Our team

Jamie MacDonald

CEO

Jamie MacDonald

CEO

Jamie was born in Gore and went to Gore Playcentre. Since then he has worked for a variety of businesses helping people get the most out of their online interactions. Jamie originally created Storypark for his mum, who is an early childhood educator in Gore.

Peter Dixon

Chief Impact Officer

Peter Dixon

Chief Impact Officer

Peter was born in Auckland and went to Brooklyn Kindergarten. Since then he has helped develop a number of ventures in both New Zealand and North America, and worked to support other organisations who believe in making a difference in the world.

Dion Mortensen

Chairman

Dion Mortensen

Chairman

Dion is a full-time professional Director. He currently serves the Boards of eight organisations, a mixture of SMEs, start-ups and a not-for-profit.

Andrew Fyfe

User Experience Designer

Andrew Fyfe

User Experience Designer

Andrew was born in Karangahake Gorge and went to Nassau Kindy in the Bahamas. Andrew has been helping design Storypark since it first began, and makes sure it’s easy for teachers and families to use.

Athena Skliros

Canadian Professional Development Trainer

Athena Skliros

Canadian Professional Development Trainer

Athena was born and raised in Toronto, Canada. She has worked in a range of child care and family support programs and now provides training and education to early childhood educators and other professionals. Athena is active in her promotion of best practices in early childhood and was named an Exchange Leader by Child Care Exchange magazine in July 2018

Lynnette Parkin

Head of Account Management

Lynnette Parkin

Head of Account Management

Lynnette was born in Lower Hutt and went to Brown Owl Kindergarten. She is a trained primary school teacher and was a user of Storypark in her daughter’s ECE centre before joining the team. Lynnette’s passion and energy come from her belief that every child should be surrounded by love, warmth and understanding. Lynnette thrives on making connections between children and their families and communities.

Sharon Carlson

Professional Learning and Development Manager

Sharon Carlson

Professional Learning and Development Manager

Sharon grew up in Taranaki, and went on to become an ECE ICT facilitator for CORE Education in New Zealand. Sharon joined Storypark to make sure teachers get the most out of their professional development.

Aaron Thornton

Software Developer

Aaron Thornton

Software Developer

Aaron was born in Lower Hutt and went to Jack and Jill Kindergarten. He graduated from VUW with a Computer Science degree. Inspired to work on projects with good social outcomes he decided to join Storypark.

Esmé Putt

iOS developer

Esmé Putt

iOS developer

Esmé grew up in West Auckland and went to Woodlands Park Kindergarten. She is currently finishing studying Bachelor of Science and Bachelor of Biomedical Science degrees as well as studying Te Reo Māori. She has a huge passion for learning and is most happy when she is around people.

Alex Quinlivan

Head of Mobile Development

Alex Quinlivan

Head of Mobile Development

Alex was born in Wellington and went to Khandallah Kindergarten. Alex has been developing mobile apps since he left school.

Megan Bayliss

People Experience

Megan Bayliss

People Experience

Megan was born in Upper Hutt and spent her early childhood years there, attending Birchville Kindergarten. Megan is happiest when she’s busy and helping others.

Ben Childs

Senior Media and Content Manager

Ben Childs

Senior Media and Content Manager

Ben was born in London, but he went to Busy C’s preschool in Lyttelton. Ben’s strongest skill is telling stories through video.

Timothy MacDonald

Web developer

Timothy MacDonald

Web developer

Timothy grew up in Southland, went to Gore Playcentre and did his 7th form year at Mt Aspiring college to pursue his passion in snowboarding. Since then he’s built a career in website development and now joined his brother in the Storypark team. Timothy does a lot of kite surfing in his spare time and he loves cutting code.

Kim Paice

Accounts

Kim Paice

Accounts

Kim was born in Wellington, but later moved to Rotorua. When she’s not crunching numbers, she’s training her dogs to compete in three different dog sports.

Beth Clements

Australian Professional Development Trainer

Beth Clements

Australian Professional Development Trainer

Beth has worked in early childhood in a variety of roles over the last 17 years, including Educator, Centre Director, Area Manager, Educational development manager, Trainer and Coach. She’s been an expert user of Storypark for three years and brings this unique perspective to her pedagogical training skills.

Amanda Higgins

New Zealand Professional Development Trainer

Amanda Higgins

New Zealand Professional Development Trainer

Amanda has managed and led teaching teams in both long-day and sessional early childhood education services, lectured at University, and has been a facilitator working with teams of teachers exploring how digital technologies support children’s learning. In 2015 she completed her Master’s thesis, which investigated how e-portfolios affected communication between teachers and families in an early childhood education centre.

Matt Tunnicliffe

Relationship Manager

Matt Tunnicliffe

Relationship Manager

Matt was born in Wellington and went to Newtown Kindergarten. He has spent his career working across Australasia building and maintaining meaningful customer relationships. Since the birth of his daughter, Sophie, in March 2018, Matt has found new purpose and is committed to supporting every child’s learning journey through creating meaningful connections with the community around them.

Jamie Lawrie

Data Analyst

Jamie Lawrie

Data Analyst

Jamie grew up in Edinburgh, Scotland and attended Mary Erskine Nursery. He has spent 20 years working in various data analytics roles and is excited to see how data can help Storypark develop even better products and deepen the understanding of its users

Bernadette Keating

Product Marketing Executive

Bernadette Keating

Product Marketing Executive

Bernadette was born in Salisbury, England, moving to New Zealand at the age of one where she attended Moriah Kindergarten. From moving to South Korea, to teaching 5 year olds and adults, she enjoys the challenges associated with new cultures, experiences and relationships and seeks them out to learn from and apply to work.

Sarah Pennell

User Experience Researcher

Sarah Pennell

User Experience Researcher

Sarah was born in Lower Hutt and went to Maungaraki Playcentre where her sensational Mum was a Supervisor. Sarah is passionate about creating truly delightful web experiences; helping people feel valued, heard, comfortable and safe.

Eileen Schwab

Product Manager

Eileen Schwab

Product Manager

Eileen was born in Berlin and grew up around Northland, attending Bream Bay Kindergarten in Ruakaka. She loves creating tools and experiences that help make people’s jobs easier, more effective and enjoyable.

Libby Schumacher-Knight

Full-stack developer

Libby Schumacher-Knight

Full-stack developer

I was born in Wellington and went to Ngaio Kindergarten. I eventually followed my mother and sister into the education sector by becoming a secondary school teacher. In 2015 I changed careers by completing Enspiral Dev Academy and have been working in the tech industry ever since. I love surfing and can often be found down at Lyall Bay waiting for the perfect wave.

Robbie Neilson

Developer

Robbie Neilson

Developer

Robbie was raised on a sheep station out of Whanganui. His mother was a primary school educator who would trial many great learning games on her children. He has been many things including a cartoonist, massage therapist, meditation teacher and spent 2 years as a Teaching Assistant in Wellington assisting pupils with learning needs.

Jesse Williams

Mobile Developer

Jesse Williams

Mobile Developer

I was born in Porirua and attended Mungavin Kindergarten. I recently finished my engineering degree at Victoria University, where I developed a passion for mobile development. I enjoy creating products that have a positive impact on communities.

Marielle Cheyne

Web developer

Marielle Cheyne

Web developer

I grew up on a small sheep farm in the Waikato region. Prior to completing my BSc in Computer Science and Information Systems at Victoria University, I studied some early childhood education, which makes Storypark the perfect place for me to be.

Dave Keyes

Designer

Dave Keyes

Designer

Born in Dublin, designer Dave has fond blurry memories of a cosy early learning centre in Celbridge, Co. Kildare, while his two daughters are kiwis with fresher loving memories of Magic Sparks then Rainbow in Petone and Dyer St Kindergarten in Epuni. Dave strives to make online stuff make good sense, to ultimately solve problems for people, fully and quickly.

Katie Dowle

Chief Revenue Officer

Katie Dowle

Chief Revenue Officer

Katie was born in Wellington and went to Newtown Kindergarten. She started her career as a high school mathematics teacher and her extended family is full of educators. In recent years Katie has been working in the areas of product and data for technology companies, helping them provide better solutions for their customer's needs.

Marie-Eve Bouffard

PLD admin and webinar coordinator

Marie-Eve Bouffard

PLD admin and webinar coordinator

Marie-Eve is originally from Montreal, Canada, and moved to New Zealand six years ago. She has two young children and works as an educator in an early education & care centre in Wellington. She loves coffee, books and spending time in nature with her family.

Shalita Moore

Customer Success Rep

Shalita Moore

Customer Success Rep

Shalita was born in Al Ain, United Arab Emirates and went to Al Ain Juniors. She's originally from Kerala, India but moved to New Zealand when she was 9. She has a design degree from Massey and previously worked at a small software company testing apps and providing tech support. Shalita loves helping people and making a difference in their lives.

Kerry Parker

Customer Success Team Lead

Kerry Parker

Customer Success Team Lead

Kerry was born in Wellington and went to Northland Kindergarten. She was once an NZSL communicator for deaf children but now works with grown-ups to help businesses communicate with customers. She's also lived in the UK and Canada, and loves travelling, coffee, baking, and looking at other people's dogs (and cats).

Shannon Kinzett

Associate Product Manager

Shannon Kinzett

Associate Product Manager

Shannon was born in Wellington and went to Botanical Road Kindergarten in Tauranga where she learnt to follow her nose and chase anything challenging that made her excited or scared. Shannon still finds herself chasing these feelings with being a recent graduate of commerce and science degrees, as well as being an avid fitness junky.

Melissa Firth

Chief Product Officer

Melissa Firth

Chief Product Officer

Melissa Firth was born in Auckland and attended kindergartens in Glenfield, Christchurch, and Manila. Her extended family is full of teachers and engineers and a love of learning has informed her work in digital communications and product development for 20+ years. Her skills are in product, communication and user experience and she is highly motivated by opportunities to make things better for people and the planet using tech.

Paul Gray

Growth Marketing Manager

Paul Gray

Growth Marketing Manager

Paul was born in Rotorua and went to Elstree Kindergarten. His background is in growth and product marketing, and he’s happiest turning ideas into outcomes. With two teachers in his immediate whānau, he’s excited to work at the intersection of education and technology. Outside of work, he’s in his element exploring Aotearoa on foot or mountain bike

Melissa George

Account Manager

Melissa George

Account Manager

Melissa is from Ireland and attended montessori in Clonsilla, Dublin. She has an extensive background in customer service and account management within a social services and technology background. Melissa has been a user of Storypark with both her children and has first hand experience in its power to connect key people in a child's learning journey. She is excited to meet and advocate for our Storypark customers.

Ben Salt

CTO

Ben Salt

CTO

Ben was born in Tauranga and attended Marlin Street Kindergarten in Mount Maunganui. As a child he loved taking things apart to see how they work - more recently he’s learnt how to put some of them back together again. These days he works with technical teams to help them deliver business outcomes.

Natalie Horne

Senior QA Engineer

Natalie Horne

Senior QA Engineer

Natalie was born in Lower Hutt and went to Epuni Kindergarten. She has been interested in computers and technology from a young age. Natalie is focused on ensuring quality in her work in order to create a positive experience for users. Outside of work she balances her screen time with shopping, exercise, spending time with family & friends and playing taxi driver to her young children.

Geena Carson

Customer Success Representative

Geena Carson

Customer Success Representative

I was born in Wellington and went to Barnardos Early Learning Centre in Lower Hutt. After school I did an OE travelling around Europe and settling in London, where I worked a number of jobs including nannying twins from 3 months old! Since moving back from the UK, I have worked within customer service and claims management. I am passionate about people and for me, building relationships and helping others is my main driving factor. I am extremely close to my family and love spending time with them, as well as travelling, drinking coffee and more recently being a mum to Chilli, a miniature red Cavoodle!

Winsey Li

Mobile Developer

Winsey Li

Mobile Developer

Winsey was born in Hong Kong and went to Tsing Yi Trade Association Kindergarten in New Territories. She moved to Auckland NZ in 2017. Winsey has been a developer since graduating with a computer science degree. She enjoys using her technical knowledge to help people make their life better with IT solutions.

Nellie Hodda

Australian Professional Development Trainer

Nellie Hodda

Australian Professional Development Trainer

Nellie grew up in Wollongong and went to Balls Paddock Children’s Centre. She is an Early Childhood Teacher with several years experience working with Storypark in early childhood services in Sydney. Nellie has a focus on relational pedagogy and is an advocate for respectful practice with infants and toddlers in group care settings. She is currently working towards becoming a RIE® Associate and is on the board of the Infant and Toddler Advocacy Network Australia (ITANA).

Charlotte Hinton

Discovery & Delivery Process Coach

Charlotte Hinton

Discovery & Delivery Process Coach

Charlotte was born in Hamilton and attended Hillcrest kindergarten. She’s always had a strong interest in technology and a curiosity in learning new things. This interest turned into a passion which she demonstrates through her work with people leaders and their teams, in helping them to continuously improve how they work together to deliver better products and experiences.

Cam Findlay

Product Manager

Cam Findlay

Product Manager

Cam was born in Brisbane, Australia and came to New Zealand at 18 months old (his kiwi parents just happened to be across the ditch when he arrived). He had a great time at Craighead Kindergarten in Timaru, New Zealand - always one for asking why and digging into problems. Involved in tech from a young age, Cam has a wide range of expertise having worked across the private, public and non-profit sectors in a number of roles including software developer, community manager/advocate, public policy advisor and product manager/wrangler.

Dan Simmonds

Software Engineer

Dan Simmonds

Software Engineer

I'm Dan, I went to kindy at Pooh Corner on the UNSW campus. I still remember trying to dig a tunnel with our plastic spades from the sandpit, underground to the McDonalds we could see over the wall. We were all very upset when the hole was filled in the next day. I've been working as a software developer for over 20 years, but have also been a child actor, a punk accordionist and a home-brewer. I love baking, swimming in the ocean and being overdressed for the occasion. If you invite me to your karaoke party we will be friends forever.

David McMartin

Customer Success

David McMartin

Customer Success

I was born in Invercargill and went to Longbush kindergarten with other rural kids based outside of the city. From all accounts, as a toddler I was a “memorable experience”. With that, I have the deepest respect for early childhood educators and their bottomless patience. Now as a grown up, I consider myself a communicator, a helper and a doer. I love challenges, refining processes and problem-solving. In my spare time I live for travelling, high-country motorcycling, music, film, technology, plants, dad jokes, and taming a nerdy curiosity for everything else.

Geneviève Rousseau Cung

Partnerships and Growth Manager

Geneviève Rousseau Cung

Partnerships and Growth Manager

Geneviève was born and grew up in Quebec City, Canada. She has worked in the international education sector since moving to Wellington in 2004, promoting New Zealand as the best place to live and study. She has two boys, Sun and Lennox. In her spare time, Gen loves travelling, cooking, paddle boarding, surfing and dancing Brazilian samba. Her first language is French, and she also speaks Spanish and Portuguese.

Danny Smith

Chief Financial Officer

Danny Smith

Chief Financial Officer

Danny was born in Te Puke, and went to Daybreak Montessori where he can remember playing with the trucks in the sand pit. He has a passion for technology, finance, and trying to make things simpler. He loves a good book, keeping fit, and great food. After graduating with commerce and arts degrees and becoming a Chartered Accountant, Danny has worked with high-growth companies to help them navigate all manner of potholes when scaling.

Josh McKnight

Account Executive

Josh McKnight

Account Executive

Josh was born in Tillsonburg and went to Karen's Capers Preschool. Since then, he has found a passion for communication and connection. Josh works to empower educators to ensure every child has the opportunity to flourish. Outside of work, Josh enjoys sports, music, and being with friends and family.

Hannah Collado

Canadian Professional Development Trainer

Hannah Collado

Canadian Professional Development Trainer

Hannah grew up in the Greater Toronto Area in Ontario, Canada. She went on to receive her Master’s Degree in Early Childhood Education from the University of Western Ontario. She specializes in infant and toddler development and pedagogy. She was also trained as a therapist for children with Autism Spectrum Disorder. Hannah is a part of the Complex Care community and has a passion for supporting fellow Medical Families on their journeys.

Kate Baker

Head of Marketing

Kate Baker

Head of Marketing

Kate was born in Wellington, New Zealand, and went to Onslow Kindergarten, where she spent a lot of time dressing up and arguing over who got to be Rainbow Bright. She has spent over a decade in marketing and is passionate about helping organisations connect with customers. Outside of work, three young daughters and too many chickens keep her busy.

Samantha Tyler

Account Exectutive

Samantha Tyler

Account Exectutive

Sam grew up in Christchurch where she went to Fairleigh Kindergarten and moved to Wellington in 2023. With a background in sales, and customer service Sam has a passion for building relationships and delivering memorable customer experiences. Sam has been a first hand user of Storypark with her daughter for the last few years and knows how impactful it is to be able to have that connection to your child and early learning centre. Outside of work Sam is dedicated to her health and fitness, is a devoted Mum to her 4 year old daughter, and enjoys spending time with her friends and family.

Sumedha Saini

Head of Engineering

Sumedha Saini

Head of Engineering

Sumedha was born and raised in India. She has been in the tech industry for over 15 years, in a range of leadership roles. Having used Storypark with both of her children, she understands the value it brings to both the families' and the educators' lives, so she is really excited about driving more delightful experiences for our users.

Sabeena Tsan

Customer Success Representative

Sabeena Tsan

Customer Success Representative

Sabeena spent her early childhood years in Taiwan and attended the kindergarten branch of Dunhua Elementary School in Taipei. She moved to New Zealand when she was 7 and now calls Tairua home. She considers herself to be a bit of a generalist / jack of all trades, having worked across multiple industries and roles, before finally setting her sights on applying her passion for people and building relationships in the tech industry. Outside of work, Sabeena enjoys reading, travelling, and taking part in her local community theatre.

Erika Vaughan

Customer Support Representative

Erika Vaughan

Customer Support Representative

Erika was born in Sydney, Australia and attended a family-run child care service close to her home. While growing up during the Lion King era, she went to preschool and believed she was a powerful tiger - walking on all fours, this has developed over time to a normal two feet walking position but she still has a powerful perspective on life and lives each day hoping she can help people and make them smile. In her spare time, other than doing five loads of laundry and picking up 100 Lego pieces up off the floor for the 10th time for the day, she likes to get out in the sun with her 3 children, walking, going to sports and finding new spots to eat out at. She loves to talk and get to know people over a good coffee or spaghetti bowl.

Join the Storypark team

Think you can help us achieve our purpose? Want to work in an inclusive, high performing environment? Got a great childhood picture you want to share with the world?

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Join the Storypark team

Think you can help us achieve our purpose? Want to work in an inclusive, high performing environment? Got a great childhood picture you want to share with the world?

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