Of graduates employed
Internships delivered
Miriam – Digital Marketing Programme Leader
Miriam Seifert a.k.a Campus Busy Bee
Role in a nutshell: I’m the programme leader for DDM, tutor for Digital Marketing Principles and Practices and also a part of the Client Success team
Specialties: Teaching Marketing Theories and Frameworks and enabling students to apply these in both theoretical and real live contexts.
Background Experience: I have been involved in tertiary teaching for over 7 years. I have been teaching at university and tertiary providers. I have been mainly teaching marketing and other business courses. I hold a Doctoral Degree in Strategic Marketing from the the University of Auckland.
Passion: Supporting students with empathy and compassion.
Fun-fact: I love learning languages. I am speaking, German, Spanish, French and English. I am currently learning te reo.
When I’m not working you can find me: Scuba diving around NZ, fishing and hiking. I love the outdoors.
Advice: Start early on your assessments to avoid last minute panic!
Rajika – Senior Digital Marketing Tutor
Rajika Vyas a.k.a Campus Mama’Bear
Role in a nutshell: I’m the tutor for Mobile Marketing & Email Marketing and also a part of the Client Success team.
Specialties: Being able to deliver Diploma content in a fun and interactive way. I teach by breaking down curriculum and jargon into easy-to-digest content.
Background Experience: I have been in the teaching field for more than 2 decades and have Master’s Degree in Computer Applications (MCA). I graduated with a Bachelor’s in Education (B.Ed.) and Bachelor’s in Science (B.Sc.) followed by Certifications in Adult Education. My IT background has given me clear understanding of how Digital technology works which led me to teaching Digital marketing.
Passion: Teaching with empathy and kindness. Where I get to be part of your success and feel rewarded. I enjoy every moment of teaching whether online or face-to-face.
Fun-fact: I have climbed to top of Mt Taranaki and completed the 83km Hilary trail
When I’m not working you can find me: In the garden, nature walks, crocheting and knitting and being with my fur baby
Advice: There is no shortcut to success! Hard work always pays!
Lasma – SEO & Data Tutor
Lasma Zorgenberga a.k.a Search Engine Marketing and Data Analytics Nerd
Role in a nutshell: I am the tutor for Level-7 Search Engine Marketing and Data Analytics courses, as well as Level-5 Micro Credentials SEO mini course.
Specialties: I specialise in taking complex digital challenges and distilling them into holistic strategies that improve ROI and digital presence in Search, for both local and international businesses.
Background Experience: I’m a well-rounded marketer with over 6 years of experience leading successful digital campaigns for enterprises across New Zealand, Australia, Indonesia, Europe and gaining industry experience at New Zealand’s most awarded and leading Search agency – the only agency to receive Google All-Star status in New Zealand.
Passion: Passionate about AI in the workforce, & marketing – segmentation, innovation, automation, analytics, personalisation, scaling – and marketing AI technologies.
Fun-fact: I dream about traveling to Japan because I’m huge fan of ramen and Something not many people know about me is that I write poetry.
When I’m not working you can find me: On the beach, reading English poetry, practising mindful living, and advocating the future of workforces around the world.
Advice: Always walk through life as if you have something new to learn and you will.
Jennifer – Email Marketing Tutor
Jen Kirchhofer, a.k.a. The American with the American Brown Dog
Role in a nutshell: I’m the tutor for DDM712, which is email and social media marketing
Specialties: Email marketing and marketing automation, with a strong focus on customer experience and lifecycle management; content writing and copywriting, too
Background experience: My digital marketing career began in Indianapolis, Indiana in the US with a focus on email in 2008 with an incredible startup which would go on to become a massive success story; since then, I’ve worked across channels, verticals, and types of companies, from global companies like Sony and Salesforce to tech startups in Silicon Valley to small businesses and non-profit organisations; my career brought my dog, Jill, and me to NZ in 2018 on a talent visa in digital marketing
Passion: Making sure to send the right message at the right time via the right channel to the right person; creating relevant, helpful, meaningful communications and marketing experiences; helping people to learn
Fun fact: You can find me in a prison about once per week (as a volunteer); I facilitate a programme to help people prepare for job searching and employment once released
When I’m not working you can find me: Hiking and adventuring with Jill
Advice: Whatever you are, be a good one (Abraham Lincoln)
Janelle – Digital Design Tutor
Janelle Baptist a.k.a Digital DIYer
Role in a nutshell: I am the tutor for 709: Digital Design Principles
What are your specialties? Software such as InDesign – specifically making graphic design resources, publications, slideshows and presentations.
What’s your background experience? I’m experienced in graphic design, photography, UX/digital design, and websites. I have a Degree in Graphic Design, Diploma in Photography, Certificate in Adult and Tertiary Teaching and am working on an Applied Certificate in E-Learning. I have taught gateway programmes and a Level 5 Web and Graphics Diploma, covering Design Foundation, Graphic Design, Web and UX modules.
What is your passion? Helping people and doing something good, I’m continuously learning and trying to make a difference.
What’s a fun fact about you? I worked at Disney World in the US, and I also play competitive laser tag.
When I’m not working, you can find me: On the internet – I watch a lot of documentaries and TV shows, but I also read a lot, and I used to cook more than I do now!
Advice: Take internships and network as much as you can. I’ve done heaps of unpaid internships, which I know is a very contentious subject. But the way I see it, I’m not paying to do a course or learn that topic, so it’s a mutually beneficial relationship to me.
Matt – Social Media Marketing Tutor
Matt Wort a.k.a Comedy Queen
Role in a nutshell: I am the tutor for Social Media Marketing.
Specialties: I like to think my specialty is bringing brands to life with storytelling. Copywriting is a strength, and the Oxford comma is my friend. I also have a wealth of experience with paid ads management, across social media and Google.
Background Experience: I’ve been a freelancer for six years and have spent that time between agencies, long-term contracts, and short-term projects. Before freelancing I studied creative writing where I received a degree for writing an okay book. I now use the story-telling skills I learned in my degree to craft emotive and impactful campaigns for brands. I have worked in both the public and private sectors, as well as for some non-profit organisations.
Passion: Having fun in my work. And also finding shortcuts to simplify what can sometimes be complex tasks.
Fun-Fact: As part of a uni assignment, I once posted a Harry Potter quiz to Buzzfeed. It went viral and received millions of views. I’m still trying to chase that level of success hah!
When I’m not working you can find me: Playing videogames (occasionally streaming), Reading comics (currently reading Heartstopper), or cooking (I fell into the deep web of oat recipes on Tik Tok).
Advice: Social media is supposed to be fun, explore the lighter side of having a laugh with it.
Geni – Content Marketing Tutor
Geni McCallum Content Queen Role in a nutshell? I’m the tutor for DDM708, which is Content Marketing and Media. Specialties? Content creation and digital marketing strategy.
Background experience: I’ve got two more papers left of my BA in psychology and a minor in education. I’ve taught ages from 4 to 18. I also have a background of being creative. I started out in fine arts and then went into web design and graphic design and photography and film. And I’m a writer as well.
Passion: Make sure that I kind of implore people to create content that is high quality. Instead of trying to churn things out quickly, I guess I always make it from a purpose base storytelling version. I think that we’re moving past just pushing products. More consumers want to know about what’s happening behind the scenes.
Fun Fact: I’m almost six foot. I also lived in France for a year when I was 15. So I can speak French relatively well.
When I’m not working, you can find me: Petting my cat. I also have a 15-year-old daughter, so I do stuff with her. We go to markets, we’re both mostly plant-based.
Advice: Take a breath before you make decisions. Sometimes you’ll get critiques that can be quite hard to deal with. Just take a breath before you decide how to reply. And how to go forward. It all passes.
Alison – Digital Design, Website & E-Commerce Tutor
Alison (Langley) Weir-Smith aka the Website Pro
Role in a nutshell: I am teaching 710: Introduction to WordPress and E-commerce.
Specialties: I am a website designer and developer and I’ve been doing it for 10 years, and I’m pedantic.
Background Experience: A BSC degree in computer studies and psychology. Other than that, I dabbled in every aspect of the online marketing space – from SEO and Google AdWords to website design and website development for the last 12 years. I started off in SEO and then gradually taught myself website development and design. I used to teach a one-day crash course in SEO in South Africa (where I am originally from).
Passion: My passion is making people’s website dreams come to life. Taking the ideas out of their head and putting them on the internet.
Fun-Fact: I’m a baker-holic. And my husband’s waistline suffers the consequences.
When I’m not working you can find me: Curled up on the couch or in bed snuggled by my dogs with a good book.
Advice: Ask questions. I’m very, very prone to getting technical. And if I’m going over your head, you’ve got to stop me and ask me. Otherwise, I assume you know what I’m talking about.
