The Professional Advisory Group was established in September 2018 to work alongside the now-disestablished Ministerial Advisory Group to provide advice to the Minister of Education and the Ministry of Education on the NCEA Review.
The Professional Advisory Group comprises current and former principals and teachers with technical expertise and deep knowledge of the sector.
Deidre Shea (Chair)
Deidre Shea is the Principal of Onehunga High School and was a member of the NCEA Review Reference Group. Onehunga High School's NCEA Level 3 attainment exceeds the average for decile 3 schools, particularly for Māori. Deidre was awarded sabbaticals in 2012 and 2016 to investigate models of mentoring, and effective teaching and learning environments, respectively. Deidre is the immediate past President of the Secondary Principals' Association of New Zealand (SPANZ).
Louise Anaru
Louise Anaru is the Principal of Kaitaia College. She was former principal at Flaxmere College - Te Kareti o Paharakeke and the lead principal of her local Community of Learning - Te Waka o Māramatanga Kāhui Ako. She affiliates to Ngāpuhi and Te Rarawa, and was awarded the Sir Peter Blake Leadership Award in 2013. Under her leadership, Flaxmere College saw significant increases in NCEA Level 2 and 3 attainment between 2014 and 2016, including an increase in Māori NCEA Level 3 attainment from 13.2 per cent to 38.3 per cent. In 2018, Flaxmere College won the Supreme Award at the Prime Minister's Education Excellence Awards. Louise has been actively involved in the National Aspiring Principals Programme and First-Time Principals Programme, and is currently a beginning principal mentor.
Melanie Webber
Melanie Webber is a teacher at Western Springs College - Ngā Puna o Waiōrea and the current president of the Post Primary Teachers' Association (PPTA). Melanie has been in teaching for 13 years, before which she worked in the media industry. Melanie was a member of the Secondary Qualifications Advisory Group and the NCEA Review Reference Group.
Natalie Faitala
Natalie Faitala is the head of the English department at Wesley College. Natalie published her master's research in 2013, which focused on the impact of English literacy requirements on Pasifika students making choices about subjects and tertiary study. Natalie is a PPTA Komiti Pasifika representative and was a PPTA Executive member. She was also a STEM Taupulega for NZQA. She was on the panel redeveloping the NZC English Learning Area essence statement and is a current member of the English Subject Expert Group.
Sophie Tukukino
Sophie Tukukino is a descendant of Ngāti Tamaterā, Rongomaiwahine and Ngāti Kahungunu. She is Kaiwhanake at Ngā Kura ā Iwi o Aotearoa (NKAI) and was Tumuaki of Te Kura Māori o Porirua since its establishment in 2001 up to 2021. She has mentored new and aspiring tumuaki, and has designed and implemented successful bilingual and immersion programmes in wānanga, kura ā iwi and general stream schools. Sophie is an active member of NKAI and has served on a number of boards and committees, including Te Akatea (New Zealand Māori Principals' Association), the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI Te Riu Roa) and Ngā Manu Kōrero regional and national committees.
Cathy Ewing
Cathy Ewing is the principal of Nelson College for Girls - a role she has held for 10 years - and represents the Top of South Island region on the NZ Secondary Principals' Council. Prior to this she has held the principal role at Mount Hutt College for three years and deputy principal at Christchurch Girls' High School for eight years. Cathy was appointed the inaugural assessment coordinator role at Christchurch Girls' High School and was awarded a Woolf Fisher Fellowship for her work in leading assessment practice change. She is a member of Whakatū kāhui ako and has been a member of their stewardship group since 2015.
Roger Moses
Roger Moses retired recently from the position of principal of Wellington College, a post which he held for nearly 23 years. During his time as principal, he was a member of the Greater Wellington Secondary Schools Principals' Association, on the executive of SPANZ and, for nine years, chairperson of the Association of Boys' Schools of New Zealand. In 2001, Roger was awarded a Woolf Fisher Scholarship which enabled him to travel and research schools in the United States and England. In 2009, he was awarded an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) for services to education. In 2015, he was chosen as Wellingtonian of the Year (in education), and in 2018 he was given an Absolutely Positively Wellington award by the Wellington City Council for services to the city. He was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2020.
Campbell Dewes
Campbell Dewes is a foundation parent, teacher and now tumuaki of Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Kawakawa mai Tawhiti, having worked there since 2002. Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Kawakawa mai Tawhiti has NCEA Level 2 and 3 attainment rates which significantly exceed the average for decile 1 and Gisborne schools. Campbell is of Ngāti Porou and Te Arawa descent. He has been a principal since 2006 and is a strong advocate for Kura Kaupapa Māori Te Aho Matua.
Vaughan Couillault
Vaughan Couillault is the principal of Papatoetoe High School and the current president of the Secondary Principals' Association of New Zealand (SPANZ). Previously he has been a teacher (Commerce), Dean, Head of Department (Commerce), Deputy Principal and Associate Principal in a range of schools in Auckland. Vaughan has been involved in external marking panels, held materials development contracts for NCEA implementation, written external exams and resources for CETA, authored study guides, and led PLD workshops in assessment in the accounting learning area. Vaughan holds a Postgraduate Diploma in School Management and a Master's degree in Education Leadership.
Phil Truesdale
Phil Truesdale is the current head of Pangarau me te Tauanga at Papanui High School, Ōtautahi. Phil has been a secondary teacher for the past 16 years and has held many leadership positions in this time, including lead facilitator of Kia Eke Panuku within Papanui High School. He is currently the co-president of the Canterbury Mathematical Association and an executive member of the New Zealand Mathematics Teachers Association. He is also an executive member of the New Zealand Mathematics Olympiad Committee and is part of the Curriculum Voices Group for the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh.
Steven Hargreaves
Steven Hargreaves is the principal of Macleans College, a high-decile Auckland school, since 2018. Prior to this he was the principal of Wesley College from 2015-2017. He has significant experience in teaching, having taught maths and economics at Macleans College for 13 years prior to taking up a position in school management. Macleans College is known for offering Cambridge International Examinations as well as NCEA, and caters to a large international student market. In 2020, Steven was appointed president of the Auckland Secondary School Principals' Association.
The Professional Advisory Group was established in September 2018 to work alongside the now-disestablished Ministerial Advisory Group to provide advice to the Minister of Education and the Ministry of Education on the NCEA Review.
The Professional Advisory Group comprises current and former principals and teachers with technical expertise and deep knowledge of the sector.
Deidre Shea (Chair)
Deidre Shea is the Principal of Onehunga High School and was a member of the NCEA Review Reference Group. Onehunga High School's NCEA Level 3 attainment exceeds the average for decile 3 schools, particularly for Māori. Deidre was awarded sabbaticals in 2012 and 2016 to investigate models of mentoring, and effective teaching and learning environments, respectively. Deidre is the immediate past President of the Secondary Principals' Association of New Zealand (SPANZ).
Louise Anaru
Louise Anaru is the Principal of Kaitaia College. She was former principal at Flaxmere College - Te Kareti o Paharakeke and the lead principal of her local Community of Learning - Te Waka o Māramatanga Kāhui Ako. She affiliates to Ngāpuhi and Te Rarawa, and was awarded the Sir Peter Blake Leadership Award in 2013. Under her leadership, Flaxmere College saw significant increases in NCEA Level 2 and 3 attainment between 2014 and 2016, including an increase in Māori NCEA Level 3 attainment from 13.2 per cent to 38.3 per cent. In 2018, Flaxmere College won the Supreme Award at the Prime Minister's Education Excellence Awards. Louise has been actively involved in the National Aspiring Principals Programme and First-Time Principals Programme, and is currently a beginning principal mentor.
Melanie Webber
Melanie Webber is a teacher at Western Springs College - Ngā Puna o Waiōrea and the current president of the Post Primary Teachers' Association (PPTA). Melanie has been in teaching for 13 years, before which she worked in the media industry. Melanie was a member of the Secondary Qualifications Advisory Group and the NCEA Review Reference Group.
Natalie Faitala
Natalie Faitala is the head of the English department at Wesley College. Natalie published her master's research in 2013, which focused on the impact of English literacy requirements on Pasifika students making choices about subjects and tertiary study. Natalie is a PPTA Komiti Pasifika representative and was a PPTA Executive member. She was also a STEM Taupulega for NZQA. She was on the panel redeveloping the NZC English Learning Area essence statement and is a current member of the English Subject Expert Group.
Sophie Tukukino
Sophie Tukukino is a descendant of Ngāti Tamaterā, Rongomaiwahine and Ngāti Kahungunu. She is Kaiwhanake at Ngā Kura ā Iwi o Aotearoa (NKAI) and was Tumuaki of Te Kura Māori o Porirua since its establishment in 2001 up to 2021. She has mentored new and aspiring tumuaki, and has designed and implemented successful bilingual and immersion programmes in wānanga, kura ā iwi and general stream schools. Sophie is an active member of NKAI and has served on a number of boards and committees, including Te Akatea (New Zealand Māori Principals' Association), the New Zealand Educational Institute (NZEI Te Riu Roa) and Ngā Manu Kōrero regional and national committees.
Cathy Ewing
Cathy Ewing is the principal of Nelson College for Girls - a role she has held for 10 years - and represents the Top of South Island region on the NZ Secondary Principals' Council. Prior to this she has held the principal role at Mount Hutt College for three years and deputy principal at Christchurch Girls' High School for eight years. Cathy was appointed the inaugural assessment coordinator role at Christchurch Girls' High School and was awarded a Woolf Fisher Fellowship for her work in leading assessment practice change. She is a member of Whakatū kāhui ako and has been a member of their stewardship group since 2015.
Roger Moses
Roger Moses retired recently from the position of principal of Wellington College, a post which he held for nearly 23 years. During his time as principal, he was a member of the Greater Wellington Secondary Schools Principals' Association, on the executive of SPANZ and, for nine years, chairperson of the Association of Boys' Schools of New Zealand. In 2001, Roger was awarded a Woolf Fisher Scholarship which enabled him to travel and research schools in the United States and England. In 2009, he was awarded an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit (ONZM) for services to education. In 2015, he was chosen as Wellingtonian of the Year (in education), and in 2018 he was given an Absolutely Positively Wellington award by the Wellington City Council for services to the city. He was made a Companion of the New Zealand Order of Merit in 2020.
Campbell Dewes
Campbell Dewes is a foundation parent, teacher and now tumuaki of Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Kawakawa mai Tawhiti, having worked there since 2002. Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Kawakawa mai Tawhiti has NCEA Level 2 and 3 attainment rates which significantly exceed the average for decile 1 and Gisborne schools. Campbell is of Ngāti Porou and Te Arawa descent. He has been a principal since 2006 and is a strong advocate for Kura Kaupapa Māori Te Aho Matua.
Vaughan Couillault
Vaughan Couillault is the principal of Papatoetoe High School and the current president of the Secondary Principals' Association of New Zealand (SPANZ). Previously he has been a teacher (Commerce), Dean, Head of Department (Commerce), Deputy Principal and Associate Principal in a range of schools in Auckland. Vaughan has been involved in external marking panels, held materials development contracts for NCEA implementation, written external exams and resources for CETA, authored study guides, and led PLD workshops in assessment in the accounting learning area. Vaughan holds a Postgraduate Diploma in School Management and a Master's degree in Education Leadership.
Phil Truesdale
Phil Truesdale is the current head of Pangarau me te Tauanga at Papanui High School, Ōtautahi. Phil has been a secondary teacher for the past 16 years and has held many leadership positions in this time, including lead facilitator of Kia Eke Panuku within Papanui High School. He is currently the co-president of the Canterbury Mathematical Association and an executive member of the New Zealand Mathematics Teachers Association. He is also an executive member of the New Zealand Mathematics Olympiad Committee and is part of the Curriculum Voices Group for the New Zealand Curriculum Refresh.
Steven Hargreaves
Steven Hargreaves is the principal of Macleans College, a high-decile Auckland school, since 2018. Prior to this he was the principal of Wesley College from 2015-2017. He has significant experience in teaching, having taught maths and economics at Macleans College for 13 years prior to taking up a position in school management. Macleans College is known for offering Cambridge International Examinations as well as NCEA, and caters to a large international student market. In 2020, Steven was appointed president of the Auckland Secondary School Principals' Association.