The Zone Team

Staff profiles

Kim Johnston

Kim has over 25 years' experience in the sports, fitness, health and wellbeing and outdoor education sectors. She’s worked in strength and conditioning coaching, endurance performance coaching, outdoor education instruction and sport and recreation management. She also spent a year working as a fitness manager at a women’s gym in Saudi Arabia.

Stacey van Maanen

Stacey is a Lab Technician for The Zone, with over eight years of experience in sports science lab support. A degree-qualified nutritionist, she assists with fitness testing, supports lab classes for the Bachelor of Applied Science, and helps promote the degree to schools and external audiences. Stacey helps maintain lab equipment and has been involved in wellness programmes and body composition scans. She’s passionate about encouraging preventative health habits, especially for those with limited health knowledge.

Alex Boucher

Alex is a graduate of Ara’s Bachelor of Applied Science in Sport and Exercise and works as a Lab Technician at The Zone. He brings a background of professional sports, having worked with HPSNZ during the Paris Olympic Games, and currently works with New Zealand Cricket as a Performance Analyst. He is passionate about supporting athletes through data-driven insights and performance analytics.

Sam O’Neill

Sam is a Lab Technician at The Zone, having graduated from Ara with a Graduate Diploma in Sport and Exercise Science. His background is in sport performance and has worked as a sport scientist and strength and conditioning coach in football for the past 8 years. He assists in delivery of the labs for the Bachelor of Applied Science and fitness testing delivery as well as degree promotion within schools and the community. He is inspired by helping others reach their sporting goals through physical development.

Kylie Grimmer

Kylie is an Associate Registered Nutritionist and graduate of Ara’s Bachelor of Applied Science in Human Nutrition. She’s played a significant role in establishing The Zone’s nutrition clinic where she works 1:1 with a variety of clients. Kylie is intensely passionate about helping people learn how to fuel their bodies in a way that nurtures their mental and physical health while keeping the fun in their lives.

Maria Choukri

Maria is a Registered Nutritionist with a passion for wellbeing and a special interest in nutrition for mental health, perimenopause and outdoor pursuits. She loves supporting people to make better food choices that work for them and make them feel good. Maria is skilled in helping her clients identify realistic goals and finding achievable pathways to attain them.

Juliet Slattery

Juliet first qualified and worked as a dietitian in the UK before practicing in Australia and now New Zealand. Much of her work has focused on helping people to manage and prevent chronic diseases such as Type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease but as a keen multisporter, she’s also skilled at helping people manage their nutrition for training and competition. Juliet believes health is a toanga that we need to look after.

Student profiles

Khai Mardon

Khai is a third-year nutrition student at Ara, passionate about helping clients achieve measurable health outcomes by tracking improvements through their blood work. She empowers individuals to take control of their health by providing them with the necessary skills and resources to make informed decisions about their wellbeing. Khai was inspired to pursue nutrition after seeing positive changes in her own and her family’s health. She finds nutrition exciting because the choices we make today influence our future health, enabling us to not only live longer but also enjoy better health. Khai is fluent in English and Mandarin. 

Emilie Wright

Emilie is in her final year of a Bachelor of Applied Science in Human Nutrition at Ara. She is passionate about helping clients improve their health, boost energy and support mental and physical wellbeing. Open minded and receptive to all lifestyles and individual needs, Emilie embraces a holistic perspective. She is dedicated to guiding individuals through everyday challenges and helping them achieve their personal health goals, enhancing their overall vitality.

Scarlett Kennedy

Scarlett is a nutrition student with a strong focus on women’s health, hormonal health, chronic pain and mental wellbeing. Having faced her own health challenges, she is passionate about helping others take control of their well-being through evidence-based nutrition strategies. Applying a science-backed, yet practical approach to helping other people to feel their best, Scarlett believes in looking beyond symptoms to understand the bigger picture and is dedicated to supporting people on their health journeys with empathy, curiosity and guidance. Currently completing her final year of study, Scarlett is gaining hands-on experience through volunteer roles and client work while continuing to expand her knowledge in functional and integrative nutrition.

Siobhan Voyce

Siobhan is a third-year nutrition student also working part time as assistant manager in a gym. She is passionate about helping individuals achieve their goals while feeling their best. With a background in judo, she enjoys working with weight division athletes to optimise their performance. She also has experience in bodybuilding preparation and has participated in many sports. Although nutrition for performance is her passion, she also loves working with beginners to build a foundation for a sustainable approach to health and wellbeing through nutrition. 

Sophie Nichols

Sophie is in her final year of studying a Bachelor of Applied Science in Human Nutrition at Ara. Her interest in nutrition stems from the sport she played in high school. She is passionate about taking a holistic approach to wellbeing, where she focuses not just on nutrition but also on creating balanced, healthy lifestyles.

Wendy Quinn

Wendy is a dedicated third-year nutrition student at Ara, specialising in community and family health. With over 25 years of culinary experience, she excels in crafting delicious, budget-friendly meals. Drawing from her personal journey post-weight loss surgery, Wendy is passionate about guiding clients through similar experiences. She adopts a holistic approach to health and wellbeing, ensuring comprehensive support for her clients.