Our people Ō mātou tangata
Our people
BLENNZ has bases across New Zealand, with staff working in a range of national and regional roles.
Senior Leadership Team
Saul
Taylor
Principal,
BLENNZ
Tēnā koe, my name is Saul Taylor and I am the Principal of BLENNZ. I have worked at BLENNZ as a Resource Teacher Vision and as a Regional Practice Lead before becoming the Principal in 2024. It is a privilege to lead the team at BLENNZ.
Elaine
Gilmour
Deputy Principal,
BLENNZ
Kia ora, I am Elaine Gilmour, the Deputy Principal of BLENNZ. I lead professional initiatives, implement plans, manage national projects, and model BLENNZ values.
Alison
Prskawetz
Assistant Principal – Regional Services,
BLENNZ
Kia ora, I'm Alison Prskawetz, Assistant Principal for Regional Services at BLENNZ. I lead the Expanded Core Curriculum refresh and focus on assistive technologies in vision education.
Karen
Callaghan
Assistant Principal – School Services,
BLENNZ
Kia ora everyone. My name is Karen Callaghan and am the Assistant Principal for School Services at BLENNZ. I lead a passionate team of Resource Teachers vision, Learning Assistants and our Therapy team at Homai Campus and across our satellite provisions.
Janny
Cooke
Executive Assistant to Principal, Secretary to Board of Trustees,
BLENNZ
I am Janny Cooke, Executive Assistant to the Principal and Secretary to the Board of Trustees at BLENNZ. I oversee lease vehicles and chair the Health, Safety, and Wellbeing Committee.
National Leadership Team
Sue
Arrojado
Assessment Services Practice Lead,
BLENNZ
My name is Sue and I have 25 years of experience at BLENNZ in early childhood and vision education, focusing on professional learning, CVI, and complex learning needs.
Emily
Gilligan
Digital Practice Lead,
BLENNZ
Kia ora everyone. My name is Emily, and I am the Digital Practice Lead at BLENNZ. I work supporting BLENNZ ākonga and our staff with a particular focus on online environments in the classroom. A major part of my role is around accessibility and the accessibility of those online spaces.
Sharon
Duncan
Early Learning Practice Lead,
BLENNZ
Kia ora, I'm Sharon Duncan, Early Learning Practice Lead for BLENNZ. I support effective early childhood practices across Aotearoa, focusing on research-informed pedagogy and coaching staff.
Fiona
Hansen
Regional Practice Lead,
BLENNZ
Kia ora, I'm Fiona, a Regional Practice Lead at BLENNZ. I support Visual Resource Centres, focusing on wellbeing, induction, and assistive technology, ensuring equity for learners.
Robyn
Black
Regional Practice Lead,
BLENNZ
Kia ora, I'm Robyn Black, a Regional Practice Lead at BLENNZ. Passionate about literacy, I co-constructed the "Literacy through Braille" course for RTVs.
Regional Centre Managers
Aaron
Frost
Visual Resource Centre Manager – Hamilton,
BLENNZ
Kia ora, I'm Aaron Frost, leading the BLENNZ Hamilton Visual Resource Centre. With a team of 12, we serve Hamilton, Greater Waikato, Coromandel, and Taupo. We provide support and services ākonga in our community who are blind, deafblind or have low vision.
Anya
Bowman
Visual Resource Centre Manager – Invercargill,
BLENNZ
Kia ora, I'm Anya Bowman, Manager at BLENNZ Invercargill Visual Resource Centre. I lead a team of three, covering Invercargill, Gore, and Te Anau. We provide support and services to ākonga who are blind, deafblind or have low vision in our community.
Bronwen
Nicholson
Visual Resource Centre Manager – Auckland South,
BLENNZ
Kia ora, I'm Bronwen Nicholson, Manager at BLENNZ Auckland South Visual Resource Centre. I lead a team of 24, covering South Auckland, Central Auckland (south of the Harbour Bridge and Portage Road & Great South Road intersection), and East Auckland.
Chrissy
Toy
Visual Resource Centre Manager – Tauranga,
BLENNZ
Kia ora, I'm Chrissy Toy, Manager at BLENNZ Tauranga Visual Resource Centre. I lead a team of 12, covering the Coastal Bay of Plenty from Katikati to Te Kaha, inland to Kawerau and Rotorua, down to Reporoa, and out to Murupara.
Devi
Dawson
Visual Resource Centre Manager – Wellington,
BLENNZ
Kia ora, I'm Devi Dawson, Manager at BLENNZ Wellington Visual Resource Centre. I lead a team of 11, covering Wellington, Hutt Valley, Porirua, Wairarapa, and the Kapiti Coast. We provide support and services to our community.
Jackie
Baldi
Visual Resource Centre Manager – Dunedin,
BLENNZ
Kia ora, I'm Jackie Baldi, Manager at BLENNZ Dunedin Visual Resource Centre. I lead a team of seven, covering Dunedin City, the whole of Otago (north to the Waitaki River, west to Wanaka and Queenstown, south to Owaka and Clinton), and the Chatham Islands.
Jill
de Kock
Visual Resource Centre Manager – Pukekohe,
BLENNZ
Kia ora, I'm Jill de Kock, Manager at BLENNZ Pukekohe Visual Resource Centre. I lead a team of five, covering areas from South Auckland through to North Waikato. We're dedicated to providing support and services to ākonga who have a vision impairment in our community.
Kate
Mabbett
Visual Resource Centre Manager – Whangārei,
BLENNZ
Kia ora, I'm Kate Mabbett, Manager at BLENNZ Whangārei Visual Resource Centre. I lead a team of four, covering Te Hana to the tip of the North Island, Kaipara District, Whangārei District, and the Far North.
Kay
Hood
Visual Resource Centre Manager – Taranaki,
BLENNZ
Kia ora, I'm Kay Hood, Manager at BLENNZ Taranaki Visual Resource Centre. I lead a team of five, covering from Patea to Mokau and inland to Ohara, including New Plymouth, Hawera, Stratford, Opunake, Inglewood, Waitara, and other towns around Taranaki.
Lyndsey
Starkey
Visual Resource Centre Manager – Napier,
BLENNZ
Kia ora, I'm Lyndsey Starkey, Manager at BLENNZ Napier Visual Resource Centre. I lead a dedicated team of five, serving Napier, Hastings, Havelock North, Waipukurau, Clive, and Wairoa. We're passionate about providing support and services to our community.
Patrick
Pink
Visual Resource Centre Manager – Auckland North,
BLENNZ
Kia ora, I'm Patrick Pink, Manager at BLENNZ Auckland North Visual Resource Centre. I lead a team of 11, covering West Auckland, North Auckland (from the Harbour Bridge to Te Hana), and the Rodney District. We're committed to providing support and services to our community.
Sarah
Tullett
Visual Resource Centre Manager – Christchurch,
BLENNZ
Kia ora, I'm Sarah Tullett, Manager at BLENNZ Christchurch Visual Resource Centre. I lead a team of 21, covering from Kaikoura to Waimate on the east coast, Westport to Haast on the west coast, and the Chatham Islands.
Sy
Baker
Visual Resource Centre Manager – Nelson,
BLENNZ
Kia ora, I'm Sy Baker, Manager at BLENNZ Nelson Visual Resource Centre. I lead a team of six, covering Nelson, Tasman, Marlborough, and the Upper West Coast region. We're committed to providing support and services to our community.
Tom
Anderson
Visual Resource Centre Manager – Gisborne,
BLENNZ
Kia ora, I'm Tom Anderson, the Manager at BLENNZ Gisborne Visual Resource Centre. My team of three and I cover Te Tairāwhiti, including Tūranganui-a-Kiwa/Gisborne, Ūawa/Tolaga Bay, and the East Cape. We support and serve ākonga who are blind, deafblind, or have low vision in our community.
Trish
Bishop
Visual Resource Centre Manager – Palmerston North,
BLENNZ
Kia ora, I'm Trish Bishop, Manager at BLENNZ Palmerston North Visual Resource Centre. I lead a team of eight, covering Manawatu, Horowhenua, Rangitikei, Ruapehu, Whanganui and Tararua (Pahiatua).