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.
Zahra Habibi
Youth leader
Zahra Habibi was first introduced to Mixit by alumni Izadine Abdallah. She has been a part of our Youth Leadership programme since 2018. After completing her studies at Mangere College in 2019, she hopes to study Medicine or Optometry at Auckland University. She says "Mixit is fun part of my life at the moment. I just stay away from all the pressur...
Mu Nyay
Youth leader
Mu Nyay has been coming to Mixit since 2013. She was appointed as a Youth Leader in 2018, and enjoys contributing to the Youth Leadership programme through spending time on the floor. "I love it when I’m on the floor because I can’t think of anything but having fun and I believe that everyone feels the same way as me." In year 12 at St Dominic's, h...
Younis Ahmat Abdallah
Youth leader
Younis Ahmat Abdallah has been part of the Mixit family for 3 years, and joined our Youth Leadership programme in 2018. He is currently in Year 12 at Mangere College, and also studies Building at MIT. When he finishes school he hopes to become a builder and actor.
Team
Te Rawhina McDowell
Financial Manager
Te Rawhina McDowell graduated with a degree in Economics and Statistics in 2001 and subsequently never worked as either an economist or a statistician. She has however been a Policy Adviser, Manager of Backpackers Hostel in Chile, English Teacher, Research Centre Business Manager and Accounts Administrator, and is a full-time Mum as well as Mixit’s...
Shari Lett
Project Manager
Shari Lett is an educator, curator and project manager who is committed to creating meaningful connections between people and the arts. Prior to relocating to Tāmaki Makaurau in 2018, she was the Art Gallery of New South Wales’ Archivist of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Collections, and Studio Manager for artist Ben Quilty. Since completin...
Tahi-Mapp Borren
Programme Leader
Tahi has a BA in Anthropology and Theatre from Victoria University and went on to graduate from Toi Whakaari (NZ Drama School) in 2003. Since then Tahi has devised and performed her own solo works and collaborated professionally in a range of new NZ Theatre. Her work includes devising, teaching, and dramaturgy, for both theatre and multi-disciplina...
Board members
Mike Becroft
Trustee
Michael is an Art Director in film and been part of the NZ film industry since the early 1980s. Closely associated with Mixit since it was established in 2006, he was the inaugural Chair of the Board. He retains a seat at the board table providing a steady voice of reason, a wise overview and ensures the project remains true to its core purpose, al...
Mark Easterbrook
Trustee
Mark works as a Writer and Creative Director in the advertising and design industry, as well as volunteering his time for arts and charity organisations. As a creative thinker, he aims to join the dots between ideas and people to help build Mixit’s connections and tell our story. As a Mixit trustee, he brings a calm, optimistic approach to what we ...
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...
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.
Batanai Mashingaidze
Alumni squad
Batanai is an emerging professional artist who has worked in a range of roles since graduating from Toi Whakaari as an actor. She has been employed as a performer in theatre, film, on dance projects and as an AD in the film industry. She was a creative coach on a Mixit summer project FRESH EYES and the Assistant Director on the JUMP CUT summer proj...
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...
Selected guest artists
Mike & Bronwyn Baker:
Ariel Acrobats & Circus Tutors
Ilai Amar:
Film maker
Alexander Holloway:
Stage Combat
Margaret-Mary Hollins:
Theatre Director & Performer
Ben Crowder:
Actor
Bianca Hyslop:
Choreographer & Performer
Gaby Thomas:
Choreographer & Performer
Tama Jarman:
Theatre Director & Performer
Sparrow Phillips:
Artist
Bert Van Dijk:
Theatre Director & Performer
Ahi Kahrunahran:
Theatre Director
Ebon Grayman:
Performer & Aerial Acrobat
Don McGlashan:
Composer & Musician
Sarah-Jane Blake:
Visual Installation & Designer
Katy Parker:
Visual Theatre Artist
Ella Becroft:
Photographer & Graphic Designer
Andi Crowne:
Photographer
Felix Becroft:
Performer & Musician
Mel Bailey aka Kloos:
Performer & Musician
Daniel Ortiz Rodreiguez:
Composer & Musician
Paulo Rotondo:
Director & Writer
Eddie Elliott:
Choreographer & Performer
Tawanda Manyimo:
Theatre Director & Performer
Emily Carter & Natalie Keane:
Costume Stylists
Chris Jannides:
Choreographer & Director
Eve Gordon & Dust Palace:
Performers & Aerial Acrobats
Chris O’Connor:
Composer & Musician
Katy Burton:
Choreographer & Performer
Justin Haiu:
Choreographer & Performer
Megan Bardsley:
Graphic Designer
Helen Todd:
Lighting Designer
Moss Patterson:
Choreographer
Muhammad Ali Kanwal:
Musician & Performer
Chris Graham:
Theatre Director & Performer
Elijah Kennar:
Choreographer & Performer
Malia Johnston:
Choreographer & Director
Yair Katz:
Musician
Jahra Wasasala:
Multi-Disciplinary Artist
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.comOvalhouse 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.
