Meet our team: Abby Palmer

Published 14 August 2023
Meet Abby Palmer, a dedicated regional learning advisor at Te Mahi Ako, with a special focus on Snowsports in the picturesque Wanaka region. With her passion for education and snow-related activities, Abby’s role in empowering learners and helping them thrive in their chosen paths cannot be understated. While Abby’s role at Te Mahi Ako is temporary, her dedication to education and snowsports will make a significant impact.

Abby's career took flight with her love for the outdoors as a child. But unlike so many of us whose hiking boots spend more time in the cupboard under the stairs than on the trails, Abby solidified her expertise with hard-earned qualifications in outdoor recreation and taught surfing and outdoor education in Hong Kong. Her journey continued in Cambodia, teaching English, and then Canada, instructing snowsports. As if that wasn’t enough, Abby returned to Timaru to earn her outdoor education diploma, before becoming a snowsports instructor in Japan. Eventually, she found herself back in Queenstown, teaching at Cardrona, and during off-seasons, she continued instructing at Paddle Wanaka on the lakes and rivers. Through her globetrotting experiences, Abby became an accomplished educator in outdoor activities.

When inquired about her excitement for the role, Abby's eyes lit up as she eagerly expressed, “It’s kind of my life. I run an active recreation business, I teach aerial silks and outdoor based stuff. This is why I live in Wanaka – it’s the hub of outdoor activity. I spend a lot of my spare time climbing, being out on the lakes or the rivers. My life kind of revolves around it”.

Abby's dedication to learning and teaching is evident in her deep-rooted passion for her role. “The whole reason I got into this role is because I’m passionate about learning and teaching and I imagine I’ll be equally as proud of getting as many people as possible to achieve their goals”.

Looking ahead, Abby envisions an exciting future in her role, driven by her insatiable thirst for knowledge. She reveals, “Whether I want to or not, I’m obsessed with learning new things. I have a real addiction to upskilling – I can’t help myself, I always want to learn more”.

With Abby's unwavering commitment to growth and her dedication to empowering others, her temporary journey as a regional learning advisor at Te Mahi Ako is destined for success.