Our St Mary’s Team
Leadership Team
Paul's Profile
I am very pleased to have had the opportunity to lead St Mary’s School since 2021. Born and bred in Auckland, I have taught in a variety of schools over the last forty years. This includes twelve years as Principal of St Pius X Catholic School in Glen Innes. While approximately half of my teaching has been spent in secondary schools, I have been very happy since returning to primary education in 2004. I truly enjoy working alongside the staff, children, and families that make up the St Mary’s community. I am a current Executive member of the Auckland Catholic Primary Principals’ Association and have been up until this year on the Executive of the New Zealand Catholic Primary Principals’ Association. For the last three years I have been Lead Principal for the North Shore Catholic Kahui Ako. My wife, Vicky, and I are active members of the Holy Cross Parish in Henderson. Family is a central part of our lives. We have three adult children and are the proud grandparents of five. We love the outdoors and are very keen campers.
As a long-suffering Warriors supporter, I continue to live by the eternal creed: “Next year will be our year…”
Amany's Profile
In 2018, I was thrilled to join the staff at St Mary’s School as Deputy Principal. With over 20 years of experience working with children, I have had the privilege of teaching students aged 7 to 16 and have enjoyed every age group. I am passionate about creating a safe and supportive educational environment where children can learn and grow. Being part of such a fun, forward-thinking, and supportive school community is incredibly rewarding.
Outside of work, I am married and a proud parent of two wonderful young men, as well as a grandparent to two beautiful grandchildren. I feel honoured to be part of St Mary’s and to work alongside a community of diverse, hardworking, and talented students.
Kristen's Profile
I started teaching at St Mary’s in 2016 but have over 20 years of teaching experience. It has been a pleasure to teach in a variety of year levels and to have met many of the families here at St Mary’s. I am a parishioner at St Mary’s Church and enjoy my role as Director of Religious Studies. I have three children, two adult daughters and a 16 year old son. My family and pets keep me busy and entertained, we especially like spending time camping and enjoying walks at different spots around the north island.
Sue's Profile
I been a part of the St Mary’s School community for almost 19 years. In my role as Executive Officer, I enjoy supporting our dedicated senior leadership team, our amazing teachers and support staff. I take great pride in ensuring everything runs smoothly, fostering an environment where both staff and students can thrive.
Outside of work, I cherish family life. My husband, Paul and I have two married grownup children and we a proud ‘Lolli & Pops’ to three beautiful grandchildren. We both enjoy staying active by going to the gym almost every day, walking our two excitable Westies and riding our new e-bikes! Our happy place is Tawharanui!
Teaching Staff
Kelsey's Profile
Kia ora! I started my teaching journey with St Mary’s School in 2020 and am so happy to continue being a part of this amazing whānau. This will be my seventh year in the St Mary’s community. I am excited to be working with our senior students once again, and I am proud to be the Team Leader for the senior school at St Mary’s this year. Outside of school, I enjoy going on outdoor adventures with my daughter and our doggies.
Sophie's Profile
Kia ora! My name is Sophie Mackenzie, and I am so excited to be joining St Mary’s as a Year 5 and 6 teacher this year. While this is my first year as a classroom teacher, I have plenty of experience teaching swimming, dance, and mathematics. Outside of the school I love to play netball, swim, and spend time with friends and family which include my dog Wendy and cat Fred. I am looking forward to getting to know the students and whānau of this school and being part of the St Mary’s community.
Tamzyn's Profile
My name is Tamzyn Williams. I have loved being a teacher for the last 12 years in South Africa and am looking forward to continuing my passion here in New Zealand. I have two young children and we love playing sport, surfing, skating and being outdoors. We have a Boston terrier called Winston who will be joining our family this winter.
Colby's Profile
Hello, my name is Colby Winspear and I am from Canada. This year I will be teaching authentic learning as well as supporting our amazing teachers. I am excited about this new step and looking forward to help our children grown.
Ruby's Profile
Tēnā koutou. My name is Ruby Willis, and I joined the St Mary’s teaching team in 2021. Since then, I have felt there’s something truly special about this school. I am passionate about creating a safe, fun, and inclusive learning environment for my students. This year, I am lucky to be working with the Year 3 team, and I feel privileged to be part of the St Mary’s family and community!
Selena's Profile
Kia ora, my name is Selena Timmins, and I am thrilled to be part of the St Mary’s team as a Year 4 kaiako in 2026.
I love reading, birds, spending time outdoors, and being with my friends and whānau. This is my first year of teaching, and I am really looking forward to a year full of learning, growth, and lots of smiles in the classroom!
Lalli's Profile
Kia Ora! My name is Lalli Tiddy and I am from South Africa. I have one daughter who is two years old and we love to be outside, exploring in the sunshine. This is my 6th year teaching at St Mary’s and I am so excited to be a year one teacher this year.
Michelle's Profile
Kia ora! My name is Michelle Nel, and I am proud to be the Team Leader and Structured Literacy support for the junior school at St Mary’s. With over eight years of teaching experience and three years in leadership, I am passionate about creating engaging, evidence-based learning experiences for our tamariki.
Emma's Profile
Kia ora, I’m Emma, and I’m excited to be part of St Mary’s School, where I look forward to bringing the joy of learning and sharing the love of Jesus with all the children I teach. Prior to joining St Mary’s, I taught Years 2, 3, and 4 for the past four years.
My family includes my husband, our two teenagers, and our cat, Neko. In my spare time, I enjoy listening to podcasts, spending time in prayer and communion with God, hiking in nature, gardening, and spending time with my family and friends.
Megan's Profile
I have been teaching for many years and love being back at St Mary’s School. I am passionate about children’s learning and progress in all areas of the curriculum. In my free time I like to walk my dog, play tennis, tramp, read and listen to music.
Lauren's Profile
My name is Lauren Els, and I am originally from Johannesburg, South Africa. I have been teaching for 16 years and am passionate about creating a positive and engaging learning environment where every child can thrive. After relocating to New Zealand in 2023, I spent two years teaching in Early Childhood Education at BestStart before transitioning back into primary teaching.
Outside of school, I am a proud mum to two wonderful energetic boys who keep me busy and remind me every day of the joy and importance of learning through curiosity, resilience, and fun.
Lisa's Profile
Kate's Profile
Michelle's Profile
Kia ora, mabuhay!
I am grateful to be part of the St Mary’s School whānau and delighted to be teaching our wonderful new entrants. Having taught in different countries, I feel privileged to bring my experience to support our tamariki and whānau here in Aotearoa New Zealand. Outside the classroom, I enjoy hiking, exploring nature, and spending quality time with my family and friends, creating lasting memories together.
Rebecca's Profile
Kia ora, I’m Rebecca, and I am originally from South Africa. I hold a Master’s Degree in Digital Education Futures and am passionate about helping students learn and grow. Outside of school, I enjoy spending time with my family, going fishing, and drinking good coffee. I feel lucky to be part of our St Mary’s community and love supporting every child to succeed.
Kelly's Profile
Kia ora! I joined the St Mary’s team in 2020, but started my teaching career over a decade beforehand. St Mary’s has always had a place in my heart as a past pupil, now as a teacher and my two children are also students here. I am absolutely passionate about education and opening up the minds of our students. Alongside my role at St Mary’s I am also privileged to work with the other North Shore Catholic schools in our Kāhui Ako community. Outside of school my children keep me very busy, we love camping when the weather permits and I enjoy going on all sorts of nature adventures on land and sea with my family.
Jemma's Profile
Kia ora, my name is Jemma Skiff. This will be my ninth year in the St Mary’s community. I love spending time with my family, getting to know new people and learning about different countries and cultures.
Support Staff
Therese's Profile
Gena's Profile
I have been working as a Teacher Aide for over five years, and I truly enjoy helping children learn, grow, and feel confident in themselves. I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts and love bringing creativity into learning through art and hands-on activities.
As a mum of a 15-year-old daughter and a 9-year-old son, I understand how important it is for children to feel safe, supported, and encouraged every day. I enjoy building positive relationships with students and their families and helping each child discover their unique strengths.
I feel grateful to be part of a Catholic school community, where faith, kindness, and respect are at the heart of everything we do. It is a privilege to support children on their learning journey and watch them grow with confidence and joy.
Melissa's Profile
I’m a proud mum of two wonderful children and have a real passion for supporting children in their learning and helping create a caring environment where every child feels valued and supported.
Outside of school, I enjoy baking and spending time outdoors. Our family loves going on bike rides, bush walks and spending time at the beach.
Carolina's Profile
I have been happily married for more than eight years and I am currently supporting my husband in his PhD journey in New Zealand. Outside the classroom, I enjoy outdoor activities, reading, and dancing.
Craig's Profile
I am delighted to be a part of St Mary’s School and I look forward to working together with the talented team already here to create a safe and friendly environment. I am an avid rugby fan, having coached at all levels for 25 years. I am married to Sue, we have 4 adult children and 5 grandchildren.