REANZ Trustees
Diti Hill-Denee
CHAIRPERSON
Diti retired as Senior Lecturer in the Faculty of Education and Social Work at the University of Auckland in 2014 after 23 years of lecturing in early childhood teacher education. She continues to be involved at the university as Honorary Academic. For over forty years Diti has been actively involved with a wide range of early childhood services and organisations as parent, teacher and teacher educator. She attended Playcentre with her four children and, over 20 years, was involved at the national level for several years. For over 20 years Diti has facilitated and co-facilitated professional development, conversation groups and conferences, drawing on the intellectually-engaging philosophy and pedagogy of Reggio Emilia. She has attended 7 Study Tours in Reggio Emilia (2005-2019) and is a trustee of REANZ (Reggio Emilia Aotearoa New Zealand). Diti is passionate about inspiring teachers to explore and debate the nature of the teaching-learning process and to reflect deeply on the effect that personal pedagogical practice has on their own lives and the lives of the children they teach. She was first introduced to the Reggio philosophy and pedagogy in 1994 when she attended the 100 Languages exhibition in Melbourne. Diti lives in Leigh, north of Auckland city.
Lorraine Manuela
INTERNATIONAL NETWORK REPRESENTATIVE
Lorraine and her team at Tots Corner have been inspired by the pedagogy of Reggio Emilia as a provocation interfaced with Te Whaariki for onwards of 13 years. They believe the Reggio Approach has offered a new paradigm for early childhood education, to be places and spaces for political and ethical practices, not places of technical practice and the transmission of knowledge. They continue to be challenged by the Pedagogy of Listening and creating environments that both challenge and inspire children and teachers to share understanding and interpretations. Lorraine is the Reggio Children International Network Representative for REANZ.
Helen Aitken
Helen has been in early childhood education since 1994 in the capacity of teacher, leader, facilitator, and lecturer in both Auckland and the Waikato. She now lives in Porirua with her husband and two young children.
Helen has been interested and inspired by things Reggio since 2001 and in particular how ECE teachers and settings in Aotearoa can be inspired and challenged in ways which ‘fit’ with our own (bi)cultural context and curriculum.
Karen Liley
Bio to come...
Chris Bayes
SECRETARY
Chris has recently repurposed her life after teaching at Diocesan schools Early Childhood Centre for the past 11 years.
Her background is varied and includes; kindergarten teaching, working with children and families with special needs children, working for the Ministry of Education as a Senior Advisor and as a Facilitator for Professional Learning. She was first introduced to the pedagogy of Reggio Emilia in 1994 when the Hundred Languages Exhibition and conference was held in Melbourne. After visiting Reggio Emilia in 1998, she began an adventure that continues to inspire and challenge her today. Chris is grateful for the friendship and mentoring that Jan Millikan has given REANZ and herself over the years.
Chris will continue her connection with children through relieving on a day to day basis. “Every day being with children provides possibilities for seeing children through new eyes. Eyes that are not alone in listening to children. What are they telling us? What are the possibilities? How can we find new ways to think alongside children? To stand next to them and wonder and question? What a privilege”.
Chris spends a lot of time with her four gorgeous grandsons who have enriched her life. “What a delight to be greeted with a running hug and a big smile when they come to spend time with us. These delicious boys provide us with so many wonderful moments. Lucky, lucky us!”
Kerri Fallon
Bio to come…
Logan Burson
Bio and photo to come…
Rachel Denee
Rachel has worked as a teacher and leader in the early childhood sector since 2000. She recently completed a PhD at Victoria University Wellington focused on teacher professional learning and visual arts, which included consideration of the influence of Reggio Emilia on visual arts pedagogy worldwide. Rachel is a pedagogical leader and co-owner of Daisies Early Education & Care Centre in Wellington. The team at Daisies is inspired by Reggio Emilia, continuously reflecting on what we can learn and weave into our own context. Rachel began learning about the Reggio Emilia approach in the early 2000’s and has been a member of the REID committee in Wellington since 2012, providing and engaging in professional learning to explore Reggio Emilia principles and practices. She was thrilled to attend a study tour in Reggio Emilia in 2019.
Michelle Doherty
Michelle is a primary representative on the REANZ trust and teaches in one of the Ngā Kākano classes at Beach Haven Primary School. She has been teaching there since 2008. She has a background in Early Childhood Education. Her interest and passion for a Reggio Emilia approach to learning have underpinned her teaching philosophy for many years, thinking that children and teachers learn together as Kairangahau of their own learning to deepen their knowledge and enquiring minds. Taking part in the Melbourne study tour in 2019 deepened her passion and learning interest for Reggio Emilia.