AI Engineer · Product Builder · Educator
Tobias
Croydon-McRae
Founder of Te Kete Ako · AI Agent Systems · GDipTchg (UoA 2026)
I build production AI systems. Te Kete Ako — a live NZ EdTech platform with real subscribers, GraphRAG search (Neo4j + Qdrant), three custom MCP servers, and Stripe billing — was engineered solo while I completed my teaching diploma full-time. I work at the intersection of deep technical ownership and the human systems that make technology actually stick.
I build and operate AI agent systems — multi-agent pipelines, Claude Code CLI frameworks, MCP servers, and production automation infrastructure — while teaching and running a live SaaS product.
Te Kete Ako is a production AI-tutoring platform I designed, engineered, and shipped solo while teaching full-time. Its agent infrastructure — session memory, multi-model dispatch, content pipelines, custom MCP servers, hooks, and skills — is exactly the kind of work I do best. The platform has live Stripe revenue, 12,900+ curriculum resources, and a GraphRAG knowledge graph spanning Neo4j, Qdrant, and pgvector.
Prior to education I spent nearly a decade in premium wine and hospitality, mastering P&L management, high-pressure operations, and stakeholder relationship building. I know how operational businesses actually run — scheduling, compliance, delivery, client reporting — not just in theory.
Solo-built a live NZ EdTech SaaS with Stripe subscriptions, role-based auth, GraphRAG search (Neo4j + Qdrant + pgvector), three custom MCP servers, and a 30-min cron content pipeline. Shipped while teaching full-time.
Built production multi-agent coordination: session memory, hot-context handoffs, message-passing between Claude instances, cron pipelines, and a MEMORY.md persistence layer across sessions.
Designed and indexed a full NZ Curriculum-aligned resource library into a hybrid knowledge graph spanning Neo4j, Qdrant, and pgvector with 21,000+ semantic connections.
Designed and deliver the Raglan AI workshop series for community members and businesses with no prior AI background — 8 core modules, 17 specialist deep-dives, Stripe payments live.
A class of 26 students lifted about 1.5 stanines in literacy across two terms. CIA Part 1 result: 97.5%. Lecture recap portfolio: 100% across 3 assessments.
Bar Manager at The Jefferson (Auckland) — end-to-end P&L, stock management, supplier negotiations, and team leadership in a high-pressure premium venue.
- Claude Code CLI framework: Built a persistent multi-agent coordination system with session memory, hot-context handoffs, message passing, and task boards across Claude instances. Skills, hooks, and a MEMORY.md index persist across sessions.
- MCP servers: Supabase MCP (live DB management), Claude-in-Chrome (browser automation), custom graph traversal MCP in Docker (Neo4j bridge at graph.tekete.co.nz).
- Automation pipelines: Content pipeline loop runs every 30 min as a Claude Code cron job — selects priority curriculum units, generates teaching resources, validates output, commits, and logs a summary to the coordination board.
- Python: RLM orchestrator (744-line reasoning engine) dispatching across Claude Sonnet/Haiku and fallback models; API integrations for Anthropic, Stripe, Supabase, Qdrant, Neo4j; dead-link auditor; GraphRAG auto-indexer.
- Stack: HTML/CSS/JS, Supabase (PostgreSQL + pgvector + Edge Functions), Cloudflare Pages, Docker, GitHub CI/CD, Playwright smoke tests.
- Product: Stripe live subscriptions + workshop bookings, role-based auth, teacher dashboard, 12,900+ curriculum resources, 21,000+ semantic graph connections.
- De facto technology and curriculum innovation lead — introduced AI-assisted planning, civic inquiry, and place-based learning into the school's practice.
- Lifted literacy results by about 1.5 stanines across two terms through explicit routines and targeted intervention.
- Developed a high-trust classroom culture; former students moved into school leadership roles.
- Designed and embedded 4,600+ curriculum resources into the NZ Curriculum framework.
- Rapidly promoted from bartender to bar manager of an award-winning Auckland whisky and cocktail venue.
- End-to-end bar operations: nightly P&L, stock management, supplier negotiations, and team leadership under high-volume pressure.
- Glengarry Wines (Assistant Manager): Directed daily store operations, trained arriving staff, and systematically contributed to steady year-on-year revenue growth.
- Negociants NZ (Logistics): Acted as the vital conduit between importer and national distribution networks, troubleshooting and resolving complex supply chain and inventory issues across Aotearoa.
- Chard Farm & Rabbit Ranch (Brand Ambassador): Independently represented premium Central Otago labels across Auckland, driving brand presence through curated events and strong trade relationships.
- Commanded weekend cellar door operations for a highly respected Waiheke boutique estate, driving retail sales and elevating visitor experiences.
- Executed hands-on seasonal viticulture tasks during the week—including canopy management and harvesting—alongside the core winemaking team.
- Directly applied rigorous academic knowledge from my PGDipSci in Wine Science (Merit) to practical, commercial vineyard environments.
Technology
- Claude Code CLI — agents, skills, hooks, memory, MCP servers
- Codex CLI — multi-agent dispatch, code review pipelines
- Python — API integrations, data processing, automation scripting
- GraphRAG / vector search (pgvector, Qdrant, Neo4j)
- Supabase, PostgreSQL, Edge Functions
- N8N workflow automation — production pipelines, webhooks, AI agent dispatch
- Docker, Cloudflare, GitHub, Playwright CI/CD
- Stripe SaaS — subscriptions, webhooks, live payments
Product & Design
- Product thinking & UX decisions
- WCAG 2.1 AA accessibility
- Responsive / bilingual UI design
- Learning design & curriculum
- Stripe SaaS integration
Communication & Leadership
- Clear, empathetic communicator
- Team facilitation & PLD delivery
- Operations & cross-team coordination
- Written content at scale (4,600+ docs)
- Whanaungatanga / relationship-led leadership
Creative & Analytical
- Piano, Guitar, Bass, Music production
- Sociological & philosophical analysis
- Wine science (PGDipSci, Merit)
- Systems thinking & problem-framing
Developed a geometric framework for modelling topological vacuum defects on Fibonacci-derived aperiodic graphs, proving the existence of localised Spin-Dirac fermion zero-modes and demonstrating that weak-field GR metrics emerge at macroscopic scale from discrete crystalline boundary conditions — without appeal to unification paradigms or free parameters. The work formalises the cut-and-project boundary as a chiral disclination helix required by Stokes' theorem, and derives emergent spacetime curvature from first principles.
Raglan AI — Level Up is a practical workshop series I designed and facilitate for businesses, community organisations, schools, and creative professionals across Aotearoa. Three tiers (Community / Business / Enterprise), 8 core modules and 17 specialist deep-dives, Stripe payments live. No tech background needed — every session ends with participants having built something they can use tomorrow.
What the models can actually do, what they can't, and how to choose the right one for your work.
Build a custom GPT-style tool for your specific job. Draft faster, think clearer, do more.
Images, video, music, copy — hands-on with the leading creative AI tools.
No-code automation: connect your apps, schedule tasks, and eliminate repetitive work using AI agents.
raglanai.tekete.co.nz →
University transcript, teaching portfolio, and additional references available on request.
Contact
- 📱 021 933 700
- 📧 mcrae.tobias@gmail.com
- 🌐 tekete.co.nz
- 📍 Whāingaroa / Raglan (open to relocate)
Technical Skills
Full-stack Development
- HTML, CSS, JavaScript
- Supabase / PostgreSQL
- Docker & CI/CD
- Cloudflare Pages
- REST APIs & Edge Functions
AI & Machine Learning
- Multi-agent system design
- GraphRAG / pgvector
- LLM orchestration
- Prompt engineering
Product & Design
- UX research & design
- Learning design
- SaaS product strategy
Communication
- Public speaking & facilitation
- Curriculum writing
- Stakeholder communication
Education
Educator · Product Builder · Team Leader
Tobias Croydon-McRae
Founder of Te Kete Ako · Teacher · Innovation Lead
Profile
I’m an educator and builder who connects classroom realities with robust technical solutions and operational excellence. At Mangakōtukutuku College, I lifted literacy outcomes by ~1.5 stanines while solo-engineering and shipping Te Kete Ako—a full-stack AI platform bridging pedagogy with modern tech infrastructure. I unite deep empathy, precise execution, and high-performance team leadership across complex organizational environments.
Experience
Social Studies Specialist Classroom LAT Teacher
- Founded and led the school’s digital learning initiative, becoming its de facto technology and curriculum innovation lead.
- Built and shipped Te Kete Ako — a production SaaS platform used across the school — as a solo developer alongside full-time teaching.
- Taught Year 8 homeroom and Social Studies across Years 9 and 10.
- Lifted literacy outcomes by around 1.5 stanines in two terms through structured routines and targeted intervention.
- Created high-trust classroom culture that grew student self-worth, with many former students moving into leadership opportunities in and beyond school.
- Designed, wrote and embedded 4,600+ curriculum resources aligned to the New Zealand Curriculum.
- Integrated AI tools, civic education, and place-based inquiry into daily practice.
- Collaborated with senior leaders on curriculum design, strategic initiatives, and cultural responsiveness frameworks.
Founder & Lead Developer — Te Kete Ako
- Architected a full-stack SaaS: Supabase PostgreSQL, Cloudflare Pages, Docker microservices, Stripe subscription payments.
- Designed and deployed a multi-agent AI tutoring system using GraphRAG, pgvector semantic search, and OpenRouter LLM routing.
- Built all front-end UI from scratch (vanilla HTML/CSS/JS) and designed the complete brand, UX, and information architecture.
- Managed CI/CD pipelines, database migrations, and 4,600+ resource embeddings (100% pgvector coverage).
Bar Manager — Premium Spirits & Cocktails
- Rapidly promoted from bartender to bar manager of an award-winning Auckland whisky and cocktail venue.
- Owned end-to-end bar operations, assuming full accountability for nightly P&L, complex stock management, and supplier negotiations.
- Recruited, trained, and led front-of-house teams, maintaining uncompromising service standards during high-volume, high-pressure shifts.
Wine Distribution, Retail & Brand Management
- Glengarry Wines: Directed daily operations as Assistant Manager in retail, trained staff, and drove year-on-year revenue growth.
- Negociants NZ: Key conduit between importer and distribution networks; solved complex supply chain issues across NZ.
- Rabbit Ranch: Worked autonomously as a sales representative representing the Central Otago vineyard across Auckland, boosting brand presence and trade relations.
Cellar Door & Vineyard Operations
- Worked hands-on across multiple Waiheke vineyards in cellar door and seasonal viticulture operations.
- Executed essential vineyard tasks throughout the year, including canopy management and harvesting.
- Directly applied rigorous academic knowledge from my PGDipSci in Wine Science to commercial vineyard environments.
Key Achievements
Year 8 class (8RURU) lifted about 1.5 stanines in literacy across two terms, with stronger Year 9 transition outcomes.
Managed and mentored teams across school, retail, and hospitality contexts — excelling at decisive leadership, training, standards, and high-pressure delivery.
WSET Level 3 with Distinction plus PGDipSci (Wine Science), combining customer-facing expertise with technical wine knowledge.
Hands-on vineyard operations, harvest, and cellar door roles across Cable Bay, Poderi Crisci, Stonyridge, and Goldie as part of and supplementary to Wine Science studies.
Built classroom culture centred on belonging, confidence, and agency; many former students went on to leadership opportunities in and outside school.
Designed, built, and deployed Te Kete Ako as a live production platform while teaching full-time. Live at tekete.co.nz.
Extremely capable integrating AI across diverse domains. Designed and shipped production multi-agent workflows, semantic search tools, and complex RAG architectures.
Original songwriter and audio producer. Highly experienced in creative composition, arrangement, and technical audio production.
Interdisciplinary problem solver: highly educated across sociology, philosophy, wine, and computer science, bringing unique lateral thinking to chaotic environments.