Henderson Team | Risingstars

Dedicated

Qualifed

MEET OUR HENDERSON TEAM

We have a committed team of experience teachers who have served us for a long period of time. Our teachers value each child as an individual and provide many opportunities for them to learn. We are also committed to uphold a high percentage of qualified teachers. As a multi-cultural team, we bring with us a diversity, which has helped us design a rich teaching and learning programme, which is culturally rich and intellectually stimulating. A team that has put in years of experience into creating a home away from home, a place which fosters curiosity, a place of exploration, research and discovery. Developing meaningful relationships with children and families is something that is highly valued and what we strive to achieve.

Leah Boonzaaier

Centre Manager

Kia Ora

My name is Leah Boonzaaier and I am the Centre Manger of Rising Stars Henderson. I was born and raised in New Zealand, on the North Shore, but moved to the west after buying a house in Massey.

I hold a Bachelor Degree in ECE and I am fully registered. I have spent the last 13 years teaching and now am expanding my Leadership capabilities.

I am married and have two young children, Feenix and Daisy who are both enjoying their journey in Primary school. They keep me grounded and remind me why I love to do this job every day. I look forward to meeting you and your whānau.

My working years in Rising Stars Henderson: 15 years.

Ngamey

Room Leader

Kia orana Parents and Whanau, Ko Ngamey Toku Ingoa. Hello my name is Ngamey.

I am the Room Leader for our Teina and Pepe rooms. Holding a dual leadership role where I have the privilege of supporting tamariki through their early years of learning and development. I hold a Bachelors degree in ECE and I am fully qualified and registered.

I have been within the ECE sector since the age of 17. I have experience in working with all age groups. I am also currently completing a Postgraduate Diploma in Specialist teaching (Early Intervention).

I am Cook Island-Māori, Tahitian and EZ European and was born and raised in Auckland. I have a primary aged son who has transitioned throughout all three rooms at Rising Stars before moving onto Primary school.

I am very passionate when it comes to fostering children learning and development. I love to tautoko/support tamariki with opportunities to engage in meaningful learning experiences where they are enabled to problem solve, communicate, express themselves and foster positive whanaungatanga/relationships.

It is a privilege to work with and alongside the Kaiako, tamariki and parents/whanau here at Rising Stars.

Arti Indorewala

ECE Qualified Teacher

Kia Ora and Namaste parents/whānau, my name is Arti.

I am an ECE teacher in the Pepe room. I am from India. I hold a Master of Business Administration degree from India. My natural love for tamariki and passion for supporting their growth and learning prompted me to study for a graduate diploma in teaching (Early Childhood Education, Level 7) in New Zealand.

I am proficient in English, Hindi, Marathi, and Gujarati and have an A2-level understanding of French, which I believe will enhance my ability to engage with diverse communities. I enjoy reading children’s books, singing waiata (songs), dancing, and spending time outdoors with tamariki—exploring nature and promoting physical activity.

I believe each tamariki is a confident and competent learner from birth, and they should be positioned as a treasure to be nurtured to grow and to flourish. I prioritize care, respect, empathy, and kindness, which are essential to creating a nurturing learning environment.

I am here at Rising Stars ECE Centre to create a welcoming environment where tamariki can thrive, explore, and develop a lifelong love for learning.

Ngā mihi nui, Arti

Winnie Liu

ECE Qualified Teacher

Kia Ora

My name is Winnie Liu and I am one of the Kaiako in the Pepe room. I was born in China and I moved to Auckland when I was 16years old. I finished my high school and University studies in New Zealand. I hold a Bachelor of English and New media studies as well as a Graduate Diploma in ECE.

I believe children can do wonderful things by themselves with proper guidance and support and I am looking forward to supporting your tamariki through their learning journey towards primary school. I am excited by the prospect of my current position to expand my growth as a teacher with our Pepe tamariki.

I am kind and respectful towards others and excited to maintain professional partnerships with whanau and other Kaiako. I look forward to meeting you and your family.

Ella Pahati

Teacher

Kia Ora / Kumusta Parents / Whanau

My name is Ella and I am a teaching assistant. I predominantly am based with our Pepe tamariki, but there may be times when you will see me with our Teina or Tuakana tamariki.

I was born and raised in the Philippines. I have two older brothers. My journey in New Zealand starts when we decided to move in 2019 together with my 2 beautiful children, a son and a daughter.

I truly believe every child is unique and by allowing them to explore may experiences they can realize by themselves that they are truly passionate about. Working across all the rooms at Rising Stars has helped me a lot in applying my skills across all age groups. Through experiencing all the age groups, the different behaviors and personalities have helped me grow and become a more confident teacher.

I love my job and love being around your children daily. I love seeing them grow and develop as it gives be a sense of joy and fulfilment. I thank the almighty for being apart of this team at Rising Stars.

Deepika Ahuja

ECE Qualified Teacher

Kia ora Ko Deepika Toku Ingoa. Hello, name is Deepika.

I am a qualified and registered teacher, holding a graduate diploma in Early childhood education.

I was born and raised in India and moved to Aotearoa New Zealand in 2016. I am also a proud mum to two wonderful boys.

As a toddler teacher, my role is to support our tamariki by providing a rich, meaningful learning experiences and helping them develop key like skills such as communication and emotional regulation. I am passionate about creating a safe, nurturing and responsive environment where Tamariki feel empowered, confident and supported to grow.

I look forward to being apart of each child’s learning journey and building strong, trusting relationships with both tamariki and whanau.

Cara Yang

ECE Qualified Teacher

Kia ora and Ni Hao Whanau!

My name is Cara Yang and I am one of the teachers here in the Teina room. I come from China and graduated in 2013 with a degree in Early childhood education. Shortly after, I began my teaching journey, spending 10 wonderful years supporting young children’s growth and learning across early childhood settings in China.

In 2023, I moved to Aotearoa New Zealand to begin an exciting new chapter in both my life and career. Since arriving, I have completed a Masters Degree and an ECE Diploma, which have deepened my understanding of early childhood education, here, especially the importance of bicultural practice and creating inclusive learning environments.

I feel very grateful to live in a country that values children well-being and education. I am excited to continue growing as a teacher within this supportive team at Rising Stars. I am passionate about building warm, respectful relationships with Tamariki and Whanau and I believe that strong, collaborative partnerships are key to nurturing children welling and learning potential.

Ella Kim

Teacher

Hello, I’m Ella!

Originally from Korea and fluent in Mandarin. I bring a diverse background of working with children and a genuine passion for early childhood education in Aotearoa New Zealand.

I enjoy creating a warm and supportive environment where children can feel confident to explore, express themselves and learn through play.

I love getting to know each child, celebrating their little achievements and watching their confidence grow. I feel privileged to be apart of each child’s learning and development and I look forward to creating many wonderful moments, smiles and memories together.

I am based across all rooms in Rising Stars. Please come and say Hi!

Penny Zhang

ECE Qualified Teacher

Kia ora and Ni Hao, my name is Penny (Meng Zhang)

I am one of the Kaiako in the Tuakana room. I graduated from New Zealand Tertiary collage with a graduate diploma of early childhood education. I have a Master of International Business Management at New castle University in the UK and a Master of Tourism Management at Waikato University.

I was born and raised in China and moved to New Zealand in 2016. My favourite part of being a ECE teacher is being able to watch the tamariki learn and grow. I love the moments when a child leans something new or gains a new skill, and when they achieve a new level of independence and confidence to tackle problems on their own. Ever since I can remember, I have had young children follow me around, and have been repeatedly told that I am good with children. The people who know me best have often expressed how an ECE teacher would be a perfect career for me. My biggest goal as a ECE teacher is to make the tamariki as happy as they make me.

In addition to my interest in children development, I also enjoy young for long walks, Hiking, travelling and exploring new activities. It is a great privilege for me to work with and care for your little ones, and to get to know your whanau. I look forward to meeting you in the Tuakana room.

Rechal Christian

ECE Qualified Teacher

Kia ora Parents/Whanau

My name is Rechal Nelson Christian and I am one of the kaiako in the Tuakana Room. I am originally from India and moved to New Zealand in 2017, I am passionate about creating a warm, inclusive, and culturally responsive environment where children feel safe, valued, and confident to explore and learn. I bring warmth, dedication, creativity, and professionalism to every learning environment.

I believe every child is a capable and curious learner, and I support their development through intentional teaching, play-based learning, and meaningful relationships. I thoughtfully observe children’s interests and strengths to design meaningful, developmentally appropriate experiences that foster confidence, curiosity, and a lifelong love of learning. I value strong partnerships with whānau and collaborative teamwork, recognising that respectful relationships are central to children’s learning and wellbeing.

I am excited to be part of the Tuakana Room, actively working alongside tamariki, whānau, and my teaching team to support each child’s unique learning pathway every day

Surani Sumanaweera

ECE Qualified Teacher

Kia ora and Ayubowan,

My name is Surani, and I am from Sri Lanka. I am a qualified and registered ECE teacher in Aotearoa New Zealand, with over 20 years of teaching and leadership experience.

I am a double degree holder, with qualifications in Early Childhood Education and Leadership & Management. I also hold a Graduate Diploma in Teaching (ECE) from NZTC and a Master’s degree in Business Administration (MBA).

I believe every tamariki is unique, capable and full of potential. I value kindness, respect, inclusion and strong relationships. I believe tamariki learn best through play, meaningful experiences and positive relationships, and I aim to create a safe, caring and fun environment where every tamariki feels happy, valued and confident to learn.

I am married and a proud mum of three children: my 13-year-old daughter and my 8-year-old twins, a girl and a boy. My family brings me so much joy and has taught me many valuable lessons about love, patience and understanding.

I am excited to be part of your children’s learning journey, to get to know each child and their whānau, and to create many happy learning experiences together.

Bowen He

ECE Qualified Teacher

Kia ora and Nǐ hǎo! I’m Bowen from China.

I hold a Master’s degree in Applied Linguistics from the University of Warwick (UK) and a Graduate Diploma in Early Childhood Education.

I love being with children and see teaching as a reciprocal process, where we learn and grow together. I believe every child is unique and learns in their own way. My goal is to pave the way for each child to climb their own mountain — at their own pace — while feeling supported and valued.

I strive to create an environment filled with love and trust, where children can embrace both their vulnerabilities and strengths, growing their wings along the way.

I look forward to getting to know and supporting your child/ren with their growth and development. Please come and say Hi!

Michelle Polido

Cook

Kia Ora /Kumusta

My name is Michelle Polido and I am the new Centre Cook at Rising Stars. I was born in the Philippines and grew up in here in New Zealand. I have 2 daughters Teana and Terehia and 1 grandson his name is Mikaere.

I have been in the hospitality industry for over 13 years, I have worked in a Retirement Home, several cafes and an Early Childhood Centre. I cater a wide variety of healthy nutritionists meals for our Tamariki.I ensure that our Tamariki with Food Allergies and Intolerance are given an alternative option that is suitable to their needs. I believe that encouraging our tamariki to healthy eating is imperative it contributes to their growth, health and development.

I have always enjoyed cooking and being around children, which is why I love my job the best of both world ! In my own time, I enjoy drawing or painting, gardening and listening to music. I am also a certified beautician.

I look forward to meeting you all !