PODCAST · education
The Guest Speaker
by Grace & Blair
Real voices. Real journeys. Ready to find yours. At The Guest Speaker, we share real stories from New Zealanders who’ve backed themselves, made bold choices, and carved out careers on their own terms. From creative paths to unexpected turns, each guest has found their lane—and is honest about how they got there. For teens exploring what’s next, and for whānua wanting to support them, these conversations are here to inspire, guide, and remind you: there’s no single way to build a life that fits. Start listening. Find your spark. Shape your own story. - Blair & Grace
Episodes
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From Cabin Crew to 50 Marathons: Rosie Hay on Building a Life You Love
At eleven years old, Rosie Hay boarded a plane for the first time on a family trip to Rarotonga and fell in love with flying. Years later, after struggling with confidence at school and questioning her academic ability, Rosie discovered what could happen when she found something she genuinely…
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From University at 16 to Yale: Dr. Jennifer Park’s Extraordinary Academic Journey
Dr. Jennifer Park is a researcher specialising in gaming disorder and online behavioural addictions, whose extraordinary academic journey began long before her work took her to Yale. After skipping two years of high school, Jennifer began a Bachelor of Health Sciences at the University of…
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Becoming a New Zealand Police Officer with Roelien Du Plessis
Roelien Du Plessis first considered becoming a police officer at just 16 years old. But instead of heading straight into policing, her journey took her through university, elite sport, community rugby and youth mentoring - experiences that ultimately brought her back to the career she had once...
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Building Something From Nothing: Steph Wood on Entrepreneurship & Sol Goods
Steph Wood never imagined she would become an entrepreneur. Growing up in Western Australia, Steph struggled to find her place at school and left at 15 after securing a pharmacy traineeship. What followed was anything but a traditional career path: pharmacy, makeup artistry, building and...
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How to Become a Clinical Psychologist | Caitlin Easter
Caitlin Easter is a clinical psychologist whose career has taken her across child development, mental health, care and protection, corrections and sport psychology. Growing up in Cambridge, New Zealand, Caitlin was far more focused on sport than becoming a psychologist. A talented netballer and...
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Physiotherapist | Jessica Totman: Beyond Sports Injuries - Concussion, Chronic Pain & the Reality of Physio
In this episode of The Guest Speaker, Jessica takes us inside the pathway to becoming a physiotherapist: from choosing high-school subjects and applying for university, to practical exams, clinical placements and navigating those first years in the workforce. She also breaks down the different...
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The Future of Recovery: Inside the World of Elite Performance Technology with Josh Kersten
Josh Kersten shares the remarkable journey from working hands-on in New Zealand to founding Prime Platinum - an international company providing cutting-edge recovery and longevity technologies to professional athletes, wellness facilities and high-performance clients worldwide. This conversation...
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Dr. Riley Elliott: Inside the Mind of a Shark Scientist
Sharks made Dr. Riley Elliott famous - but this conversation is about much more than sharks. Riley is one of the world's leading shark scientists, a documentary presenter for Shark Week, BBC and National Geographic, and a passionate advocate for marine conservation. In this episode he shares how...
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Chloe Jones on The Future of Farming: Careers, Leadership & Opportunity
Agriculture is one of New Zealand's largest industries, yet many young people have little idea of the incredible career opportunities it offers. In this episode of The Guest Speaker, we sit down with Chloe Jones - Operations Manager at Fonterra Farms, former National Chair of New Zealand Young...
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Amy Coulton on Adventure, Tourism & Burnout
In this episode of The Guest Speaker, we sit down with Amy Coulton, whose journey has taken her from a high school career expo in New Zealand to working across luxury superyachts, tourism, hospitality and adventure travel around the world. Amy shares how studying at Queenstown Resort College…
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Brittany Day | Finding Her Passion in Personal Training
After pursuing tourism, having Covid completely change her plans, and later studying psychology at university, Brittany Day still hadn't found the career that truly excited her. It wasn't until someone casually suggested she'd make a great personal trainer that everything clicked. Today, Brittany...
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Nick Roberts | Award-Winning Architect on Designing a Global Career
In this episode of The Guest Speaker, internationally recognised architect Nick Roberts shares the journey from a New Zealand classroom to leading award-winning projects across New Zealand, Australia, the United States and the Netherlands. Nick is the founding director of Roberts Gray Architects,...
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Maia Joseph: Playing for the Black Ferns While Studying Medicine
Maia Joseph may be best known as one of the brightest young stars in New Zealand rugby, but thats just one of her two sides. A Black Fern, medical student, and role model for young athletes across Aotearoa, Maia is proving that you don't have to choose between your passions. Growing up in…
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Brendan Murphy: The Reality of Architecture School, Resilience & Rebuilding Your Path
In this episode, we sit down with Brendan Murphy, a University of Auckland architecture master’s student, to unpack what architecture school is really like - the creativity, the pressure, the studio culture, the workload, and the long road toward becoming a registered architect. Brendan shares…
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The NCAA Opportunity Alice Taylor Never Expected | Rice University, USA Texas
Alice Taylor grew up in Cambridge, New Zealand, loving sport and throwing herself into every opportunity she could. But unlike many athletes who pursue American scholarships, she never believed the pathway was meant for her. After finishing school, Alice enrolled at Massey University with her...
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Amy Calway: Entrepreneur & Wellness Founder - Building a Career Through Pivots
In this episode of The Guest Speaker, we sit down with entrepreneur and wellness founder Amy Calway - founder of Tiki Beach in Mangawhai - to talk about resilience, entrepreneurship, and why some of the best careers are built through pivots, curiosity and courage. Amy shares her journey from...
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Matt Watson: The Work Ethic Behind the Adventure | Building a Global Career Through Fishing
Matt Watson grew up in a commercial fishing family and always felt the pull of the ocean. But before becoming one of New Zealand’s most recognisable fishing personalities, he built his work ethic the old-fashioned way - through school, sport, roofing, saving money, and learning how to turn up…
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Inside a Legal Career: Law School, Courtrooms & Work-Life Balance | Jacinda Johnston
Today on The Guest Speaker, we’re joined by Jacinda Johnston - a Special Counsel at one of New Zealand’s leading law firms, Tompkins Wake - to unpack the realities of studying and working in law. From being the “bright student” encouraged into law, to studying at University of Waikato and later...
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Becoming an Environmental Scientist: Hannah Rogers on Ecology, Research & Following Curiosity
In this episode of The Guest Speaker, we sit down with Hannah Rogers, an emerging environmental scientist and PhD candidate at the University of Waikato whose research explores epiphytes, ecology, and the future of environmental restoration. Hannah’s connection to the natural world began early,...
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Dive Zone Whitianga: How Darrell Bird Turned Passion Into a Career Pathway
In this episode, we sit down with Darrell Bird, owner of Dive Zone Whitianga, to explore how diving can become far more than a hobby — it can become a pathway into confidence, travel, education, leadership, tourism, marine science, commercial work, and global career opportunities. Darrell’s own...
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Helping People Move Again: Gemma Thornton on Rehab, Pilates & Purpose
In this episode of The Guest Speaker, we sit down with Gemma Thornton, a community rehabilitation coach at Body in Motion in the Bay of Plenty. Gemma’s pathway began with a love of dance, movement, and people. After high school, she studied Sport and Human Performance at Wintec, initially…
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Promotions, PR & People: Inside a Mediaworks Career in Radio with Haylee Palmer
Haylee Palmer didn’t follow a perfectly mapped-out path - and that’s exactly what makes her story so relevant. Growing up in Tauranga, Haylee leaned into a philosophy of simply enjoying school, trying everything, and staying open to where life might lead. From sport to arts to leadership...
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Inside Te Papa: Building a Career in Museums, Copyright & Cultural Stewardship with Catriona McPherson
Catriona McPherson grew up in Cambridge, surrounded by stories, art, and a curiosity about the world - but like many students drawn to the humanities, she wasn’t sure exactly where that path could lead. In this episode, Catriona shares how she turned a love of art history into a meaningful career...
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Public Service Careers Explained with Kate Goodman
Kate Goodman was a high-achieving student who loved school, thrived in structured environments, and always expected she would go to university - but like many students, she had little idea what career she actually wanted. In this episode, Kate shares how she navigated that uncertainty, choosing…
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Turning Surf, Food & Community into a Business | Luke’s Kitchen aka Luke Reilly
Luke’s story begins on the Coromandel Peninsula, where a childhood shaped by the ocean, small community living, and hands-on learning laid the foundation for everything that followed. In this episode, Luke shares how his pathway into hospitality wasn’t driven by academic success, but by practical...
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Inside a Career in Dietetics & Nutrition | Steph Woodall
Steph Woodall grew up in Cambridge with her sights set on becoming an architect - until one unexpected rejection and a gap year changed everything. In this episode, Steph shares how that pivot led her into the world of health and nutrition - from discovering fitness during a year at home, to...
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Building a Career in Professional Sailing | Rebecca Gmuer
Rebecca grew up around the ocean in the Bay of Islands, where a love for sailing started early and steadily evolved into a career on the global stage. In this episode, Rebecca shares how she turned that passion into a profession — beginning with a rigging apprenticeship in Auckland and building…
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Caleb Carter | From Coromandel to Michelin-Recognised Chef in China
Caleb Carter’s journey begins in the small coastal communities of the Coromandel, where fishing, diving, and a hands-on upbringing shaped the foundations of a career that would eventually take him to the global stage of fine dining. In this episode, Caleb traces his path from a self-described...
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Jaime Leigh | BAFTA & Emmy-Nominated Hairstylist
Jaime Leigh grew up in Katikati, went to a small-town college, and always knew she wanted to be a hairdresser — even before she understood where that path could lead. What she didn’t know was that it would take her from a polytech classroom to Peter Jackson film sets, and eventually to Hollywood,...
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Nathan Wallis on the Brain, Behaviour, and Why Relationship Comes First (Neuroscience Educator)
Nathan Wallis has become one of Aotearoa’s most trusted voices on how kids’ brains work — not because he talks at people, but because he translates complex neuroscience into language that feels human, doable, and kind. In this episode, Nathan takes us behind the “neuroscience educator” title and...
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Inside the Secret World of Superyachts with Ellen Butler (Super Yachts)
Ellen Butler’s story begins on the Coromandel Peninsula, where a childhood filled with surf lifesaving, sport, and community shaped the social, confident foundation she would later take into the world of superyachts. In this episode, Ellen traces her winding path from “top end of average” student...
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Building a Meaningful Career in Social Work with Clare Ennis (Social Worker)
From top-of-the-class student to front-line social worker, Clare Ennis has quietly built a career around something you’ll never see on a pay slip: dignity, advocacy, and deeply human care. In this episode, Clare traces her path from high-achieving “you-could-be-a-doctor” teen to working with…
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World Class Whitewater: Turning a Love of Rivers into a Career with Mitchell Lamb (Outdoor Education: Kayaker)
Mitchell Lamb went from Cambridge classrooms and water polo training to rafting some of the world’s wildest rivers, and now helps teenagers turn whitewater into a way of life. In this episode, Mitchell traces his journey from “relatively academic kid” to Program Director at World Class Academy, a...
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Inside the World of Beauty Therapy with Victoria Toye (Beauty Therapist & Business Owner)
From a small-town childhood to founding The Darling Room, Victoria Toye opens up about her work behind building a people-first beauty practice: education, empathy, and emotional intelligence. She traces the early spark that led her into beauty therapy, the science that underpins her treatments…
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Dai Henwood on Life, Laughter, and Growth (Comedian)
From “class clown” to Officer of the NZ Order of Merit, Dai Henwood opens up about the real work behind making people laugh: curiosity, grit, and character. He traces the spark from Wellington College to Victoria University, the moment he realized he was a comedian, and the work ethic he learned...
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A Career in Surfboard Craftsmanship with Lou Aitken (Surfboard Shaper)
In this episode, we dive into the world of surfboard shaping with Lou Aitken — where creativity, craftsmanship, and a love for the ocean collide. Lou shares her journey of discovering a passion for board building, sparked by family influence and hands-on experiences in the surfboard factory. From...
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The Art of Medical Imaging: Inside the World of Radiographers with Monique Brownlee
In this episode, we sit down with Monique Brownlee, a radiographer whose career offers a behind-the-scenes look at how medical imaging brings healthcare to life. Monique breaks down the difference between radiographers—the professionals who capture images—and radiologists, the doctors who…
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A Career in Care: Nursing Pathways and Possibilities with Mya Dunsmore (Nurse)
In this episode, we sit down with Mya Dunsmore, a dedicated nurse whose journey offers an inside look into one of the most essential — and often underappreciated — professions in the world. From her first steps into nursing school to the challenges of long shifts and the deep rewards of patient...
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Building a Career in Speech & Language Therapy with Audiologist Rebecca Davies-Colley (Speech & Language Therapist | Audiologist)
In this episode, we sit down with Rebecca Davies-Colley, a Speech-Language Therapist and Audiologist who bridges the worlds of communication and hearing health. From helping children find their voice to supporting adults through hearing loss, Rebecca shares how her work transforms lives through...
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Micah Wilkinson — Olympic Sailing, Mental Resilience & Decision-Making Under Pressure (Olympic Medalist Sailor)
In this episode, we sit down with Micah Wilkinson, an Olympic Bronze Medalist sailor representing New Zealand who has turned the art of racing under pressure into lessons on mindset, teamwork, and growth. Competing on the world stage, Micah shares what it takes to make high-stakes decisions in...
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Beyond the Grapes: The Real Work of Viticulture at Craggy Range with Nick Putt (Viticulture)
In this episode, we sit down with Nick Putt, a vineyard manager at Craggy Range Vineyard—one of New Zealand’s most iconic family-owned wineries. Located in Hawke’s Bay beneath the striking Te Mata Peak, Craggy Range is renowned for its terroir-driven wines, world-class sustainability practices…
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From Christchurch to Canada: Ben Hawken on Engineering, Community, and Growth (Structural Engineering)
From his school days in New Zealand to studying at the University of Canterbury and now building a life and career in Canada, Ben Hawken shares his path to becoming a structural engineer. In this conversation, he opens up about his time at UC — from lectures to labs to building a supportive...
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Beyond Basic Training: Taylor’s Career in the Defence Force (Army and Air Force)
From school’s easy routine to the rigorous world of the Defence Force, Taylor Ede has been on a journey of challenge, growth, and unexpected opportunities. In this episode, Taylor shares how she went from weighing her next steps after graduation to enlisting in the Army, navigating extended basic...
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Studying Abroad & Building a Creative Career with Holly Gascoigne (Creative Director)
From high school’s high-pressure halls to the vibrant world of creative education, Holly Gascoigne has been on a journey of passion, perseverance, and pushing her own boundaries. In this episode, Holly opens up about navigating academic expectations, making the leap to university, and embracing…
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From DJ Decks to the Big Screen with Matt Hicks (Film Maker)
From spinning tracks to spinning stories, Matt Hicks has always lived at the intersection of creativity and connection. In this episode, he takes us through his winding path in the entertainment industry - from a schoolboy with a passion for performance, to a DJ and event manager, to the…
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Drumming | From the Classroom to Coachella with Felix Holton (Drummer)
In this episode, drummer Felix Holton takes us behind the kit and into the heart of his music career — from realizing his passion for the drums at age 9 to touring the world with acclaimed New Zealand artist BENEE, playing stages like the O2 Arena in London and Coachella in California. Felix…
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Public Service as a Calling with Megan Gray (Public Service)
In this episode, we sit down with Megan Gray to unpack her journey from the whirlwind of high school to carving out a meaningful career in public service. Megan opens up about the pressures of academic achievement, navigating personal identity, and the mental health challenges that shaped her…
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Magician: from Mathematics to Mind Reading - with Mark Cairns 🎩 (Magician)
This episode is a masterclass in wonder. We sit down with Mark Cairns, one of the UK’s top magicians and psychological mind readers, to unravel the fascinating journey that took him from a mathematics degree to captivating audiences with feats of mind-bending magic. Mark opens up about the twists...
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Redesigning the Rules: Fashion, Function & Founding with Gemma Lee (Wetsuit Designer)
In this episode, we sit down with Gemma Lee - founder, designer, and former competitive swimmer - to dive into her journey from the pool to the world of women’s wetsuits. 🌊 Gemma opens up about her high school years, the leap into fashion design, and how she turned a personal passion into a…
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The Making of an All Black, One Step at a Time - with Cam Roigard (All Black, Rugby Player)
In this episode, we sit down with Cam Roigard who shares his journey from a young aspiring rugby player to becoming an All Black. He opens up about the resilience it took to get there, the challenges of balancing academics with elite sport, and the setbacks that shaped him along the way. Cam…
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
Real voices. Real journeys. Ready to find yours.
At The Guest Speaker, we share real stories from New Zealanders who’ve backed themselves, made bold choices, and carved out careers on their own terms. From creative paths to unexpected turns, each guest has found their lane—and is honest about how they got there.
For teens exploring what’s next, and for whānua wanting to support them, these conversations are here to inspire, guide, and remind you: there’s no single way to build a life that fits.
Start listening. Find your spark. Shape your own story.
- Blair & Grace
HOSTED BY
Grace & Blair
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does The Guest Speaker have?
The Guest Speaker currently has 70 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is The Guest Speaker about?
Real voices. Real journeys. Ready to find yours. At The Guest Speaker, we share real stories from New Zealanders who’ve backed themselves, made bold choices, and carved out careers on their own terms. From creative paths to unexpected turns, each guest has found their lane—and is honest about how...
How often does The Guest Speaker release new episodes?
The Guest Speaker has 70 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to The Guest Speaker?
You can listen to The Guest Speaker on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts The Guest Speaker?
The Guest Speaker is created and hosted by Grace & Blair.
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