Head Teacher, The Nest (Kōwhai)

Graduate Diploma in Teaching

Shawn (better known as Shawny) is from Minnesota in the USA, where she grew up loving the wild outdoors, camping, cross country skiing and swimming in the beautiful, warm lakes. She always enjoyed school as a child and her love of learning is what drives her passion for teaching. After finishing her degree in Communications in MN, she came travelling to New Zealand for a summer and ended up building her whole life here. After several years she went back to uni for a Graduate Diploma in Teaching and Learning Primary and has been with Gem's since shortly after it first opened in 2012. Shawny has a busy and happy life with her husband, 3 year old twins and her 1 year old daughter who comes to work with her in The Nest.