The central Research Office administers research funds, provides assistance and quality assurance for external grant proposals and reports and manages the institute’s participation in the Performance-Based Research Fund (PBRF). In addition research staff provide research seminars and workshops, and prepare a range of research-related institutional reports and metrics to ensure the Research Strategy key performance indicators are met.

Our Research Coordinators are available to our faculties to provide advice, support and mentoring for staff.

  • Heather Hamerton

    Heather Hamerton

    Head of Research

    Heather is a registered community psychologist with a passion for research. She has completed numerous social science research projects and is currently working on research investigating students’ motives for studying te reo.  

    Heather is also a skilled evaluator, and has helped to roll out evaluations both of new Toi Ohomai initiatives… Read full profile

  • Dave Bishop

    Dave Bishop

    Research Coordinator and Music Tutor, Faculty of Business, Design and Service Industries

    Dave is a Research Coordinator and music tutor at Toi Ohomai. He's also a New Zealand singer-songwriter and music educator with a contemporary performance and recording history of over 30 years.  

    Dave is actively involved in the music industry and has contributed to ten commercial musical releases, both as a band member and a solo… Read full profile

  • Cath Fraser

    Cath Fraser

    Research Coordinator, Faculty of Health, Education and Environment

    In addition to her work as a Faculty Research Coordinator at Toi Ohomai, Cath is a part-time educational consultant.

    Cath is a keen advocate of the 21st Century educational concepts of active learning and student-centred delivery, and enjoys working with staff to extend their repertoire of activities and approaches to address a range of… Read full profile

  • Pip Crombie

    Pip Crombie

    Research Coordinator, Faculty of Business, Design and Service Industries

    Pip Crombie is a Research Coordinator for two faculties, and a part time content writer.

    Pip has an interest in the ever-evolving world of online text, e-learning and empowering users to ensure we are ‘speaking’ the same language face-to-face, that we speak online – imperative in the world of education.

    She is an enthusiastic… Read full profile

  • Andriy Kovalenko

    Andriy Kovalenko

    Research Coordinator, Faculty of Health, Education and Environment

    Andriy joined Toi Ohomai as a business management lecturer in 2013. Since then, he has been teaching marketing and research related courses, supervising Master’s students and coordinating the Master of Management course. In addition to a PhD in Marketing Management from University of Otago, he has a MSc in Media Management from Syracuse… Read full profile

  • Christine Cheyne

    Christine Cheyne

    Research Coordinator, Faculty of Health, Education and Environment

    Previously, Christine was the Research Development Manager at EIT, and before that she was the Associate Professor and Coordinator of the Resource and Environmental Planning course at Massey University. Christine works part-time for the Research Office as Faculty Research Coordinator and part-time as a regional TEEL Advisor (Taupō Campus).… Read full profile

  • Cheyenne Kohere

    Cheyenne Kohere

    Research Project Manager

    Cheyenne (Ngāti Porou, Rongowhakaata, Muaūpoko, Ngāti Raukawa ki te Tonga) is from a military whānau, and grew up in Waiouru and Linton Army camp before settling in Whanganui. She is a graduate of Te Whare Wānanga o Waikato, gaining her Masters in Applied Psychology in Community Psychology in 2022, exploring Māori experiences of the New Zealand… Read full profile

  • Rebecca Lausberg

    Rebecca Lausberg

    Research Office Administrator

    In addition to her work in the Research Office, Rebecca is secretary for the Research Committee, Human Ethics Committee and Animal Ethics Committee.

  • Waitiahoaho Emery

    Waitiahoaho Emery

    Kaupapa Maori Research Advisor

    Waitiahoaho (Ngāti Pikiao ki Te Arawa, Ngāti Unu-Ngāti Kahu ki Ngāti Maniapoto) is a part time Kaupapa Māori Research Advisor at Toi Ohomai, providing designated research development support, and advice, to staff members and students engaging in research. In addition to this, Waitiahoaho is an independent education and cultural consultant who… Read full profile

  • Tepora Emery

    Tepora Emery

    Kaupapa Māori Research Advisor

    Tepora has had a connection with the different legacy organisations that is now Toi Ohomai, and has been a champion of research and higher education at Mokoia Campus for more than 22 years. She was the programme leader for staff development programmes, has been an academic advisor, and was the academic lead for the Master of Applied… Read full profile

  • Kate Shanaghan

    Kate Shanaghan

    PBRF and Special Projects Leader

    Kate has a degree in Environmental Studies. She manages the research outputs database for the institute and enjoys seeing the different research that our staff are involved in.  She is also involved in event organising and in collaborative research.