The Auckland Team

Neala Cullen

HQ Management | Business Manager

Bachelor of Communication Studies

Pform team since 2017!

Neala loves watching movies and letting her inner wild-child shine while belting out the lyrics to her favourite Shania Twain songs. She could quite easily have sushi for lunch every day and is a hot-chocolate enthusiast!

Favourite Musical: Rocky Horror Picture Show
Motto/Quote: "“After all, tomorrow is another day.”

Tom Wardle

HQ Management | Education Manager

ATCL Dip. Teaching Speech and Drama | UCOL Certificate in Performing Arts

Pform team since 2012!

Too loud and energetic for his own good. Tom will perform Shakespeare at every opportunity he gets (requested or not). He is obsessed with Batman, literature, poetry, classic cinema and never turns down pizza when offered.

Favourite Musical: Man of La Mancha
Quote/Motto: "Love and success - always in that order. It's that simple and that difficult."

Pearl Stretton

HQ Management | Creative Manager

Bachelor of Arts (Psychology and Education)

Pform.nz team since 2006!

Pearl's two greatest passions are children and the performing arts, so naturally she feels most herself when she's in front of a Pform.nz class. She's likely to be found with an iced matcha in hand and finding any excuse to watch a musical.

Favourite Musical: Chicago
Quote/Motto: “The best way to make children good is to make them happy.” – Oscar Wilde

Gracie Pilgrem

Franchisee | Pform Hibiscus & North

Bachelor of Dance Studies

Pform.nz team since 2015!

You will often find Gracie sporting a pair of sparkly shoes. She is always excited to chat about her next overseas trip.

Favourite Musical: Beetlejuice
Quote/Motto: "Positively positive."

Rose Stretton

Auckland Tutor | Tour Manager

Bachelor of Arts (Ancient History) | Bachelor of Commerce (Marketing)

Pform.nz team since 2003!

Lover of yoga, journaling and going on adventures. You will never get through a conversation with Rose without her bursting into song (seriously).

Favourite Musical: Les Miserables
Quote/Motto: "Today is life, tomorrow never comes."

Talia Kermode

Auckland Tutor | Project Manager

New Zealand Certificate in AC-CA

Pform.nz team since 2007!

Energetic and passionate. Often found enjoying the outdoors - crystal-hunting, fishing and camping.

Favourite Musical: Cats, Hairspray and Mamma Mia!
Quote/Motto: "I'm afraid so. You're entirely bonkers. But I'll tell you a secret. All the best people are." - Alice in Wonderland

Ilse Betanzo

Auckland Tutor

Performing Arts Tutor

Pform team since 2019!

Ilse loves to go to the beach and spends her free time practicing manicures on friends. Her guilty pleasures include watching love island and eating cookie dough.

Favourite Musical: Mamma Mia
Quote/Motto: “Dance it out”

Tate Miller

Auckland Tutor

Performing Arts Tutor

Pform.nz team since 2023!

Tate is an optimistic guy who loves filling his spare time with video games, the latest Blockbuster movies, and ice-cream.

Favourite Musical: High School Musical
Quote/Motto: "You miss 100% of the shots you don't take." - Wayne Gretzky - Michael Scott

Chelsie Brown

Hibiscus Coast Tutor

Performing Arts Tutor

Pform.nz team since 2015!

Chelsie is a TANK fanatic whose ideal day consists of reading at the beach and spending time with friends. She will never miss the opportunity to meet a new cat.

Favourite Musical: Wicked
Quote/Motto: "You are only bored if you are boring."

Kyla Blennerhassett

Auckland Tutor

Bachelor of Communications

Pform.nz team since 2024!

An icon with a love of painting, beach days, camping and performing! Guilty pleasures include pretending she's on MasterChef and singing alone in her car.

Favourite Musical: Joseph & the Technicolor Dreamcoat, Wicked, Jesus Christ Superstar
Quote/Motto: "Do or do not. There is no try." - Yoda

Will Stretton

Auckland Tutor

Diploma in Film and Content Creation

Pform.nz team since 2009!

Obsessed with superheroes, animals and anything out-of-this-world. Major fan of macaroni cheese.

Favourite Musical: Chicago
Quote/Motto: "Where there's a Will, there's a way!"

Rebecca Dreyer

Auckland Tutor

Bachelor of Science (Human Nutrition) | Master of Health Science

Pform team since 2024!

An imaginative individual who loves to spend her downtime sewing, crocheting and painting. She's the person you want on your team for quiz night and she'll never turn down a little sweet treat!

Favourite Musical: Wicked
Motto/Quote: "It's better to live a life of oh-well's than a life of what-if's."

Sam Bremner

Auckland Tutor

Bachelor of Arts (Drama, Film, Media and Television)

Pform team since 2022!

Loves to spend time creating Pinterest-worthy baking creations, crocheting, watching movies...and a cheeky bit of reality TV!

Favourite Musical: Hamilton
Quote/Motto: “The difference between try and triumph is just a little umph.” - Marvin Philips

Millie Eaton

Auckland Tutor

Diploma in Music | Conjoint BA (Education) and BC (Communications)

Pform team since 2015!

The friendliest person you'll meet! Always down to have a boogie, go for a walk or just stay inside binging 'Gilmore Girls' and 'Hamilton' over and over again.

Favourite Musical: Mamma Mia!
Motto/Quote: "Be the change you want to see in the world."

Eva Fala

Auckland Tutor

Performing Arts Tutor

Pform team since 2024!

Eva is a confident individual who loves exploring, travelling, reading and is always up for learning something new.
Most days you can find her indulging in some reality TV with some salt and vinegar chips and a sprite zero in hand!

Favourite Musical: Wicked & Six
Quote/Motto: *laughs*

Marise Reiher

Auckland Tutor

Bachelor of Arts (Psychology, Human Development and Dance)

Pform.nz team since 2024!

Bubbly personality who dabbles in photography and loves swimming and reading. Her guilty pleasures include listening to Elvis Presley and indulging in a cheeky chocolate-covered strawberry!

Favourite Musical: Grease
Quote/Motto: "I like to move it, move it!"

Ella Whitefield

Christchurch Tutor

Project Manager

Pform team since 2020!

When she's not creating magic in the kitchen with bread & baking, she's out with her camera capturing magic & getting involved in her local community!!

Favourite Musical: Newsies & Cats

Motto/Quote: "Because I knew you, I have been changed for good."

Lara Stevens

Christchurch Tutor

Performing Arts Tutor

Pform team since 2024!

An imaginative individual who loves sushi, art, watching animated films, hanging out with her animals and would never turn down a sweet treat!

Favourite Musical: Into the Woods

Quote/Motto: "Have fun even if it's not the same sort of fun everyone else is having."

Bella Cook

Tauranga Tutor

Bachelor of Teaching

Pform team since 2024!

Fun to be around, loves a spot of surfing and will never turn down a chocolate-covered strawberry!

Favourite Musical: Annie
Quote/Motto: "You did not go through all that for nothing."

Lenore Pope

Tauranga Tutor

Performing Arts Tutor

Pform team since 2025! An enthusiastic spirit with a passion for dancing, family time, and exploring! Lenore loves to reads and will never turn down a chocolate covered strawberry!

Favourite musical: High School Musical
Quote/motto: “Don’t count the days make the days count”