The Guest Speaker

What does it take to become one of the world's most respected winemakers? And how can a passion for science open doors to a career that takes you around the globe? In this episode of The Guest Speaker, we sit down with Blair Walter, celebrated New Zealand winemaker and the driving force behind Felton Road's winemaking since its first vintage in 1997. Based in Central Otago, Felton Road has earned...

In this episode of The Guest Speaker, we sit down with Lara Wall, Wellington Phoenix defender, Football Fern and structural engineer, whose journey proves that pursuing one dream doesn't mean giving up another. Growing up in Dunedin, Lara discovered her love for football at just eight years old, playing alongside school mates before progressing into senior women's football as a teenager. Alongside...

At eleven years old, Rosie Hay boarded a plane for the first time on a family trip to Rarotonga and fell in love with flying. Years later, after struggling with confidence at school and questioning her academic ability, Rosie discovered what could happen when she found something she genuinely cared about. Today, Rosie has spent nearly two decades working in aviation and is an experienced Air New Z...

Dr. Jennifer Park is a researcher specialising in gaming disorder and online behavioural addictions, whose extraordinary academic journey began long before her work took her to Yale. After skipping two years of high school, Jennifer began a Bachelor of Health Sciences at the University of Auckland at just 16 years old. By 18, she was conducting research into gaming disorder - an emerging field tha...

Roelien Du Plessis first considered becoming a police officer at just 16 years old. But instead of heading straight into policing, her journey took her through university, elite sport, community rugby and youth mentoring - experiences that ultimately brought her back to the career she had once imagined. A former Head Girl, representative netballer and rugby player, Roelien studied Human Performanc...

Steph Wood never imagined she would become an entrepreneur. Growing up in Western Australia, Steph struggled to find her place at school and left at 15 after securing a pharmacy traineeship. What followed was anything but a traditional career path: pharmacy, makeup artistry, building and architectural design, travel, surfing, and eventually a move to New Zealand. Each experience gave Steph another...

Caitlin Easter is a clinical psychologist whose career has taken her across child development, mental health, care and protection, corrections and sport psychology. Growing up in Cambridge, New Zealand, Caitlin was far more focused on sport than becoming a psychologist. A talented netballer and swimmer, she became Cambridge High School’s inaugural Sports Captain before receiving the prestigious Si...

In this episode of The Guest Speaker, Jessica takes us inside the pathway to becoming a physiotherapist: from choosing high-school subjects and applying for university, to practical exams, clinical placements and navigating those first years in the workforce. She also breaks down the different areas of physiotherapy many students may never have considered - including musculoskeletal, cardiovascula...

Josh Kersten shares the remarkable journey from working hands-on in New Zealand to founding Prime Platinum - an international company providing cutting-edge recovery and longevity technologies to professional athletes, wellness facilities and high-performance clients worldwide. This conversation explores entrepreneurship, resilience, continuous learning, international business, and the future of h...

Sharks made Dr. Riley Elliott famous - but this conversation is about much more than sharks. Riley is one of the world's leading shark scientists, a documentary presenter for Shark Week, BBC and National Geographic, and a passionate advocate for marine conservation. In this episode he shares how curiosity, purpose and hard work took him from a student in Hamilton, New Zealand, to researching great...

Agriculture is one of New Zealand's largest industries, yet many young people have little idea of the incredible career opportunities it offers. In this episode of The Guest Speaker, we sit down with Chloe Jones - Operations Manager at Fonterra Farms, former National Chair of New Zealand Young Farmers, and a passionate advocate for the future of the food and fibre sector. Chloe shares her journey...

In this episode of The Guest Speaker, we sit down with Amy Coulton, whose journey has taken her from a high school career expo in New Zealand to working across luxury superyachts, tourism, hospitality and adventure travel around the world. Amy shares how studying at Queenstown Resort College opened unexpected doors, what life is actually like working in tourism, the incredible highs of exploring p...

After pursuing tourism, having Covid completely change her plans, and later studying psychology at university, Brittany Day still hadn't found the career that truly excited her. It wasn't until someone casually suggested she'd make a great personal trainer that everything clicked. Today, Brittany is an award-recognised personal trainer and is helping people of all ages build confidence, strength a...

In this episode of The Guest Speaker, internationally recognised architect Nick Roberts shares the journey from a New Zealand classroom to leading award-winning projects across New Zealand, Australia, the United States and the Netherlands. Nick is the founding director of Roberts Gray Architects, an educator, author and one of New Zealand's leading contemporary architects. His work has been recogn...

Maia Joseph may be best known as one of the brightest young stars in New Zealand rugby, but thats just one of her two sides. A Black Fern, medical student, and role model for young athletes across Aotearoa, Maia is proving that you don't have to choose between your passions. Growing up in Dunedin, Maia loved sport, worked hard at school, and never imagined she would one day be balancing a professi...

In this episode, we sit down with Brendan Murphy, a University of Auckland architecture master’s student, to unpack what architecture school is really like - the creativity, the pressure, the studio culture, the workload, and the long road toward becoming a registered architect. Brendan shares his journey from Cambridge High School to architecture school, reflecting on the subjects that helped him...

Alice Taylor grew up in Cambridge, New Zealand, loving sport and throwing herself into every opportunity she could. But unlike many athletes who pursue American scholarships, she never believed the pathway was meant for her. After finishing school, Alice enrolled at Massey University with her sights set firmly on veterinary science. When that plan didn't work out, she found herself back home, work...

In this episode of The Guest Speaker, we sit down with entrepreneur and wellness founder Amy Calway - founder of Tiki Beach in Mangawhai - to talk about resilience, entrepreneurship, and why some of the best careers are built through pivots, curiosity and courage. Amy shares her journey from struggling in school and feeling like a “non-traditional” student, to working in nightlife promotions, alco...

Matt Watson grew up in a commercial fishing family and always felt the pull of the ocean. But before becoming one of New Zealand’s most recognisable fishing personalities, he built his work ethic the old-fashioned way - through school, sport, roofing, saving money, and learning how to turn up every day. In this episode, Matt shares how he went from running a roofing business at nineteen to becomin...

Today on The Guest Speaker, we’re joined by Jacinda Johnston - a Special Counsel at one of New Zealand’s leading law firms, Tompkins Wake - to unpack the realities of studying and working in law. From being the “bright student” encouraged into law, to studying at University of Waikato and later abroad at Chicago-Kent College of Law, Jacinda shares the pathway behind her successful legal career - a...

In this episode of The Guest Speaker, we sit down with Hannah Rogers, an emerging environmental scientist and PhD candidate at the University of Waikato whose research explores epiphytes, ecology, and the future of environmental restoration. Hannah’s connection to the natural world began early, shaped by parents who encouraged curiosity, outdoor exploration, and a deep respect for the environment....

In this episode, we sit down with Darrell Bird, owner of Dive Zone Whitianga, to explore how diving can become far more than a hobby — it can become a pathway into confidence, travel, education, leadership, tourism, marine science, commercial work, and global career opportunities. Darrell’s own journey did not follow a traditional route. After leaving school, training as a draughtsman, and realisi...

In this episode of The Guest Speaker, we sit down with Gemma Thornton, a community rehabilitation coach at Body in Motion in the Bay of Plenty. Gemma’s pathway began with a love of dance, movement, and people. After high school, she studied Sport and Human Performance at Wintec, initially imagining a future as a PE or dance teacher. But as her studies unfolded, and as her own health journey with u...

Haylee Palmer didn’t follow a perfectly mapped-out path - and that’s exactly what makes her story so relevant. Growing up in Tauranga, Haylee leaned into a philosophy of simply enjoying school, trying everything, and staying open to where life might lead. From sport to arts to leadership opportunities, she explored broadly without pressure to specialize early - a mindset that would later shape her...

Catriona McPherson grew up in Cambridge, surrounded by stories, art, and a curiosity about the world - but like many students drawn to the humanities, she wasn’t sure exactly where that path could lead. In this episode, Catriona shares how she turned a love of art history into a meaningful career at Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa - one of New Zealand’s most iconic cultural institutions. S...