Mixit is all about people. Meet our Alumni, our Youth Leaders and the support team that have made Mixit what it is today.
Youth leaders
Mixit has a dynamic Youth Leadership programme. This programme offers motivated individuals an opportunity to step up into roles where they face new challenges and opportunities to grow their skills.
Youth Leaders take on organisational and planning responsibilities, gain experience of creative facilitation skills, manage the digital media aspects of the project, have the opportunity and support to initiate events and projects that inspire them. The youth leaders are an integral and dynamic team within Mixit and work hard together to make a difference.
Oumaima Ahmat Abdallah
Youth Leader
Oumaima has been coming to Mixit for 5 years, and is the third in her family to become a Mixit Youth Leader. She is in year 12 at Mangere College and loves learning new languages, fashion design and watching Kdramas. After school Oumaima wants to become a fashion designer and actress because she really enjoys exploring her creative side, and wants ...
Sajal Taneja
Youth Leader
Sajal started coming to Mixit in 2019, and was appointed as a junior Youth Leader in early 2020. He loves coming to Mixit to socialise and build his creative skills. “I come here for enjoyment, at the end of every Saturday I feel like I should come next week, it’s the best place for anyone to enjoy, do, create and increase creativity.”
Laya Rasooli
Youth Leader
Laya is a Mixit youth leader who began participating in the Mixit project in late 2020. She loves Mixit's energy and cosy atmosphere. The friendly environment encourages activity and creativity.Laya is currently pursuing a degree in Architecture and a minor degree in Creative Technologies. Additionally, she works as a product marketing designer. La...
Team
Wendy Preston MNZM
Creative Producer/Director
Wendy has over 30 years of professional involvement as a choreographer, director, tutor, performer and artistic producer/manager. She has worked extensively with young people on performance projects throughout her career, focusing on cross-cultural and inter-disciplinary creative interaction. Wendy has collaborated with leading practitioners across...
Munashe Tapfuya
Outreach Activator
Munashe joined Mixit as a participant before going on to become a Youth Leader, and later a member of the inaugural Alumni Squad. She has a degree in Performing Arts and continues to pick up performance opportunities – predominantly on screen. She’s also currently undertaking part time Post Graduate studies in Social and Community Leadership. As ou...
Nicole Beer
Financial Manager
Nicole joined the team to both hold and develop our Financial Management needs. She brings an extensive background of accounting and financial know-how supporting a wide range of community and charitable organisations including Tuilaepa Youth Mentoring (who mentor Pacifica youth at risk), Hibiscus Hospice and the YES Disability Centre. She has also...
Board members
Jan Alley
Chair
Jan ran a Human Resource, Learning and Development consultancy and has recently been involved in organisational development for organisations as varied as Westpac NZ Limited, Watercare, NZ Transport and the University of Auckland. Jan’s extensive governance experience gives her the steady capability to guide the board. She is constantly inspired by...
Fardowsa Mohamed
Trustee
As a teenager Fardowsa was a Mixit participant, then Youth Leader before she left Auckland to take on medical studies. She’s now a medical doctor working for Auckland Hospital with an interest in surgery. Around her busy professional life she is a respected poet, and continues to train in martial arts, she currently has a red belt in Kung Fu. Fardo...
Susan Davis
Trustee
Susan has a background teaching and engaging with visual arts and poetry initiatives. As a trustee she brings a set of skills that connects the space between Board and Management and flows through to direct mentoring of the Mixit participants. Susan hosts our annual Youth Leaders retreats on her rural property in Northland and is a deeply committed...
Alumni squad
Mixit Youth Leaders graduate into our Alumni team. The team actively engage on many levels – as Ambassadors, on the Board, mentoring youth, performing for external events, creating music (check out our videos) and participating in continued training to creatively lead and manage outreach opportunities.
Munashe Tapfuya
Alumni squad
Munashe was brought along to Mixit when she was mid-way through a Performing Arts Degree. She immediately felt at home and recognised this could be her new fam. A performer and singer who loves music and dance, Munashe has performed on both stage and screen. She has also branched out and developed some business skills and is interested in growing t...
Meg Sydenham
Alumni squad
Meg worked with Mixit for the first time on the 2019 summer project JUMP CUT as a creative coach. She is from an acting background, and recently graduated from Toi Whakaari. Her range of teaching experience is diverse: putting on plays with primary school drama classes, working with kids right through to adults as an acting coach for short films, t...
Ilknur Ozbal
Alumni quad
Ilknur joined the Youth Leader programme in early 2019, and the Alumni squad in early 2021. When she's not studying at University you'll find her keeping active through playing sports and going to the gym. She is also interested in promoting the value diversity and encouraging people to be happy with their differences.
Selected guest artists
Paulo Rotondo:
Director & Writer
Gaby Thomas:
Choreographer & Performer
Margaret-Mary Hollins:
Theatre Director & Performer
Tawanda Manyimo:
Theatre Director & Performer
Ella Becroft:
Photographer & Graphic Designer
Malia Johnston:
Choreographer & Director
Chris Jannides:
Choreographer & Director
Emily Carter & Natalie Keane:
Costume Stylists
Bert Van Dijk:
Theatre Director & Performer
Chris O’Connor:
Composer & Musician
Chris Graham:
Theatre Director & Performer
Mike & Bronwyn Baker:
Ariel Acrobats & Circus Tutors
Ben Crowder:
Actor
Jahra Wasasala:
Multi-Disciplinary Artist
Alexander Holloway:
Stage Combat
Helen Todd:
Lighting Designer
Elijah Kennar:
Choreographer & Performer
Daniel Ortiz Rodreiguez:
Composer & Musician
Mel Bailey aka Kloos:
Performer & Musician
Sparrow Phillips:
Artist
Sarah-Jane Blake:
Visual Installation & Designer
Muhammad Ali Kanwal:
Musician & Performer
Katy Parker:
Visual Theatre Artist
Felix Becroft:
Performer & Musician
Ahi Kahrunahran:
Theatre Director
Ebon Grayman:
Performer & Aerial Acrobat
Eve Gordon & Dust Palace:
Performers & Aerial Acrobats
Eddie Elliott:
Choreographer & Performer
Yair Katz:
Musician
Megan Bardsley:
Graphic Designer
Don McGlashan:
Composer & Musician
Andi Crowne:
Photographer
Moss Patterson:
Choreographer
Tama Jarman:
Theatre Director & Performer
Ilai Amar:
Film maker
Katy Burton:
Choreographer & Performer
Bianca Hyslop:
Choreographer & Performer
Justin Haiu:
Choreographer & Performer
Global connections
Mixit has a growing network of similar inspiring creative organisations that work with young people and marginalized communities. We are interested in making new connections, partnerships and opportunities with like-minded groups. If you have a project and want to link up with Mixit reach out, start talking and join our global connections map.
CAN – Community Arts Northwest, Manchester
can.uk.comProject Phakama, London
projectphakama.orgContact Theatre, Manchester
contactmcr.comRichard Mille Replica
.richardmille.toOvalhouse Theatre, London
ovalhouse.comCounterpoints Arts and Platforma, London
counterpointsarts.org.ukCoHealth Arts Generator, Melbourne
cohealthartsgenerator.comMulticultural Arts Victoria, Melbourne
.multiculturalarts.com.auThe Open University for Refugees, Singapore
initiativeour.orgHelp us continue mixing. Donate now.
We are a charitable trust. The best way to support Mixit is with a regular donation to help fund our work. Donations to Mixit are tax deductible.
Make a regular donation, a one off donation, or get in touch to talk about taking a more personalised approach such as contributing to a specific project, donating your time, or making a large one-off donation.
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