Biographies: AFSAPA Co-Chairs Elizabeth (Liz) Carrick Co-Chair, Aotearoa Foundation Skills and Pathways Association (AFSAPA) Elizabeth (Liz) Carrick brings over 40 years of international educational expertise to her leadership in foundational and vocational learning. Her distinguished career spans schools in New Zealand, England, China, Indonesia, Singapore, and Bangladesh, where she developed complex curricula across both British and New Zealand educational systems. A recognized authority in international pedagogy, Liz served the International Baccalaureate (IB) as an expert in the Middle Years Programme (MYP), contributing as a moderator, school evaluator, and global workshop leader. These experiences provided her with a deep understanding of how diverse educational frameworks can be adapted to ensure no learner is marginalized by rigid systems. Since returning to New Zealand in 2013, Liz has focused on educational equity, designing programs for students who find the traditional qualification framework inaccessible. As a founding member and lead developer of AFSAPA—a NEX-funded subject association—she has been a driving force in creating high-value pathways for at-risk and neurodiverse students. Currently based at Ashburton College, Liz works alongside her fellow Co-Chairs to implement robust Level 1–3 programs, providing strategic support and resources to educators across Aotearoa. Esther Williams Co-Chair, Aotearoa Foundation Skills and Pathways Association (AFSAPA) Esther the proud mum of four boys, is a dedicated educator with over 30 years of experience across primary, secondary, and specialized health education. Originally from the Netherlands, Esther holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Education and specialized diplomas in Primary Teaching, Childbirth Education, and Teaching Students with Specific Learning Disabilities. This diverse academic background fuels her passion for ensuring that all students, regardless of their learning profile, have access to meaningful transitions through the school system. In her current roles as Pou Taahuu of Foundation Skills and Learning Support and as a Learning Support Coordinator, Esther facilitates critical support systems to ensure no student is left behind. Recognizing the limitations of the traditional framework for disengaged or neurodiverse learners, she has been instrumental in the architectural design of alternative school-based programs. As a founding member of AFSAPA, Esther leads from the front at Pukekohe High School. In partnership with Liz and their fellow Co-Chairs, she develops and implements Level 1–3 qualifications and delivers hands-on workshops for educators nationwide. Her work is defined by a commitment to helping every student complete secondary education with a recognized, formal qualification, empowering schools to deliver inclusive, future-focused vocational pathways.

Trudy Harrison is the National Lead for He Whai Taumaru | Leaving to Learn at Te Aho o Te Kura Pounamu, New Zealand’s national distance education provider. She leads the development of culturally responsive, future-focused career and pathway programmes for ākonga across the motu, integrating Indigenous frameworks, wellbeing models, and real-world learning experiences. Trudy works nationally with Kaiwhakatere (Navigators), Kaiārahi Umanga (Career Advisors), and regional teams to embed sustainable, system-wide approaches to career development that strengthen identity, belonging, and pathway confidence. Her work bridges research, Indigenous knowledge, and innovative distance education practice to support learners in navigating complex futures with clarity and purpose.

Tuấn Anh is a career consultant and educator based in Vietnam, working at the intersection of career guidance, education, and emerging technologies. With over a decade of experience across communications, higher education, and workforce development, he focuses on supporting students and early-career professionals in making informed, realistic, and sustainable career decisions. His work is rooted in practice rather than theory. Tuấn Anh has designed and delivered career development programs for universities, trained lecturers and student support staff in career counseling, and provided one-on-one coaching for young professionals navigating career transitions. He is particularly known for translating complex career concepts into structured, actionable frameworks that can be applied in real-life contexts. He developed a practical career development approach built around three core pillars: (1) Talent, Learning, and Character as foundations of long-term growth; (2) Discovery, Design, Develop, and Do as a continuous career navigation cycle; and (3) Allies and Enemies, focusing on self-awareness, resilience, and strategic relationships. This framework has been applied in workshops, webinars, and coaching programs, reaching a wide audience of students and early-career professionals across Vietnam. In recent years, Tuấn Anh has explored the integration of AI tools into career guidance practice. He has trained career practitioners on how to use tools such as ChatGPT and Canva to analyze career paths, improve CVs and LinkedIn profiles, and support more scalable and personalized counseling experiences. His approach emphasizes not only efficiency, but also critical thinking and responsible use of AI in guidance contexts. Beyond institutional work, he actively shares career insights through webinars, online content, and community-based initiatives. His content focuses on practical topics such as remote work readiness, career positioning, and navigating uncertainty in the labor market, particularly for young people in emerging economies. Tuấn Anh’s work is driven by a simple but consistent belief: effective career guidance should not stop at helping individuals “understand themselves,” but must support them in taking concrete action within real-world constraints. His current focus is on building scalable career guidance solutions that combine human insight with technology, making high-quality guidance more accessible to a broader population.

Jason Lee is a Corporate Coach, Career Development Expert, and Ontological Life Coach with over 26 years of international experience across Asia-Pacific. He is the founder of ZECK Academy and has worked with organisations, universities, and government agencies in leadership development, coaching, and personal transformation. His work focuses on supporting individuals and professionals to navigate career transitions, enhance self-awareness, and align performance with purpose. Currently pursuing a Master of Professional Counselling at the University of Malaya, Jason integrates career development, identity, and emotional well-being into his practice. His approach combines ontology, psychology, and reflective methodologies to support individuals in reconnecting with their authentic self and constructing meaningful career pathways. Jason is a presenter at the APCDA Conference 2026, where he will deliver two sessions on career identity and ontological coaching. He is also the creator of Career Compass Cards™, a reflective tool designed to facilitate identity-based career exploration and meaningful dialogue across counselling, education, and organisational settings.

First contributor / presenter / facilitator: Lindqvist, Paula, MA, Guidance and Career Counsellor / Special Education Counsellor, Metropolia University of Applied Sciences, Helsinki, Finland, paula.lindqvist@metropolia.fi Additional roles: Member of the HEI committee and the International committee of the Finnish guidance counsellors’ association (SOPO); President of the national guidance counsellors’ association in Finland (2022–2026)

Dirk Matthews is President of the National Career Development Association (NCDA) and is the Interim Vice President of Development and Alumni Relations at Columbia College Chicago. His leadership approach is grounded in creativity as a strategic lens for building resilient organizations, engaging communities, and expanding access to meaningful career pathways. As a development leader, Dirk has set institutional records for alumni donor participation and consistently led teams to exceed fundraising goals by at least 25%. Over the past 25 years, he has worked with students and adult learners as an educator and practitioner, teaching film and career preparation while helping individuals navigate complex, non-linear career journeys. Dirk holds a master’s degree in organizational psychology from California Southern University and maintains multiple professional credentials, including Certified Master of Career Services (CMCS), Global Career Development Facilitator (GCDF), and Facilitating Career Development Instructor (FCDI). His writing appears in publications such as Career Developments, and he regularly presents on topics that integrate creative practice, career development theory, and organizational change. His recent work explores the long-term organizational impact of the pandemic and examines how creativity functions as a critical capacity for adaptation, meaning-making, and career sustainability. In addition to his institutional leadership, Dirk maintains a private career development practice and is an award-winning architectural photographer.

Cherie Perrow is the Immediate Past President of the Career Development Association of New Zealand (CDANZ) and brings over 35 years of experience in the New Zealand education sector. She currently leads the Pathways Faculty at KingsWay School, where she is deeply committed to supporting rangatahi (young people) through high quality career education, coaching, and counselling. Cherie has been actively involved with CDANZ since 2017, serving for over five years on the National Executive Committee in senior leadership roles including Education Advocacy Lead, Vice President, and President (2023–2025). She continues to serve on the CDANZ National Board until July 2026. Prior to this, she was a member of the Auckland CATE Committee (2015–2020) and was part of the organising team for the 2019 National CATE Conference. Her national contribution includes collaboration with the Tertiary Education Commission and the Ministry of Education on initiatives aimed at strengthening career development for all New Zealanders, across Aotearoa New Zealand. Cherie holds a Master of Career Development (with Distinction), a Bachelor of Arts, and a Diploma of Teaching. She is also a certified Gallup Strengths Coach and an Advanced Practitioner in Hope Action Theory and Practice.

Tracy Te Wake is an educational leader and change-maker at Waihi College, New Zealand, whose practice is rooted in a dual Māori (Ngāti Haua ki Taumarunui, Ngā Wairiki, Te Ātihaunui-a-Pāpārangi) and Pākeha heritage. Coming from a legacy of principals and educators, she is a mother of four and grandmother to 19 mokopuna. Her work is a profoundly intentional response to systemic educational failures, driven by a desire to "build a fence at the top of the cliff" rather than waiting at the bottom. With over two decades of experience in Alternative Education, she leads the Te Ara Hou (‘A New Path’) initiative, a hybrid model that serves as a "passageway" between alternative and mainstream settings and toward what is next. Her work redefines the kupu hou as a process of entering into, discovery, binding together and making peace with one's journey. She recently completed a Master of Professional Practice (Otago Polytechnic), using autoethnography to validate a blueprint for reform that honours whanaungatanga, manaakitanga, and tino rangatiratanga. By weaving the "kākahu huruhuru" of intergenerational practice, she advocates for a system in which success is defined by more than solely Western frameworks, but where Māori frameworks and collective wellbeing are prioritised, ensuring a more equitable future for all generations of learners. Tracy is joined in this presentation by the leadership team from Waihi College. Together, they represent the essential "strands" of the school’s relational ecosystem, including senior leadership and the vocational coordinator.

James Whiting plays an active role in the design, development, implementation and evaluation of innovative employment and career projects to support young people experiencing mental ill-health. With 10 years experience across employment services, mental health and career development, James ensures new projects are informed by the latest theory, practice and policy. James has a particular interest in social justice, ensuring all young people experience a fair and equitable career trajectory. Amanda O’Neill is an Online Career Consultant with Orygen Digital’s MOST platform. She brings extensive experience working in educational settings and is a qualified career development practitioner. Amanda currently works at the intersection of career development and youth mental health, supporting young people to navigate vocational pathways alongside their wellbeing.