Meet Our Team

The people behind Lightpath Coaching.

Families need to understand who will support their child and how our team brings teaching experience, care, and clear communication together.

Jo de Lisle

Tutor

Focus area

English Language, Academic English & ESOL

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Jo is an experienced English language educator with decades of teaching and programme leadership experience in Hamilton and the Waikato. She supports school-aged learners and international students across English writing and speaking, NCEA English, and academic English.

Teaching style

Warm, patient, and confidence-focused, with strong support for learners who need time, encouragement, and clear communication.

Master of Education, University of Waikato
Diploma in Second Language Teaching
Former Principal Academic Staff Member at Wintec
Former Manager, English Language Partners Waikato/Taupo

Steven Donald

Tutor

Focus area

Academic English, IELTS & ESOL

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Steven is an experienced Academic English and applied linguistics educator with extensive teaching experience in New Zealand and Japan. He has taught IELTS, academic writing, reading, speaking, General English, and university pathway English across local and international education settings.

Teaching style

Structured, thoughtful, and step-by-step, with a strong focus on building confidence through clear explanations, careful guidance, and personalised feedback.

Master of Philosophy in Applied Linguistics, University of Waikato
Master of Education, University of Otago
Advanced Certificate in TESOL, University of Leicester
Experience teaching Academic English, IELTS, General English, and pathway English

Nishi Piplani

Mathematics Tutor

Focus area

Years 9-10 Mathematics, Confidence Building & Exam Preparation

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Nishi combines strong academic achievement with practical analytical and mentoring experience. Originally from India, she excelled in Mathematics throughout her schooling and later completed a Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Informatics at Wintec, New Zealand, where she graduated as a top-performing student.

Teaching style

Patient, encouraging, and structured, Nishi breaks complex topics into clear, easy-to-understand steps while helping students build confidence and independent problem-solving skills.

Postgraduate Diploma in Applied Informatics, Wintec
Top-performing postgraduate student
95% in Year 10 and 98% in Year 12 Mathematics
Operations Manager with strong analytical and organisational expertise

Thea (Zhike) Yu

Marketing Officer

Focus area

Education Marketing, Brand Promotion & Client Engagement

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Thea brings five years of experience in education marketing, campaign coordination, client engagement, and event promotion. Before joining Lightpath Coaching, she worked with New Channel School, where she contributed to marketing campaigns, education seminars, promotional activities, CRM initiatives, and parent engagement to support student recruitment and brand awareness.

Working style

Organised, proactive, and relationship-focused. Thea is passionate about building meaningful connections with families and supporting marketing campaigns through clear, engaging communication and well-coordinated initiatives.

Master of Business and Management Studies, University of Waikato
Five years' experience in education marketing, campaign coordination, and client engagement
Experience promoting IELTS, language training, and study-abroad programmes
Skilled in CRM management, marketing communications, and parent engagement

Let's help every student feel confident.

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