researchED New Zealand

May 2026

Hosted by Long Bay College

In partnership with the New Zealand Initiative

Speaker Profile

Nilesh Naran

Nilesh Naran is the Assistant Principal of Teaching & Learning at Wellington College where he has taught for over a decade. He is also a former student of the school, and teaches English. Over the years, Nilesh has held a number of middle management roles including being the e-Learning specialist, coordinator for beginning teachers, and running the Gifted and Talented Education programme. In his current role, Nilesh leads professional development around effective pedagogy, coaching and mentoring, and learner habits. Nilesh lives in Wellington, is a proud father, and enjoys playing music and reading novels in his spare time.

Nilesh Naran

More Speaker Profiles

Rozanne Donald

Rozanne Donald is Associate Principal at Rutherford College. She has 25 years’ experience as an educator and senior leader in the tertiary and secondary sectors. In 2019 she was awarded

Dr Michael Johnston

Dr Michael Johnston has been a Senior Fellow at The New Zealand Initiative since early 2022. He has published numerous reports for the Initiative, on topics including modern learning environments,

Emeritus Professor James Chapman

James Chapman is Professor Emeritus of Educational Psychology at Massey University. He received his M.A. with Distinction in Education from Victoria University of Wellington, and his Ph.D. in Educational Psychology