comparing my experiences in Australia and at Waikato, I can easily state that the Faculty of Law has a lot to offer.”

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At Waikato, Ashiq won numerous class prizes and was president of the Law Students’ Association. His high grades caught the attention of Chen Palmer, and he hasn’t looked back since. “I really enjoy working at Chen Palmer. Every day I am surrounded by the best public lawyers in the country getting excellent results for their clients. It has been a great experience being part of this amazing team.”

Tusi Tamasese, BSocSc
Film Director

Experience as a Waikato Student:
Tusi Tamasese studied at Waikato for his Bachelor of Social Science, majoring in screen and media studies and political science. He says the screen theory classes ignited a desire to learn more about making films and to find a way into the industry.

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Tamasese wrote and directed the film The Orator, which was submitted for best foreign language film at the 84th Academy Awards in Hollywood. Tamasese says he loved his time at Waikato and that the course made him interested in exploring how to layer meanings in stories and how they are told on screen which has been a motivator in his journey to date.

Bayleigh Petchell, BE(Hons) (Mechanical Engineering)
Graduate Mechanical Engineer
Meridian Energy Ltd

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Waikato graduate Bayleigh Petchell is experiencing the highs and lows of renewable energy – but not in the way you may expect. Climbing wind turbines and venturing underground to hydro stations is all part of the job – a job which she’s loving every minute of. “A typical working day could be spent working up an 80m high wind turbine on one of our wind farms, 200m underground at our Manapouri hydro station, or in our new Christchurch office.” After attending the Faculty’s Engineering Open Day and meeting with staff, she decided that Waikato was for her. Bayleigh knew she wanted to work in the renewable energy industry and found she was able to tailor aspects of her degree to work towards that ambition. With Waikato University’s support she did a paper which worked on completing a project for a major company in the renewable energy industry. She was also able to complete work experience within this industry as part of her study.

Gabe Young, BCMS (Computer Science)
Software Developer
Microsoft

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Gabe has just finished studying his degree with honours and he’s off to work at Microsoft in Seattle, USA. “It’s going to be an awesome place for me to learn a lot and meet some great people,” says Gabe who started his job in January 2012. “After that I would like to get into some start-up work and come up with some really cool ideas.” It won’t be the first time Gabe has packed for overseas travel. He spent last summer working in Sydney on an internship for Google which he applied for after the company came and talked to university students. “The internship was a really good way to put the skills I learned into practice and it validated the belief that Waikato was teaching me the right stuff.” The University also provided the right social stuff. Gabe competed in two blokarting world championships and three New Zealand nationals and while each competition was during the semester his classes were flexible allowing him to take time off to compete.

Michelle Kosoof, BBA(Fin) (Economics and Electronic Business)
Student and Tutor
Waikato Management School

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Michelle had a keen interest in economics when she enrolled at Waikato and found that a Bachelor of Business Analysis (Financial) gave her more freedom to choose the papers she enjoyed most. Her favourite paper of her degree was Economics and Society. “It became a strong platform for heated debate and discussion and it blew me away,” she says. “It looked at economics from a totally different perspective and really opened my eyes as to how economics can be used for so much more than business.” She enjoyed living in the Student Village while studying because it gave her the chance to make friends all over New Zealand and says the thing she most enjoyed about university was the people. “Not just the students but the lecturers who are so passionate about that they teach.”

Kimmy Muncaster, BA (Hons) in Theatre Studies, GradDipTCHG (Secondary)
HOD Drama Teacher
Kaipara College

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Kimmy compares her job to a roller coaster ride with lots of challenges and high points. “I have had the most amazing, supportive staff, a wonderful boss and a bunch of talented, enthusiastic students,” she says. “I’ve directed a great Kiwi show, convinced some kids that ‘drama isn’t that bad’ and helped struggling students achieve small-scale stardom.” Kimmy absolutely loves her job and adds that while it’s a difficult one it’s an extremely rewarding career. “It’s a career that if you don’t love it you shouldn’t bother. This year has shown me how much I really do love to teach.” The best bit, she says, is seeing her senior students become inspired. “During my time at Waikato I got involved with a theatre company that ran improvisation workshops and performances. This led on to running the school Theatre Sports team this year which meant I could continue my love of improvisation with my kids – lots of laughs!”

Brad Hopcroft, MSc
Development Geologist
Chevron

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Waikato graduate and former Tauranga Boys’ College student Brad Hopcroft is part of the Appraisal Subsurface Team for Chevron, a global energy company. “I’m currently building geological models for gas fields, offshore in Western Australia. The gas fields I’m working on are part of the Greater Gorgon Project which is one of the world’s largest natural gas projects and the largest single resource natural gas project in Australia’s history. The best thing about my job is the opportunity to develop my career and move to other Chevron business units around the world for work placements. Chevron currently operates in over 180 countries with a global headquarters in Texas, where I recently gave a presentation on oil and gas exploration in Australia.”