Our Team
Kim Bailey
CCAT Chief Executive
Kim (she/her) is excited to rejoin the Creative Capital Arts Trust as the Chief Executive. Kim has worked in Theatre Management throughout New Zealand, Australia, and the United Kingdom. Previous roles have included Regional Site Manager (Stage School Australia), Venue Manager (Turner Centre, Kerikeri), Box Office Manager (Assembly Rooms- Edinburgh Fringe). Kim currently produces for Primarily Dance and Kim Bailey Productions and since returning to New Zealand in 2020 has produced Grooves! mini tour (2020), The Nutcracker (2020 & 2021), Grooves! South Island Tour (2021), Comedy of Errors (2021), Macbeth (2021 & 2022), Pointe Shoes and ShowBiz (2022), Melodrama (2022) and premiered Mens Rea at NZ Fringe 2023. Kim was also a founding member of The Stage Door Community Theatre. Kim is an expert in harnessing the power of people to motivate, drive positive change and strategic direction, and inspires teams to exceed expectations while maintaining a happy, safe and supportive work environment.
Vanessa Stacey
Festival Director
Vanessa Stacey (she/her) is a Wellington-based Māori artist, producer, writer and director with over twenty years of experience in creative arts and education. She has worked extensively in the theatre, film, music, and television as an Actor, Singer, Producer and Director in New Zealand, Australia and the UK. She has previously been the coordinator and director of Whitireia's Screen Acting Course, Short Film Director of Film at National Youth Drama School for 8yrs, and guest tutor at UCOL, Whitireia and Massey. Vanessa has worked as an artist and tour manager with many well-known New Zealand bands, Vanessa produced stages for Home Grown, produced the TORA TORA TORA Festival, and has also performed at many festivals as a guest vocalist. She has also worked as an artist and festival publicist for festivals and events including NZ Fringe. Vanessa is excited to put her years of experience into her role and after the success 2023, looks forward to her third season at the helm of New Zealand Fringe.
Emlou Lattimore
CCAT Marketing Director
Emlou Lattimore (they/them) is a strategic communications and marketing specialist with a love for Te Whanganui-a-Tara and its incredible art and music scene. They began their career at the Ministry for Primary Industries in ministerial advisor roles, before moving to London and taking up an administration contract at the NZ High Commission. They moved into strategic communications for the UK government at the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. After two years in this role, Emlou returned home and has since worked as a freelance academic editor, art writer, and recently for the New Zealand International Film Festival. Since 2022, they have worked as Marketing Manager, and now Marketing Director for CCAT. In their spare time, they also co-run local electronic music collective Practice Presents.
Toa Waaka
Kaupapa Māori Advisor
Toa (la) is a professionally trained actor, events & film producer over 30 years in the film, television and theatre industry. Toa is the founding member and vice-president of the SMART Trust (Society for Māori Astronomy Research & Traditions) who have members advising at national to local and central Government levels, including through the Matariki advisory panel. Toa also provides Māori Strategic Advice to organisations such as Te Taumata o Te Pūtahitanga o Te Waipounamu – Whānau Ora Commissioning Agency Governance board, Ministry for Environment, University of Otago ki Pōneke, Storybox, Wellington City Council and Wētā Workshop.
Fay Van Der Meulen
Artists and Venue Manager
Since leaving university, she has performed at the Hamilton Gardens Arts Festival; founded the Fringe-award-winning production company Blue Flicker Productions; produced and managed a touring production across the South Island; led marketing campaigns for TAHI New Zealand Festival of Solo Performance and The Performance Arcade; worked on the Stage Management team for WOW World of Wearable Arts, managed the Box Office at Circa Theatre, and much more. Fay has produced a plethora of productions in the New Zealand Fringe Festival including most recently the award-winning Only Bones – Daniel Nodder. She is stoked to join the Fringe team as the Artist and Venue Manager at the Festival.
Maria Williams
Ticketing Manager
Maria Williams (she/her) is a performer, teacher and events professional based in Te Whanganui-a-Tara. She is back at NZ Fringe after a 5-year hiatus, and thrilled to be back! She has also worked for NZ International Comedy Festival, Auckland Arts Festival, NZ Improv Festival, Verb festival and Festival for the Future amongst others. As a performer she does comedy, improv, theatre and writing. She has worked with Capital E, Barbarian, and Binge Culture amongst others. She is a NZ Fringe award and NZ International Comedy Festival award winner (and loser).
Huia Haupapa
Marketing Coordinator
E: marketingcoordinator@ccat.org.nz
Huia (she/her) joins the CCAT team as Marketing Coordinator after beginning her Wellington festival journey with the New Zealand International Film Festival in 2023. Born and bred in the Pōneke art scene, she has interests in music, film, theatre, and visual art. She grew up learning classical piano and completed her performance grades with Trinity College in 2016. At Victoria University of Wellington Te Herenga Waka, she earned a Bachelor of Arts with a major in Film and minor in Sociology. Most recently she’s been performing on-stage keys and backing vocals for artist Eli Superflyy. Huia has found a passion in working with digital content coordination and communications that complement her admiration of the arts and working at Aotearoa festivals.
Milicent Ghosh
Content Producer
Jared McOnie
Designer
Returning for his second year as the designer for the Fringe and CubaDupa festivals, Jared (he/him) is a Te Whanganui-a-Tara-based freelance web and graphic designer. He has previously worked with local businesses like Seashore Cabaret, StoreStuff and Mana Pounamu Consulting, creating a wide range of deliverables such as logos, posters and merch design. Jared is very passionate about accessibility within design, but also likes to push the boundaries of common design practices, delving into the world of "anti-design" within his own creative projects.
Catarina Gutierrez
Festival Administrator
Catarina Gutierrez (she/her) is a bicycle fanatic who lives in Wellington. She is an experienced freelance marketing/community manager with a keen eye on all things admin. She enjoys telling stories about incredible social enterprises in Aotearoa, having worked with and for many over the years since moving from the US over a decade ago. As a keen advocate of Wellington, she serves as Treasurer of Women in Urbanism Aotearoa and enjoys seeing people smile and laugh on the streets. Catarina likes her coffee slow while practicing her film photography and painting in her home studio.
Cheree Ridder
Publicist
Cheree (she/her) is a freelance publicity & marketing consultant, working mainly across the music, arts and events industries. She's worked extensively in promotions, publicity and marketing in both the Australian and New Zealand markets. After spending nearly a decade in Australia working in the record industry, she returned to New Zealand in 2013, determined to work closely and collaboratively with varied clients, ensuring each got the tailored and dedicated work they deserved from a Publicist or Marketing Consultant. Cheree works across all areas of media in New Zealand both on a national and regional scale and loves the close relationships this allows her to form with both clients and the industry.
James Wilson
Development and Fundraising Manager
James (he/him) has worked in fundraising for arts, culture and heritage organisations since arriving in Aotearoa in 2005 as General Manager for Massive Theatre Company, at Q Theatre, first as Programmes and Development Manager, and then as Chief Executive, and at Tauranga City Council, initially as Manager at Baycourt Community and Arts Centre, and then as Manager: Arts, Culture and Heritage. James also served on the executive board of the Performing Arts Network New Zealand (PANNZ), and co-chaired the organisation for four years. James currently serves on the executive board of EVANZ, the peak body for live entertainment venues in New Zealand.