After an enthusiastic but innocuous career in junior soccer, badminton and rugby union, Graeme has accrued over 20 years’ experience leading international sports programmes, and developing successful athlete and coach pathways.

These include stints with Queensland Swimming, British and NZ Triathlon, Welsh Rugby Union, UK coaching and Millfield School in England.

Graeme has the distinction of having represented three different nations in support at summer Olympic Games, and been Chef de Mission for Great Britain at the World University Games.

When not supporting others, Graeme can be found riding various bicycles, hiking up or skiing down mountains, or exasperating his family and livestock on their Waikato lifestyle block at Tamahere.

Karen is passionate about creating opportunities for tamariki and rangatahi; she has been involved with Perry Outdoor Education Trust for a number of years, the last twelve as POET General Manager. POET partners with schools to support teacher facilitated outdoor education programmes in low decile secondary schools. Much of Karen’s work involves managing a range of stakeholder relationships, crucial in meeting their strategic outcomes.

Prior to POET, Karen worked in a role responsible for the distribution of funding to NFP organisations.

Karen has extensive governance experience, including the National COGS committee and currently, Outdoor Education NZ.

Alison, born and raised on a family farm in Walton, has played, coached, and mentored NZ netballers finest.

Coach of New Zealand A, Magic, Northern Force, provincial and age group teams, following a playing career that saw her reach the top level, she has a passion for helping young people strive to achieve.  Add in her experience leading Welsh Netball as their National Performance Director, Netball NZ selector, mentoring for Tania Dalton Foundation and judge on the BOP Sports awards panel for 10 years, and she brings a huge range of experience to the Trust.

Having worked in health and sports management roles, she’s well practiced in managing teams, developing leaders, and looking at opportunities for growth.

Music has been part of her life and this role provides the chance to engage in the performing arts arena alongside the sporting scene.

New challenges for Alison see her managing the Mount Maunganui Lifeguard Service, enjoying playing golf alongside her husband, and keeping a track on their two children who live in Sydney and Wanaka.

David is heavily involved in music education throughout NZ at both secondary and tertiary levels, currently managing the Department of Music & Performing Arts and postgraduate studies in the School of Media Arts at Wintec. He holds a Masters Degree in Arts Management from Central Queensland University and is currently completing a PhD.

David’s involvement in music, education and theatre as director, musical director, composer, orchestrator/arranger and pianist include many successful productions in NZ and Australia; The Rocky Horror Show, Cats, Les Misérables, Oliver starring Richard O’Brien as Fagin, The Phantom of the Opera, Mamma Mia!, Evita, Starlight Express, Mary Poppins, Miss Saigon, Sister Act, Bonnie & Clyde, We Will Rock You, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and Chicago.

As an accomplished pianist, David has worked with numerous New Zealand singers, performers, recording artists and featured as the pianist for the New Zealand Film Archive touring road shows.

David has been awarded an honorary institutional medal from Wintec for his forty-year contribution to the arts, as well as a Merit Award from Musical Theatre New Zealand. In 2014 he was honoured with the prestigious ‘Freedom of the City’ award, an accolade bestowed by Hamilton City recognizing David’s services to the arts and culture in the city over the past thirty-five years.