We would like to warmly welcome Melissa Mckie to our Playcentre Aotearoa whānau whānui! She has started this month as our Lower South Island Regional Manager. I will let her introduce herself in her own words.

Tena koutou katoa

No Kōtirangi oku tipuna

Ko Trevor rātou ko Lillian, ko Cecil, ko Anne oku tipuna 

Ko Jeff rāua ko Lynette oku mātua

Ko Richard toku tāne

Ko Arlo taku tama

Ko Melissa ahau

No Otēpoti ahau 

Ko tēnei taku mihi ki ngā tangata whenua me nga tohu o nehe o te rohe nei.

No reira, tena koutou, tena koutou, tena koutou katoa.

Kia ora  

My name is Melissa Mckie. I am really excited to be joining the Playcentre Aotearoa team as the Regional Manager for the Lower South Island.

I have recently re-located back to Dunedin with my husband Richard and our 2-year-old son Arlo. I grew up in Dunedin and gained my Bachelor of Early Childhood Teaching here at Otago University. Prior to our relocation I had been working in management roles across a range of Early Childhood settings in Melbourne and Auckland.  I have a huge passion for early education and development and strongly value whānau as first teachers.

In my spare time I love to explore our beautiful country. I enjoy outdoor water sports, snowboarding, cooking and creative arts. I have a small home fragrance/soy candle business I run in my spare time; I love being involved in the artisan market scene through this. My extended family all lives in Central Otago and we spend a lot of time here, this area holds a special place in my heart.

I look forward to connecting with many of you.

Melissa