Te Wāhi
Our Team
The Zone's biggest asset is its people. We have highly qualified, experienced and dedicated staff, plus highly competent second and third year students who can help tailor a package to suit your needs.
Kim Johnston - Manager
Kim is a qualified personal trainer and strength and conditioning coach. She has worked in many roles in the industry over the last 20 years including as a fitness instructor, endurance performance coach and fitness manager in a women’s-only gym in Saudi Arabia.
Most recently she has been the team leader in the Recreation Centre at Ara where she’s played a key role in improving the student experience through the development and delivery of sports and recreation and health and wellbeing activities. Kim is a former Ara student herself, having completed the Bachelor of Sustainability and Outdoor Education in 2015. She brings to her role a passion for helping others reach their full potential in their chosen sports and encouraging healthy lifestyle choices. She is a keen mountain biker and regularly competes in local and national races.
Dr Maria Choukri - Nutrition & Psychology
Maria teaches human nutrition and is passionate about food and its relationship with health, psychological wellbeing, and physical performance.
Megan Harlick - Sport & Health Psychology
Sport Psychology Consultant (Sports and Exercise Psychology Consultant)
Megan lectures in Sports & Exercise Science and Health. She is a sports psychology consultant and works with many athletes throughout the Canterbury region.
Dr Helen Marshall – Sport, Physical Activity & Health
Sport Scientist (Exercise Physiology and Health)
Dr Marshall lectures in Sport & Exercise Science and Health promotion. She has a teaching and research background in the role of physical activity in the prevention and management of chronic disease.
Russell Graham – Exercise Conditioning
Russell leads the Certificate of Fitness programme at Ara. He specialises in exercise programming and delivery.
Stacey van Maanen – Technician
Stacey graduated from Ara Institute of Canterbury with a Bachelor of Applied Science in Human Nutrition. She is responsible for co-ordinating the use of equipment for teaching labs and for The Zone's clients.
Dr Maria Malashenkova - Nutrition and Exercise Physiology
Maria is a Doctor of Biological Science with specialist teaching experience at Associate Professor level in human physiology, sports physiology, nutrition and anatomy university courses. She has a total of fourteen years’ experience supervising undergraduate and postgraduate students. Maria is a passionate mountain climber, having summited Nepal's Mt Manaslu (8163 metres) in September 2018
Contact details
Phone: 03 940 8653
Email: the.zone@ara.ac.nz
Location
W222, Whareora, City campus
View The Zone price guide here