Our People

Responsibilities: Finances and Conference

Qualification: Certificate in Deaf Studies: Teaching NZSL.

Teaching experience: Over 10 years of experience teaching NZSL in various settings: community education, hospitals, businesses/workplaces, and school & kindergartens. And provide NZSL courses for Deaf Aotearoa.

Responsibilities: Finance, Membership and Website

Qualifications: Diploma of Computer Graphic Design, Diploma of Website Design and Diploma of Internet Technology. Partial completion of Certificate in Deaf Studies (DEAF801-803).

Teaching experience: No teaching experience but supporting NZSLTA and TeachSign. Over 20 years of experience as a Freelance Front-end Web Developer for SUTHERLANDesign.

Responsibilities: Professional Development and Conference

Kia ora! I'm Shannon, from Wellington, and I'm excited to be part of the NZSLTA Executive Board.

I’m a qualified NZSL teacher with over 15 years of teaching experience. I was involved in delivering NZSLTA’s professional development courses and supporting the rollout of TeachSign’s Level 2 curriculum to tutors and teachers.

In 2024, I received the NZSL Teachers Award in recognition of my teaching efforts. Teaching NZSL is something I'm really passionate about, being part of a community that values and promotes our language.

I am also a passionate member of the Deaf community, actively participating in various groups and organisations.

I look forward to supporting NZSL teachers across Aotearoa and helping strengthen and maintain NZSLTA.

Responsibilities: Communications

I am Sarah Cameron. I am from Hamilton.

My experience has been that of an NZSL tutor starting 1993. I taught in Wellington and Auckland.

Then I trained to become an actual Teacher of the Deaf teaching at Kelston Deaf Education provisions starting 1998. 

I taught a range of subjects in NZSL and continued with community night class NZSL teaching for a number of years.

I was involved in the implementation of NCEA NZSL achievement standards as far back as 2014. 

Our team rolled out the roll out NCEA NZSL achievement standards which was successful. I taught NCEA NZSL until 2022.

I still teach NZSL for night classes from time to time. I definitely share your passion for NZSL!!!! 

My hobbies… I love online archaeology and history. I love to watch how archaeologists unearth our society as it was thousands of years ago. It’s fascinating to learn how Romans lived in Britain and discover mosaic tiled floors with their symbols and layered meanings that only the Romans would understand. 

Artificial Intelligence is also beginning to translate ancient writings that were hard to decipher. So watch this space as it could yield different interpretations of what was being communicated.

For history… I am also fascinated by the Tudor court and their very strange politics. Luckily it is captioned!! That’s all from me. I hope to get to know more of those who are passionate about teaching NZSL.

Responsibilities: Membership and Central Rep

Qualifications: Certificate in Deaf Studies: Teaching NZSL. 

Fav food: Roast mexican wrap, Butter chicken pizza & seafoods.

Hobbies/interests: Hang out with my chipmunks & my who's esles, doing action my own time and travels.

Fakaalahi atu, I’m a proud single mum of three (my little chipmunks!) and a passionate New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) tutor with over 10 years of experience.

My teaching journey began with Taster Classes through Deaf Aotearoa and community education at Tawa College and Wellington High School, as well as with Merge NZ. Since 2016, I’ve been teaching with NZSL4U, offering night/day classes, workplace sessions, and workshops.

I was part of the Central Zone Deaf Rugby Union committee and involved in funding from 2016-2022.

I brought in a new leader to the Deaf Pacific group starting in early 2024.

Fakaaue Lahi, Rosie.

Responsibilities: Constitution and Northern Rep

Responsibilities: Constitution, AGM / SGM and Northern Rep

Kia ora, Kia orāna, Talofa lava, Malo e lelei, Bula, Fakaalofa lahi and warm Pacific greeting.

My name is Jon Tai-Rakena. I’m excited and honoured to be part of the NZSLTA Executive Committee.

Deaf Certificate - Teaching NZSL
NZSL Hero Ambassador 2023/2024
Multiple of job roles
Māori and Polynesian

Love matcha, Korean food, law studying, cafe, beach, fashion... of course and perfume is my life saving, can't without them haha.

Motto: Strong, Resilient and NZSLicious.

Responsibilities: Professional Development and Southern Rep

Qualifications: BSL Levels 1,2 and 3, NZSL Level 3, 3 advanced, Certificate in Deaf Studies: Teaching NZSL.

I have worked in Deaf education as a CESW for over 23 years both in England and New Zealand. I emigrated to New Zealand 15 years ago with my family. I have worked in the Residencies both as night staff and youth work reliever. I am passionate about Deaf youth having access to education in whatever method of communication they feel is best for them and encouraging the wider community to have more NZSL skills and awareness. I graduated Deaf Studies 2024 and am now teaching Level 1 NZSL at a night class along with other Tutors as well as continuing to work as a CESW.

Responsibilities: Southern Rep

I have been teaching New Zealand Sign Language (NZSL) classes for 4 years. I graduated and got my Certificate in Deaf Studies: Teaching NZSL in 2017. I have worked with Deaf Aotearoa, Deaf action, Merge NZ, and Ko Taku Reo. I also enjoy being part of the Deaf community and often join community events.

I have finished the New Zealand Diploma in Creativity Level 6, the Certificate in Deaf Studies: Teaching NZSL, and the New Zealand Certificate in Youth Work Level 3.

My hobbies are solving Rubik’s cubes, playing chess and basketball, gaming, drawing, oil painting, spray painting model, watching movies, and solving problems through DIY by learning from YouTube.