I am excited to be joining Waitākere College as the International Director so that our international students have positive life-changing experiences.

I enjoy building relationships with people which is why I love working in a department where you get to do this on a daily basis. I encourage students to be kind and to be the best version of themselves by taking the time to listen to them and help them.

I have worked at Hobsonville Point Secondary School in the International Department for the past five years. I began as the Student Administrator and soon added Homestay Coordinator to my role, before becoming the International Student Director.
My past roles have been working at Massey University as the Attendance & Welfare Advisor which saw me looking after the attendance and pastoral needs of our international students. I have also worked as a telephone counsellor for school aged children.

Having lived overseas for my entire childhood, and only coming to New Zealand for tertiary study, I have a strong understanding of the challenges people face when coming to a new country alone.

I am married with two teenage children and a dog. Outside of work, I enjoy spending time with family, going for walks with my dog and looking after my plants. My dog is a pet therapy dog, for Canine Friends Pet Therapy, and we often go to hospitals and rest homes to put a smile on people’s faces. 

Arifah Wright