Relationships and collaboration

Ngā Kaiwhakahaere Hononga

Our relationships teams play a pivotal role in fostering meaningful and enduring connections across New Zealand’s tertiary education sector and regional communities.

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Relationships Group

The Relationships Group includes Relationship Managers for our tertiary education institutions (TEIs) and large private training establishments (PTEs), our Business and Partnerships team working across the regions, and our Customer Contact Team.

Together, they collaborate with education providers and stakeholders to deliver high-quality investment and career information, ensuring all New Zealanders are empowered with the knowledge and skills for lifelong success.

Through deep engagement and sector-wide intelligence gathering, our Relationship Managers support a cohesive and responsive education system – working with universities, the New Zealand Institute of Skills and Technology, wānanga, PTEs, schools, learners and the public to help them navigate opportunities and obligations.

Beyond the tertiary sector, they also build strategic relationships with government agencies, local councils, employers, iwi, hapū and community organisations – promoting the Tertiary Education Commission’s (TEC’s) products and services and strengthening the connections that drive educational and economic outcomes nationwide.

Group manager

Sandra Ramsay – Manager Relationships

“We are the listeners, talkers and connectors who keep learners at the centre. We will support TEOs to deliver to all learners in line with the Tertiary Education Strategy and TEC’s objectives, as well as making sure Investment Plans are delivered to meet their commitments to TEC.”

Sandra Ramsay heads up a newly formed Relationships team focused on delivering direct support to our wide range of stakeholders – from tertiary education organisations (TEOs) and Workforce Development Councils (WDCs) to employers, industry groups, communities and local government.

Her team is all about making sure learners, through their education providers, get the most out of TEC’s investment and funding services. They’re also the go-to crew for helping people access and use TEC’s careers and investment tools – whether that’s online, over the phone, or in person.

Sandra joined TEC in 2019 following a diverse career path that includes work for the United Nations, various public and private sector roles, and working with science faculties at a range of universities.

Team managers

Esther Calley – Team Manager Investment

"I have been with the TEC for over 30 years since migrating to New Zealand from Scotland. The opportunity to make a difference for learners continues to keep me committed to the work we do. It is a huge privilege to support TEOs as they put their energies into transforming the lives of our learners."

Kim Ulberg – Principal Relationship Manager Investment

“It’s been my life’s work to make the tertiary system perform better and be more responsive by the time my grand-kids get to tertiary study.”

Jennifer Ross – Team Manager Business and Partnerships

"My focus is to create better connections and collaboration between people, projects and initiatives, regionally and nationally, to help our people reach their potential while building a skilled workforce with the ultimate outcome being sustainable prosperity and wellbeing for Aotearoa, New Zealand."

Teone Jacob-Bradley – Team Manager Relationship Support and acting Operational Support

Daelee Hardcastle – Team Manager Customer Contact

“I’m passionate about ensuring learners and tertiary education providers across New Zealand have clear, timely access to the right information and support, helping them confidently navigate the tertiary system and achieve successful outcomes through their engagement with the TEC.”

Relationship Managers Investment

Mele Ha’amoa ’Alatini – Relationship Manager Investment

"I want to see a future where all learners achieve to their full potential. I develop and foster effective relationships with TEOs, especially in relation to the investment they receive from us. For me, this relationship will be one where there’s a clear line of sight to the learner, and how we can best facilitate and support their journey, to be one that is fruitful and successful."

Si'u Tupolo – Relationship Manager Investment

“My passion for education grows more with every success story I hear from TEOs, learners and our communities. As an immigrant from Sāmoa, I have great admiration and appreciation for the work of TEC. We support the tertiary sector, enabling opportunities for all New Zealanders, especially our Māori and Pacific learners. I am privileged to be part of such a journey.”

Conrad Herewini – Relationship Manager Investment

"I want to ensure all learners are equipped with the knowledge and skills they need for lifelong success. I will support our customers to actively manage their allocated portfolios. I will work collaboratively to ensure all learners, through their TEO, gain maximum benefit from TEC’s investment, funding and services."

Kazlo Evans – Relationship Manager Investment

"I have come to the TEC to try to influence the sector at a national level. All people deserve to enjoy a successful learning experience. I will develop strong relationships with our customers to get an in-depth understanding of the investment into all our providers."

Rick Zwart – Relationship Manager Investment

“I am committed to supporting the system implement the objectives of the Tertiary Education Strategy (TES). As a Relationship Manager, this means actively monitoring government investment and supporting TEOs with strategic advice. I aim to support TEOs to make a transformational difference to the lives of all learners.”

Sarah Chesney – Relationship Manager Investment

"Encouraging and supporting lifelong learning at all levels is hugely important to me. I want to see TEC’s investment empower learners to realise their study goals – for themselves and their communities – and I enjoy working closely with tertiary education organisations to facilitate this."

Relationship Managers Business and Partnerships

Aaron Megchelse – Relationship Manager Business and Partnerships

"My vision is to contribute to positive all-of-system collaboration across the motu. I engage with our key stakeholders to champion the intrinsic value of each learner no matter what age and stage they are in life. All people have individual and collective significance that contributes to the important role they can play within our New Zealand society."

Frances Fuamatu – Relationship Manager Business and Partnerships

"I want to engage and build strong connections with our education, community and workforce stakeholders to champion the career aspirations of all New Zealanders. Together, we will work towards an equitable system for all learners particularly Māori and Pacific. We will enable and guide the lifelong learning and career development planning of all learners, so they reach their full potential."

Stephen Geddes – Relationship Manager Business and Partnerships

“I am passionate about helping all Kiwis gain meaningful employment, which in turn creates strong and resilient communities. Education is the enabler of that dream. Through my engagements, I strive to fan the flames of ongoing learning and widen people’s career aspirations.”

Karen Gibson – Relationship Manager

"I care deeply about fostering authentic relationships to champion inclusive, learner-focused solutions. I support lifelong learning and equitable outcomes – especially for communities and individuals historically under-served – by listening deeply, collaborating widely, and valuing each person’s unique strengths."

Hanna Reuber – Relationship Advisor

“I am passionate about supporting TEC’s vision of lifelong learning and equity by connecting students with diverse role models. My goal is to broaden horizons, challenging stereotypes, and inspiring confidence through Inspiring the Future.”

Customer Contact Team

Jordan Murphy – Team Leader Customer Contact

Tangi Ward – Team Leader Customer Contact

Ange Bickford – Team Leader Customer Contact

“I’m passionate about delivering solutions that empower learners and providers to thrive. By fostering clarity, confidence, and connection, we help our customers achieve meaningful outcomes – every day.”

Te Hira Pere – Chief Advisor Māori and Iwi Relations, Delivery Directorate

“Education is the beacon that liberates minds from the shadows of ignorance, empowering individuals to break free, soar to new heights, and sculpt the destiny of a liberated, enlightened society.”

Te Hira Pere

Growing up on the shores of Lake Waikaremoana, under the loving guidance and wisdom of his grandparents, Te Hira was immersed in the richness of te ao Māori. Those formative years instilled in him a profound appreciation for his language, identity and culture. They ignited within him a fierce passion for fairness, social justice and equality for all.

Throughout his professional journey, he has dedicated himself to dismantling barriers and promoting equitable practices. He has tirelessly advocated for the voices and perspectives of our most marginalised communities to be heard and genuinely integrated into decision-making processes.

Te Hira brings with him a wealth of experience from his time at WorkSafe, where he was responsible for leading the iwi Māori Partnerships Programme, and in particular, his support towards the formation and implementation of WorkSafe's Māori engagement and equity strategy which focused on bridging the equity divide for Māori. He also led the negotiations for strategic partnerships arrangements with iwi and Māori entities to co-design and co-implement health and safety initiatives and programmes of work that address Māori health and safety inequity.

Te Hira holds directorship positions within Māori land trust and iwi governance bodies, including a past role as Chair of Ngāti Ruapani ki Uta ki Tai. Beyond this, his professional journey includes independent consultancy work across various Crown and iwi entities providing advice on Māori policy, Crown–Māori relations, strategic engagement, capability uplift and treaty settlements.

Te Hira Pere embodies a commitment to weaving together diverse threads of knowledge and culture within the Tertiary Education Commission, contributing to a more inclusive and equitable tertiary education system for all.

Kyle Barrett-Wilson – Pou Ārahi, Careers and Investment Design Directorate

“Within my role as Pou Ārahi, I will continue to lead the collective development across the sector and champion the benefits of how implementing a Māori worldview across TEC translates to better outcomes for all learners.”

Kyle Barrett-Wilson

“Ko te manu e kai ana i te miro, nōnā te ngahere, ko te manu e kai ana i te mātauranga, nōnā te ao.
The bird that feasts on the berries owns the forest, but for the bird that feasts on knowledge, the world is theirs.”

He uri nō Kāi Tahu ki Arowhenua.

Kyle is passionate about driving system change within the public sector to better support underserved people. Coming from a background in ministerial advice and public policy, he is focused on enabling the sector to design systems, services and products through an equity and cultural lens. Throughout his career, Kyle has continually coached, inspired and led others to become more proficient in tikanga Māori and te reo Māori, as well as making sure that te ao Māori is embedded in organisational processes.

As our Pou Ārahi, Kyle provides tikanga expertise and cultural advice for all TEC staff, and ensures that te ao Māori perspectives are applied across our careers and investment functions. He is the product owner for kaupapa Māori career ideas, and a SME for our career products across TEC. He leads the work programme on TEC’s legislative commitments under Te Tiriti o Waitangi. His other responsibilities include accelerating our cultural capability and supporting our teams to give effect to advice and feedback from learners and providers on careers and investment decisions.