Tech Hui is a chance for High School students to hear from a selection of high fliers in New Zealands innovative IT scene.

People Speaking at Tech Hui

Don Christie:

Donald left a position as Development Manager to become a founder of Catalyst IT. He has a depth of experience in designing and delivering enterprise class solutions to a range of customers and is in the process of broadening his scope to include environmental management.Donald has regularly advised on the architecture and designs of complex relational database systems and brings a sound understanding of the issues and technologies that affect the successful deployment of robust, innovative solutions.

Toni Twiss:

Toni Twiss is a former English and Media Studies teacher. She is an Apple distinguished educator and recipient of a Wolfe Fisher funded place on the Excelerator Future Leaders Programme. In 2008 she recieved an MOE eFellowship which she was supported by Vodafone receiving a class set of 3g mobiles and no usercharges to allow her to research the impact of mobile phones in the classroom.



Andy Linton:

Andy Linton has been going with the internet since its very inception, Initially a researcher and programmer in the University sector with Newcastle and Victoria. He has worked with telco's including Telecom and Wellington's own Citylink. He serves internationally on the public interest registry which manages the .org domain/

Brenda Frisk:

Brenda Frisk helps more than 130 staff members learn how to use technology and integrate it into the curriculum. She is a leader in professional and curriculum development, weaving her passion for technology into everything from her work with teachers in Africa to developing multimedia programs.

Brenda has extensive experience in both the commercial and education communities and has worked with digital technology from secondary to tertiary to adult education. She is a passionate and committed educational leader who has presented and facilitated workshops over the years throughout North America, Africa, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand. Before moving to New Zealand from Canada in 2005, Brenda owned her own digital design company and developed a successful digital multimedia programme for high schools. She holds a Masters degree in Communication and Technology, Bachelor degrees in both Education and Human Ecology, vocational certification in adult education and numerous digital media certifications. In 2005, she received the SMARTer Kids Foundation Innovative use of Technology Award for Alberta, Canada, for her work in multimedia and education. .

Jason Leong:

Jason Leong is a founder of Pocketsmith - an innovative new accounting system based in New Zealand with a growing userbase worldwide.

He is also the founder of "The Distiller" a Dunedin based startup incubator that seeks to prove that startups can achieve great things through collaboration, sharing, adherence to structure, and support.

Shane Mercer:

Shane Mercer is a founder of Core Technologies in Wellington. He shows an insatiable thirst for new ideas and innovation coupled with an entrepreneurial spirit and a passion for excellence 

Shane's extensive consulting background is fused strongly in operating systems, infrastructure design and implementation. He has performed an integral role in providing enterprise infrastructures for some of New Zealand's largest organisations.

Shane also leads Research and Development projects for Core, and leads the Aviarc Programme.