Andrea Cameron has 28 years of teaching experience in Aotearoa New Zealand and trained in Northland. She spent 18 years teaching in a high school setting and the past 8 years working in a small rural area school. Across her career she has continually adapted to meet the needs of learners and communities, teaching across a wide range of curriculum areas including Health and Physical Education, Science, English, Tourism, Careers and Gateway, and serving in leadership roles including Deputy Principal and Kāhui Ako Across School Teacher. Andrea recently completed a Master of Education with Distinction. Through this study she recognised that while much of her practice has long been guided by strong professional intuition, it is also well supported by evidence-based, culturally relational pedagogy shaped by experiences such as Te Kotahitanga. Her approach is strengths-based and centred on relationships, belonging, and raising aspirations for learners. Passionate about expanding horizons for students in rural contexts, Andrea actively creates authentic learning experiences and moments of joy through rich EOTC opportunities; from parasailing experiences to workplace exposure and future-focused pathway opportunities. She is committed to protecting students from limiting narratives and instead fostering purpose, hope, optimism, and agency so young people can see themselves as capable contributors to their communities and the wider world.

Dr Jennifer Luke PhD is a researcher, educator, and practitioner focused on lifelong career development, intergenerational work, and rural workforce sustainability. A professional member and former Queensland President of the Career Development Association Australia, Jennifer connects research, practice, and policy to advance inclusive career development and decent work across the lifespan. Professor Peter McIlveen PhD is a psychologist, member of the Australian Psychological Society, a Fellow of the College of Counselling Psychologists, and a Fellow of the Career Development Association of Australia. Peter’s teaching is focused on career development and supervision of PhD candidates at the University of Southern Queensland. Dr Cristy Bartlett PhD is an experienced educator committed to equity in higher education for regional, rural, and remote learners. Her work explores how place shapes access, career development, and life opportunities and the role that universities play in supporting people to have meaningful careers and lives through education.

Tammie Metcalfe is a national leader in youth employment and community-led workforce development in Aotearoa New Zealand. She has worked with the Mayors Taskforce for Jobs (MTFJ) for the past five years, including four years in a national leadership role supporting the delivery of the Community Employment Programme across 36 councils. The programme focuses on supporting rangatahi aged 16–24 into employment, training, and sustainable career pathways through locally led, place-based approaches. Tammie’s career is grounded in frontline practice and systems leadership. She has worked across the NGO sector and central government, including within New Zealand prisons, as well as in specialist education in Victoria, Australia. This breadth of experience has shaped her understanding of the structural and social barriers that contribute to labour market disengagement, and the importance of early, relational, and locally responsive interventions. Her work is strongly influenced by her upbringing in Ōtaki, where she was deeply immersed in te ao Māori, and by her role as a mother to twins of Tokelauan heritage. These experiences underpin her commitment to equity, cultural responsiveness, and ensuring that employment systems reflect the realities of the communities they serve. Through her work with MTFJ, Tammie has contributed to strengthening partnerships with the Ministry of Social Development, supporting thousands of young people into employment, training, and work experience since 2020. She works closely with mayors across Aotearoa New Zealand to build a shared understanding and collective response to youth employment challenges, recognising the critical role of local leadership in driving meaningful change. She is particularly focused on early intervention for rangatahi at risk of becoming NEET and on aligning local employment pathways with broader system settings, including emerging social procurement approaches.

Cristina Santos, Ph.D completed her PhD in Education at the University of Cambridge, specialising in how career conversations can address students’ individual career development needs. She brings over 12 years of secondary teaching and leadership experience, with research that links school-based practices and personalised career guidance to better student outcomes. Dr. Santos has contributed to international work with the OECD on long-term impacts of school-based career guidance and now leads research at Educators Cooperative, using statistical modeling and policy analysis to improve career development practices in U.S. schools.