After fourteen wonderful years with Speech New Zealand's National Office, Claire is stepping back from her role as Exam Administrator to pursue further studies in te reo Māori in 2027.

Claire's journey with Speech New Zealand began in 2012 when she joined as the Christchurch Local Secretary. During the Covid-19 pandemic in 2020, she began working remotely for National Office, coordinating our online examinations whakamātatau ā-waha and helping ensure students ākonga could continue their assessment aromatawai ā-waha journey during a challenging time. In 2021, Claire took on the newly established role of Tour Administrator, which later evolved into the Exam Administrator role we know today.

Over the years, Claire has brought a wealth of knowledge, professionalism, and dedication to the organisation. Her extensive understanding of our examination whakamātatau ā-waha processes, calm and thoughtful approach, and unwavering support for teachers kaiako, examiners kaiarotake matua, and colleagues have made her an invaluable member of the Speech New Zealand team.

We are incredibly grateful for Claire's many years of service, her commitment to Speech New Zealand, and the positive impact she has had on our community. We wish her every success with her studies and know she will continue to make a difference wherever her journey takes her.

Ngā mihi, Claire, we will miss you thank you for everything that you have contributed to the Speech New Zealand whānau.

A FAREWELL NOTE FROM CLAIRE

Kia ora koutou,

"It's hard to believe that Speech NZ has been part of my working life for almost 15 years and it's with some sadness, but many happy memories that I now begin to say goodbye as we welcome Shazna to the exam admin team and I reduce my hours for Term 3 & 4 prior to moving on to full-time study doing Level 3 & 4 immersion Te Reo Māori next year."

"It's been a pleasure working with and getting to know such a dedicated and passionate group of people through Speech NZ including teachers, candidates, parents, supervisors, board members and my national office colleagues. We have shared much laughter and many "dramatic" moments during exam tours, organisational change and life in general over the years and I now carry forth the knowledge of what a dipthong is (even though we don't really use them with our kiwi accent), the meaning of iambic pentameter and the importance of modulation!"

Ngā manaakitanga. "He tangata, he tangata, he tangata".