Kelly Raos
Founder and Director
Kelly is the founder of Thrive and a qualified Speech and Drama teacher with over 20 years of experience. She created the Thrive Programme to give more children the opportunity to build confidence and develop strong communication skills that will help them throughout their lives. Kelly has always loved seeing the difference speech and drama can make to children, particularly those who start out shy or unsure of themselves. She's passionate about helping children find their voice, feel confident sharing their ideas and learn to speak up for themselves. Kelly believes these are skills every child deserves to develop, and that learning them should be fun!
Brooke Williams
Programme Manager - Central Auckland
Brooke has taught speech and drama in New Zealand for 12 years and has also worked as an acting coach with children preparing for auditions and screen productions. She has a real eye for bringing out each child's individual strengths and helping them develop their speaking and performance skills. Brooke enjoys the creative side of teaching, from developing characters to working on expression and storytelling. Her experience and understanding of speech and drama are a huge asset to Thrive, both in the classroom and in supporting our teaching team.
Nathan Brown
Teacher
Nathan brings over 10 years of teaching experience to Thrive, along with a great sense of humour and plenty of energy! Nathan is also a drama teacher at Howick Children's and Youth Theatre. He has a great sense of humour and plenty of energy, and is the sort of teacher who can get a whole group laughing and involved, even those who might be a little reluctant at first. Nathan enjoys getting to know the children he teaches and finding ways to make lessons interesting and enjoyable. He's a big believer in learning through doing, and his classes are always full of activity, laughter and plenty of opportunities to have a go.
Clare McCormick
Area Coordinator and Teacher
Clare is a mum of three and knows all about the energy, imagination and enthusiasm that children bring! She has a strong creative background and a natural ability to make people feel at ease. Clare understands that not every child is ready to jump straight into the spotlight, and she's particularly good at making sure everyone feels comfortable taking part at their own pace. She enjoys the imaginative side of speech and drama and loves giving children the chance to be creative, have fun and try things they wouldn't normally do in the classroom.
Isabella Samarasinha
Teacher
Isabella is currently studying Law and Global Studies and also teaches piano, so communication and the performing arts are a big part of her life. She has a genuine interest in how children learn to express themselves and enjoys sharing her love of drama, music and performance. Isabella brings a thoughtful and creative approach to her teaching, with a particular interest in helping children develop their speaking skills and use expression effectively. She enjoys seeing the different personalities in her groups and finding activities that bring out their ideas and imagination.
Sharon Billington
Teacher
Sharon is a qualified primary school teacher with over 10 years of teaching experience and a background in speech and drama. She has a real passion for drama and brings a huge amount of knowledge, creativity and enthusiasm to Thrive. Sharon's classes are full of energy, laughter and fun, and she has a fantastic way of getting children involved and excited about learning. She loves using drama games, improvisation and creative activities to develop children's confidence and communication skills. Sharon brings a wonderful mix of teaching experience and personality to Thrive, and her classes are always a hit with the kids!
Liv Costello
Teacher
Liv has a Bachelor of Communications and over 10 years of experience in theatre, screen and public speaking. She brings a great mix of performance experience and communication skills to Thrive and loves sharing these with the children she teaches. Liv particularly enjoys working on storytelling, characterisation and public speaking, helping children understand how to use their voice and body language effectively. Her lessons are well organised, engaging and full of opportunities for children to develop their skills and enjoy performing.
Vanessa Moodley
Area Coordinator and Teacher
Vanessa comes from a background in IT and Human Resources, where she has spent years working with people, training teams and helping others develop new skills. She's also a busy mum of two boys and brings plenty of patience, organisation and a practical approach to her teaching. Vanessa is great at getting to know the children in her classes and understanding what works best for each of them. She enjoys helping children develop their speaking skills and making sure everyone gets the chance to participate and be heard.
Ethan Carruthers
Teacher
With a background in acting, teaching and personal training, Ethan brings an interesting mix of skills to Thrive. He's always been interested in what motivates people and how to help them achieve their goals. His work as a personal trainer has given him a strong appreciation for perseverance, setting goals and building confidence through practice. Ethan brings this same approach to teaching, encouraging children to challenge themselves, keep trying and recognise the progress they're making. He enjoys keeping lessons active, practical and fun.
Mel Pantelides
Teacher
Mel grew up attending speech and drama classes and completed her Speech and Drama grades, so she knows first-hand just how valuable these skills can be. She also has over 25 years of professional experience working with people and building strong relationships. Mel first got to know Thrive as a parent, with her own son attending classes, and loved what the programme offered children. She brings a lovely mix of life experience, enthusiasm and understanding to her teaching and enjoys helping children become more comfortable speaking in front of others and having the confidence to give things a go.
Anika Singh
Teacher
Anika is a university student who brings plenty of energy, creativity and enthusiasm to her Thrive classes. She enjoys working with children and loves the fun, imaginative side of speech and drama. Anika has a friendly, encouraging approach and enjoys getting children involved in games, improvisation and activities that get everyone thinking and talking. She's particularly interested in helping children become more comfortable speaking in front of others, sharing their ideas and building confidence in themselves. Anika brings a fresh perspective and lots of enthusiasm to the Thrive team.
Carmel-Maria Savaiinaea
Teacher
Carmel-Maria is a performing artist and primary and secondary school teacher. She has a strong background in theatre and education and is passionate about helping young people build confidence and find their voice. Carmel-Maria believes it's important for children to learn how to express their ideas, speak up for themselves and advocate for what they need. She loves using drama and storytelling to encourage children to think creatively, share their opinions and become more confident communicators. She brings plenty of experience, creativity and enthusiasm to her teaching at Thrive.
Richie Sikuea
Teacher
Richie is an actor and experienced dancer with a background in coaching, youth work and the performing arts. He began his career in the New Zealand hip hop dance scene, representing New Zealand internationally and coaching young performers. Richie has also worked as a youth worker and brings a wide range of life experience to his teaching. He understands the importance of positive role models and helping young people believe in themselves. Richie is passionate about using drama and performance to encourage children to express themselves, build confidence and discover what they're capable of.
Karishma Grebneff
Teacher
Karishma is a professional actor and drama teacher who graduated from Toi Whakaari, New Zealand's national drama school, in 2020. Alongside her acting career, she teaches drama and coaches young performers, sharing her experience and love of the performing arts. Karishma is also a trained Bollywood dancer and voice artist, bringing a great mix of creativity, movement and performance skills to her teaching. She enjoys working with children, helping them explore different characters, use their imaginations and become more confident expressing themselves through drama.
Maya Watson
Teacher
Maya has over three years of experience teaching speech and drama and is currently studying Law and Global Studies at the University of Auckland, majoring in Global Politics and Human Rights. Alongside her studies, she has taught at Howick Little Theatre, Baradene College and Dynamic Speaking NZ, working with children and young people of different ages. Maya has a real interest in public speaking and the importance of being able to communicate your ideas clearly. She enjoys helping children develop these skills, bringing plenty of knowledge and experience to her classes.
Jehangir Homavazir
Teacher
Jehangir is a graduate of Toi Whakaari, New Zealand's national drama school, and a professional actor. He brings his love of acting and performance into the classroom, with plenty of creativity, humour and energy. Jehangir particularly enjoys improvisation, character work and storytelling, encouraging children to use their imaginations and have fun exploring different roles and situations. His professional acting background brings a great practical element to his teaching, and he loves sharing his knowledge and experience with the next generation of young performers.
