Meet our Team

My passion is practical education that opens real doors for real people. At PCTI, I lead a diverse portfolio of programmes spanning Primary Industries, Horticulture, Apiculture, Animal Care, Food Manufacturing, Youth Education, Community Education, and Trades Academy as well as specialist offerings in Aquatic Fish and Barista skills.
I believe that the right qualification, delivered in the right environment, can be genuinely life changing. PCTI exists to serve learners who thrive outside traditional academic pathways, and that's a mission I'm proud to champion every day.
I'm focused on growing PCTI's partnerships with industry, supporting youth learners into meaningful pathways, and ensuring every programme we offer reflects the real skills needs of the Bay of Plenty region and beyond.
I'm an active member of the Tauranga community and remain personally invested in the success of our learners, staff, and industry partners.

Poonam is the Academic and Quality Manager at Pacific Coast Technical Institute (PCTI) where she leads academic quality, programme development and continuous improvement. She is passionate about creating engaging, high quality learning experiences that support learners to achieve their goals while ensuring programmes meet industry and NZQA standards.
With more than 10 years of experience in tertiary education, Poonam has worked across academic leadership, quality assurance, programme development and operations. She enjoys working alongside staff, industry partners and schools to develop practical, learner centred programmes that create meaningful pathways into employment and further study.
Known for her collaborative and supportive approach, Poonam believes that strong relationships are at the heart of great education. She is committed to fostering a positive learning environment where both learners and staff are encouraged to grow, succeed and continuously improve.
Outside of PCTI, Poonam also contributes to the wider tertiary education sector as a Subject Matter Expert and Moderator supporting quality assurance and assessment practices across New Zealand.

This role combines two of my favourite things – horses and working with youth.
I enjoy being able to use my experience working in stables and studs around the world to encourage our learners to become professional, knowledgeable and capable horse people.
I have my Masters in Psychology and spent 10 years working in marketing and media in the thoroughbred industry and always managed to make sure horses were a part of my life.
The thoroughbred industry has provided me many opportunities and lifelong friends and I love being able to give others the chance to experience that too. 
For me, success is not just about our learners gaining a qualification, it is about them taking the first steps in mapping out a meaningful career. I’m always immensely proud when I see our graduates out in the workforce and progressing towards their goals.
A career with horses is hard work, but it is also fun and rewarding. Lots of people think working with horses is just riding or mucking out but there are so many options out there. Join our Equine Programme and see where it could take you.

Hello, I’m Maricon Dales. I teach Food Manufacturing and short courses at PCTI. I have eight years of teaching experience in Hospitality and Food Manufacturing in New Zealand and the Philippines. I also own a small local catering business. I hold a Diploma in Business Management specializing in Hospitality and Tourism L7, a Master of Business Administration majoring in Hotel and Restaurant Management, and a Doctor of Management majoring in Human Resources Management. I’m known for being hardworking, respectful, and passionate about teaching with a love for educating and supporting students. My goal is to impact students’ lives through pastoral care and create a positive educational environment for both local and international students.

My name is Kathy and I have been a tutor at Pacific Coast Technical Institute for 4 years. The course I help to deliver is the New Zealand Certificate in Animal Care Level 3, and the Aquatic Fish Industry Skills Certificate. These courses are perfect for a pathway into the animal care industry. Being an avid animal lover myself, it is a privilege to be involved in such a course as this and I personally find the material to be excellent.
As a Distance Tutor for the course, I will meet you personally on visits, and I will always be on hand to help with any questions or queries you may have. The course has garnered great student feedback, as the material is very informative and allows learning to be fun!
Just a little about myself – My background is actually in the alternative health field but I did a complete switch over 4 years ago into Tertiary Education. I was very interested in the course because the material and knowledge is focused on companion animals, of which I am very passionate. There was also a strand on fish, and though I had no prior experience of fish, I have come to respect them more than I ever did! I realised what a fantastic course this was for the animal care industry overall.
When I am not looking after my own Staffi dog – Ely, I love to hike on the local walking tracks. It is highly likely you will meet Ely at some point as I am very fortunate that he can accompany me on my travels to the Pet Stores ????

Tēnā koutou whanau
Nō Ingarani, Wēra, Aerana, Huitene ōku tupuna (My ancestors are from England, Wales,
Ireland and Scandinavian)
Engari ko Tauranga tōku kāinga (But Tauranga is my home)
Ko Mauao te maunga (mountain)
Ko Tauranga Moana te awa (river)
Ko Timandra te waka (ancestral waka)
Ko Pakeha, ko Ingarani, ko Wēra, ko Aerana, ko Huitene nga iwi (tribe)
Ko Box te Hapū (sub tribe)
Ko Ian Box tōku pāpā (father)
Ko Rhonda Wills tōku māmā (mother)
Ko James tōku tamariki (child)
Ko Adele ahau (I am)
Nō Tauranga ahau (I am from)
Nō reira, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou, tēnā koutou katoa (therefore, welcome, welcome,
welcome everyone)

Kia ora, and welcome to Omar Martinez, who has joined the PCTI whānau as our new Apiculture Tutor.
Omar brings over 40 years of beekeeping experience across New Zealand, Chile and Argentina, combining teaching, research, technical advisory work and commercial beekeeping management.
Before joining PCTI, Omar taught Apiculture at Toi Ohomai in New Zealand, Universidad Juan Agustín Maza in Argentina, and Universidad del Mar in Chile. He also conducted apiculture research with Plant & Food Research New Zealand.
His practical industry experience includes queen rearing, hive management, honey extraction, pollination services and new product development. Omar has managed commercial beekeeping operations in Chile and Argentina, and has served as a technical advisor to Argentine and international organisations, including INTA and UCIM/GTZ. In 1986, he founded MARBOST, a sustainable apiculture business providing honey, pollen and pollination services.
Omar is passionate about sharing knowledge, supporting learners and helping people develop the skills and confidence to succeed in the apiculture industry. He is excited to work alongside students, colleagues and industry partners, and to contribute to the continued growth of apiculture education at PCTI.
Outside of work, Omar enjoys time with family and friends, getting outdoors, kayaking, reading, listening to music and cooking.

Liz is passionate about helping learners move beyond simple memorization to build dynamic, adaptable minds. With a knack for breaking down complex concepts into practical visual tools and frameworks, Liz empowers learners to tackle real-world challenges with confidence, creativity, and sharp critical thinking.

Whether you're looking to make smarter daily decisions, sharpen your logic, or navigate life’s everyday challenges with confidence, Liz’s interactive, hands-on approach makes mastering these mind-building skills both intuitive and fun!