Tō mātou tīma - Our team

The Chief Executive leads the operational delivery of the agency.

Cameron Harland - Chief Executive - Tumu Whakarae

Cameron is the Chief Executive of NZ On Air, responsible for the operational delivery of the agency. Cameron has a long and varied career in the screen and entertainment industries including running Park Road Post Production and Stone Street Studios in Wellington. Prior to working at NZ On Air he was involved in advertising, working for Saatchi & Saatchi in London and Wellington and before that Head of Professional Rugby at NZ Rugby. He is a former Board member of the NZ Film Commission and Te Papa, and was Deputy Chair of TVNZ.

This team is tasked with managing strong stakeholder partnerships while leading an internal culture of operational excellence.

Raewyn Rasch - Head of Operations, Partnerships and Culture – Kaihautū Ngā Whakahaere, Ngā Rangipū Mahitahi me te Ahurea

Raewyn (Ngāi Tahu/Hamoa) previously led the Public Interest Journalism Fund for NZ On Air and most recently was Head of Partnerships. She has a wealth of experience as a journalist, producer and senior leader within radio and television. Raewyn was the General Manager of Māori and Pacific Programmes at TVNZ and with her Māori, Samoan and European heritage has long championed diversity in our media. The Head of Operations, Partnerships and Culture is tasked with building and maintaining partnerships with industry and stakeholders, developing and implementing strategies to position NZ On Air appropriately with those stakeholders, leading organisational culture and growth, and overseeing the delivery of high quality finance, IT, HR, contracting and general services. raewyn@nzonair.govt.nz

Hui-Ping Wu - Associate Head of Finance - Kaihautū Tūhono Pūtea

Hui-Ping looks after the financial accounting, internal audit functions and investment portfolio of NZ On Air. She also leads the Finance and Contract Management System operations and liaises with IT infrastructure maintenance and deployment. Hui-Ping has many years of accounting and auditing experience in both the commercial and public sector. She has a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting and Postgraduate Qualification (GradDipCA), and is a member of Chartered Accountants Australia New Zealand. hui-ping@nzonair.govt.nz

Kathrin Strati - Executive Assistant/Associate Head of Operations - Kaihautū Tūhono Whakahaere

Kathrin provides administration support to the CE and the five specialist division heads and is also the Board Secretary. She was previously the Senior Events Coordinator at Government House, managing the Governor-General’s programme of external events both in New Zealand and overseas. Kathrin has worked in numerous different industries over the years ranging from public service in Melbourne, Australia to CWA New Media in Wellington, back in its heyday. kathrin@nzonair.govt.nz

Julie Moynihan - Financial Accountant - Kaikaute

Julie works with the Associate Head of Finance to deliver financial reports internally, and statutory reporting and taxation compliance externally. She also provides support to the Finance Business Partners, Funding and Operations Partnerships and Culture teams. Julie has a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting and is a member of Chartered Accountants A/NZ. She has many years of accounting experience in the financial sector, and more recently in the public sector and film/visual effects industry. Julie has completed her 200-hour yoga teacher training and is a Somatic Dance Facilitator and DJ. julie@nzonair.govt.nz

Luke Campbell - Management Accountant - Kaikaute Whakahaere

Luke provides assistance to the Funding and Operations, Partnerships and Culture teams - tracking contract and budget development and compliance throughout the funding process. Luke has completed a Masters in Professional Accounting from Victoria University Wellington. luke@nzonair.govt.nz

Adam Leonard - Finance Business Partner - Hoa Kaipākihi Pūtea

Adam provides assistance to the Funding and Operations, Partnerships and Culture teams - tracking contract and budget development and compliance throughout the funding process. Adam holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting and Economics from Victoria University. adam@nzonair.govt.nz

Will Ackers - Finance Business Partner - Hoa Kaipākihi Pūtea

Will provides assistance to the Funding and Operations, Partnerships and Culture teams - tracking contract and budget development and compliance throughout the funding process. Will holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Finance and Economics from Otago University. william@nzonair.govt.nz

Jack Spray - Finance Business Partner - Hoa Kaipākihi Pūtea

Jack provides assistance to the Funding and Operations, Partnerships and Culture teams - tracking contract and budget development and compliance throughout the funding process. Jack holds a Bachelor of Commerce in Accounting from Victoria University Wellington. jack@nzonair.govt.nz

Sarai Tibbitts - People and Culture Advisor - Kaitohutohu Tāngata me te Tikanga-Ā-Iwi

Sarai has worked in the Human Resources space for more than 10 years, and provides support and advice to the Leadership Team and staff on HR matters. She has a Bachelor degree majoring in Human Resources Management and Industrial Relations, with a minor in Marketing. She has previously competed as a New Zealand age group triathlete and, more recently, can be found exploring our big beautiful backyard (Aotearoa) with her husband and two children. sarai@nzonair.govt.nz

Rebecca Tang – Business Affairs Advisor - Kaitohutohu Kirimana Pakihi (Ture)

Rebecca leads the operations of the Business Affairs team and manages contract drafting and negotiations with producers and platforms ensuring NZ On Air policies and contractual requirements are met. In this role, she hopes to help support and uplift new and emerging creatives, especially those from underrepresented communities. Rebecca has a Bachelor of Laws and Arts (Hons) majoring in History and Film, Television and Media. She was admitted to the High Court of New Zealand in 2023. rebeccat@nzonair.govt.nz

Luciella Burke - Business Affairs Assistant - Kaiāwhina Kirimana Pakihi

Luciella drafts contracts, supports producers throughout the contracting process, and assists with funding rounds. She has completed a Bachelor of Laws and History Major at Victoria University of Wellington. She is passionate about utilising this knowledge to bolster accessibility and creativity in our industry. luciella@nzonair.govt.nz

Christina Irini Arathimos - Operations, Partnerships & Culture Coordinator - Kairuruku Ngā Whakahaere, Ngā Rangipū Mahitahi me te Ahurea

Christina provides essential back up and support across Operations, Partnerships and Culture and the wider team, as well as serving often as the first point of contact for NZ On Air stakeholders and the general public. Prior to joining the team she spent several years working in facilities and production at Wētā FX. She is also a published illustrator and visual artist based in Te Whanganui-a-Tara. christina@nzonair.govt.nz

The Funding team deals with funding applications, assessments and contracts for funded projects.

Amie Mills - Head of Funding - Tumuaki o ngā Take Pūtea

(June 2024: Amie is currently on parental leave. Please contact Glenn or Kelly below in her absence.)

Amie is a member of the Senior Leadership Team and has overall responsibility for the Scripted, Non-Fiction and Platforms streams of funding. Amie has worked in the media industry in Aotearoa and abroad, in a range of creative and digital production roles. She is the former Digital and Children’s Commissioner at TVNZ and was co-lead of the New Blood Innovation Programme aimed at reaching non-traditional audiences with local content. In 2015 she joined Saatchi & Saatchi London to help deliver a BAFTA-winning mobile game, Sea Hero Quest, to help scientists fight dementia with the world’s largest crowd-sourced database for medical research.amie@nzonair.govt.nz

Glenn Usmar - Co-Acting Head of Funding/Associate Head of Funding (Systems) - Tumuaki Pūtea Ngātahi Taupua/Tumuaki Tūhono Pūtea (Pūnaha)

Acting Co-Head of Funding June 2024

Glenn has more than 30 years television experience in a number of senior positions in both state and private broadcasting companies. Prior to joining NZ On Air, he was the Programme Manager for the Rialto Channel on Sky TV, and was responsible for the channel’s establishment as the Sundance Channel. Previously Glenn worked at TVNZ in both acquisitions and programming roles, with his last position being programmer for TV One. He has also held programming positions at Kid’s TV and former Telecom channel First Media. glenn@nzonair.govt.nz

Kelly Davis - Co-Acting Head of Funding/Associate Head of Funding (People) - Tumuaki Pūtea Ngātahi Taupua/Tumuaki Tūhono Pūtea (Tāngata)

Acting Co-Head of Funding June 2024

Kelly leads the people management and stakeholder management responsibilities of the Scripted, Non-Fiction and Platforms funding rounds. She also supports the Head of Funding with the operations, systems, and processes for these funding streams. Kelly has worked in screen industries across Europe, North America and Aotearoa for more than 25 years. She has produced award-winning films, television and commercials – and has experience in factual television, feature films and commercial content. She has worked at ITN and NBC Universal in London, and most recently worked as Managing Director of Ignition Creative, a film trailer production house and Territory Studio, which produces VFX for feature films and television. kelly@nzonair.govt.nz

Anna Currie - Senior Funding Policy Advisor - Kaitohutohu Kaupapahere Pūtea Matua

Anna provides high level strategic and operational funding policy advice and support to the organisation. This includes analysis of funding trends, processes, and gaps, and establishing, shaping, and implementing clear funding policies aligned with the organisation's priorities and strategic plans. Anna has held different roles within the NZ On Air Funding team since 2014 and she now balances this part-time role with life at home with her two young children. She has a Master of Arts (Media Studies) specialising in television and a lifelong passion for public media. anna@nzonair.govt.nz

Nicole Rex Taofinu'u - Senior Funding Advisor - Kaitohutohu Kaupapahere Pūtea

Nicole Rex specialises in Community Broadcast Platforms and Pacific Media at NZ On Air. With a career spanning more than 15 years as a radio broadcaster and later running radio stations as a radio operations manager, her experience and passion has always been one of service. In 2017, she joined NZ On Air as a Funding Advisor to help creatives navigate the intricacies of public media funding. Her creative and business experience has helped her to lead numerous initiatives for NZ On Air. Nicole is a proud Niuean from Avatele and also a busy mum with three children. nicole@nzonair.govt.nz

Heperi Mita - Funding Advisor - Kaitohutohu Pūtea

Heperi has worked as an independent filmmaker, a Māori Collections Archivist, a public speaker, an assessor for the New Zealand Film Commission and Te Māngai Pāho, a Board member of Ngā Aho Whakaari (and junior Board member for NZFC), and a sports journalist. His documentary MERATA: How Mum Decolonised the Screen played at the Sundance and Berlin Film Festivals in 2019. He is a passionate advocate for the advancement of diversity and inclusion in Aotearoa’s media industry. heperi@nzonair.govt.nz

Steven Gannaway - Funding Advisor Development - Kaitohutohu Pūtea – Whakawhanake

Steven assists with the screen funding rounds and provides project specific research and reporting. He was the Executive Director of the New Zealand Writers Guild for more than eight years, providing advice on screenwriter contracting, chain-of-title, advocacy for the film and television industry in New Zealand, and he established and administered the NZWG Seed Grants initiative. Steven is a writer and has a Bachelor of Fine Arts. steven@nzonair.govt.nz

Sarah Donaldson - Audience and Media Strategist - Kaiwhatakoto Rautaki Pāpāho

Sarah's role was created in 2021 to bolster cross-platform measurement and audience engagement with funded content. She provides insights on audience engagement with content, and oversees the performance of content marketing campaigns. sarahd@nzonair.govt.nz

Gabriel Thomas - Journalism Manager - Kaiwhakahaere o te Rīpoatatanga

Gabriel has more than 20 years of journalism experience, working at Three/Newshub, RNZ and the BBC World Service TV. Over 10 years at Three, she covered a number of roles including Executive Producer of Firstline and The Nation, producer on the 6pm news and producer of the 2014 election campaign coverage. At RNZ she was a bulletin editor and a producer on Morning Report. gabrielt@nzonair.govt.nz

Han-ah Kim - Funding Administrator - Kaiwhakahaere Tahua Pūtea

Han-ah is responsible for managing funding systems and coordinating projects. She brings with her a 'Swiss army knife' of skills from her years in film production and entertainment event management. Han-ah is the first-responder for queries for the Funding Team, and strives to ensure an informative and supportive experience for the team, stakeholders and applicants alike. In her spare time, Han-ah writes and produces podcasts focusing on the human condition. Han-ah@nzonair.govt.nz

The Music team manages music funding and promotions work.

Teresa Patterson - Head of Music - Tumuaki o Te Puoro

Teresa is part of the Senior Leadership Team, heads the Music team and is based in Tāmaki Makaurau. She has worked in the Aotearoa music and arts industry in a wide variety of roles across major music labels, artist management, music festival and music tour management, marketing and PR, and mentorship. She used to head the Music Managers Forum Aotearoa, is on the board for SoundCheck Aotearoa and the Little Family Foundation. Teresa has a Diploma in Advertising and Marketing from AUT. teresa@nzonair.govt.nz

Jeff Newton - Music Promoter (Platforms) - Kaiwhakahau Puoro (Pūnaha Rorohiko)

Jeff is our radio plugger and music promo guy tasked with getting the music we fund seen and heard. He is based in the Auckland office. Jeff worked in the radio industry for 14 years in a number of on-air roles at both Mediaworks and TRN (now NZME.). After a short sojourn in tourism he moved into record labels as the Promotions Manager at EMI Music NZ. Jeff holds a Diploma in Commercial Broadcasting from the NZ Radio Training School and his iwi is Tainui Awhiro. jeff@nzonair.govt.nz

Casey Yeoh - Music Promoter (Content) and Acting Music Funding Advisor – Kaiwhakahau Puoro (Kaupapa) me te Kaitohutohu Pūtea Puoro

Acting Music Funding Advisor until May 2025

Casey is part of the Music Team based in Tāmaki Makaurau, primarily focused on uplifting the fantastic artists, music and content coming out of Aotearoa. Casey has a background in visual graphic design, videography, promotion and management, with an emphasis on working alongside musicians and artists. Casey holds a Bachelor of Communication Design, majoring in Branding and minoring in Information Design from Auckland University of Technology (AUT). casey@nzonair.govt.nz

Grace Leota - Acting Music Funding and Music Promoter (Content) Co-ordinator - Kairuruku Pūtea Pūoro me te Kaitautoko Pūoro (Ihirangi)

Grace (Rongowhakaata, Ngāti Porou) is part of the Music Team based in Tāmaki Makaurau and assists with the contracting of music funded by NZ On Air. She grew up in the Aotearoa Music Industry and has been working for various industry bodies since she was 14, including The Music Managers Forum and SoundCheck Aotearoa. Grace also heads the Information Department at Soundsplash Festival in the off-season. gracel@nzonair.govt.nz

Holly Kitney - Acting Music Funding Administrator

Holly (Ngāti Pūkenga) is the Acting Music Funding Administrator, working closely with the Head of Music and the wider team to support the growth and success of Aotearoa’s vibrant music scene. Holly has experience working with international major labels both in finance and administration and is now focused on helping local artists thrive both domestically and internationally. holly@nzonair.govt.nz

The GDSR team administers the GDSR and all the details of the registration process, application and assessment.

Chantelle Cole - Kaiwhakahaere Kaupapa | Programme Director for the GDSR

Chantelle, a leader and advocate for the games sector, is a former CEO of Dinosaur Polo Club, where she steered the studio to international acclaim, earning nominations at the Independent Games Festival, the supreme award at the NZ Game Awards and 12th position on the Deloitte Fast50. Passionate about fostering diversity in games, Chantelle has represented women in the industry for Apple on International Women’s Day and was a finalist in the ‘Inspiring Women Leaders’ category at the NZ International Business Awards. In this role she aims to enhance support for the game development industry in Aotearoa. Outside of work, Chantelle is an avid tea lover, graphic design enthusiast and owner of a Flemish Giant Rabbit. chantelle@nzonair.govt.nz

Tobi Last – Kairuruku Kaupapa | Programme Manager for the GDSR

Tobi manages the day-to-day GDSR operations, with a focus on working with partners to achieve the best outcomes for New Zealand and the wider game development sector. Previously, Tobi was part of Riot Games’ international journey from startup to AAA and developed a knack for coaching and mentoring others. Since coming to Aotearoa, he has worked in the wider tech industry, including a tech-based music startup and several larger organisations, developing an understanding of varied business challenges and how to navigate them. Outside work, Tobi lives and breathes gaming news. He predominantly plays RPGs and turn-based strategy games, has a rescue puppy and enjoys hiking with his wife. tobi@nzonair.govt.nz

The Communications and Research team manages the website, media relations, social media, publications and newsletters, and commissions and produces research.

Allanah Kalafatelis - Head of Communications and Research - Tumuaki o te Whakawhiti Kōrero me te Rangahau

Allanah is part of the Senior Leadership Team. She manages communications across all of NZ On Air’s functions. This includes media relations, website and social media management, and stakeholder engagement. She also manages our research programme, ensuring we have insights and data to underpin our strategy. She has previously been Communications Manager at the Commerce Commission and had a 20-plus year career in journalism. She holds certificates in Broadcasting, Media Law for Senior Journalists, and Public Relations (PRINZ). allanah@nzonair.govt.nz

Suzanne De Spong – Senior Communications Advisor - Kaitohutohu Whakawhiti Kōrero Mātāmua

Suzanne is based in Tāmaki Makaurau and is part of the team that manages media relations, newsletter production, issues management, social media and stakeholder engagement across NZ On Air. She began her career as a journalist with TVNZ, learning to become a compelling storyteller, before moving into the world of communications. She’s worked for a number of organisations including Skills Consulting Group and The Warehouse Group on all things PR. Suzanne has a Bachelor of Communications (Journalism) and is an avid tennis player.

suzanne@nzonair.govt.nz

Nina Lesperance - Communications Advisor - Kaitohu Whakawhiti Kōrero

Nina oversees NZ On Air’s social media channels, and assists with web publishing and staying in touch with stakeholders through newsletters and releases. She helps to promote the content we fund, and liaises with content creators to ensure branding is correctly applied to content. She has worked at a number of organisations including Radio New Zealand and SOUNZ Centre for New Zealand Music. Nina holds a Bachelor of Arts in Media Studies and Māori Resource management. nina@nzonair.govt.nz

Dr Fairooz Samy - Research Advisor - Kaitohu Rangahau

Fairooz conducts research projects to understand our sectors and the impacts of our work, and to identify gaps. She liaises with other agencies on potential joint research projects and knowledge sharing, and assists the Head of Communications and Research with large scale audience research projects. Fairooz was previously the Journalism Funding Advisor, and prior to that worked in the humanitarian and community sectors. She has completed a PhD thesis in Media Studies at Victoria University about the industrial and cultural practices of internet-distributed television and considers herself to be a pop culture aficionada. fairooz@nzonair.govt.nz