Choir Office Holders
Patron
Under Discussion
Vice Patron
Dr. Margaret Medlyn ONZM
Vice Patron
Suzanne Snively DNZM ONZM
Arts Administrator
Nigel Macintyre
An established arts administrator who has worked with Orpheus Choir since 2017, Nigel has also held roles at the New Zealand Festival and NZ Opera, among others, covering a range of arts management disciplines. He also acts in governance roles in the arts sector, including both Wellington Treasure Trust (Verb Festival / LitCrawl) and The Zimbelstern Foundation (New Zealand International Organ Festival), for both of which organisations he acts as Treasurer. Prior to entering the arts world, Nigel was a Business Consultant specialising in people-based issues and frequently taking locum senior management roles across a range of industries.
Board Members
Tom Acroyd
Tom is an Archivist and the Digital Collection Team Leader/Philip Kaiārahi Tira Kohinga Matihiko at Ngā Taonga Sound & Vision in Wellington. He collects and accessions born-digital audiovisual materials, mostly of feature films, short films, web series and other internet-disseminated works. Tom also helps collect Taonga Māori TV masters – programmes in Te Reo Māori, the Māori language. He is chair of the Wellington branch of ARANZ, the Archives & Records Association of New Zealand/Te Huinga Mahara, and also a union delegate for the PSA/Te Pūkenga Here Tikanga Mahi. Talk to me about anything.
James Asquith
James is a strategy and business development professional with over 20 years of international corporate experience. His background is in product management and marketing with the capability to combine technical expertise with commercial acumen and strategic insight. James is skilled in B2B Sales and Marketing, Product Management, Strategy, Negotiation, Operations, Programme Leadership and Management. James joined Orpheus when he moved to New Zealand three years ago, having previously sung choirs and been involved with their governance in the UK and the US.
Rachael Dewar
Rachael Dewar is the founder and principal of Rachael Dewar Law. A senior family lawyer, with over 30 years’ experience in the field, Rachael is also a long-standing member of the Wellington Family Law Committee of the NZ Law Society and currently serves on the Executive Committee of the Family Law Section. Outside of work, other than singing with Orpheus, Rachael is active in the local community. She volunteers at the Soup Kitchen and is an avid reader and dedicated book club member.
Debbie Gee (Deputy Chair)
Debbie holds a number of work portfolios: Associate at Project Plus; Managing Director at Finishing Touch; specialist in stakeholder engagement, strategic and change communications, and reputation and brand management; trainer, coach, facilitator, MC, presenter and public speaker. Debbie is of Ngāi Tahu/Kati Mamoe descent and has good understanding of and deep respect for Tikanga Māori. She holds an MBA from Victoria University of Wellington, a member of the Institute of Directors, Vice President and Advocacy Committee Chair of the Zonta Club of Wellington and a Deputy Chair and Board Member of Volunteer Wellington.
Frances Manwaring (Chair)
Frances is an experienced company director with an international communications career spanning more than three decades at senior level in sectors ranging from international media and publishing to retail. As Managing Director of Creative Agency Moxie Communications, Frances is a specialist in brand strategy and visual and written communications. She is Chartered as a Company Secretary, was co-found founder and Chair of tech startup ShowGizmo, is a former member of the Board of the National Council of Women of NZ and Trustee of Opera Hawke’s Bay, and has also held a range of governance and advisory roles in the NZ, UK, France and Spain.
Philip Oliver
Philip has been an Orpheus Scholar since 2017. He is currently studying towards a PhD in Software Engineering. Philip started singing while at Tawa College and has been extensively involved in choirs since. In his final years at Tawa, Philip sang with the New Zealand Secondary Students’ Choir (2015-2016). Since then, he has been involved with the Wellington Youth Choir, Orpheus and currently sings with the New Zealand Youth Choir (2020-2022). Philip is the Music Director of Wellington Youth Choir. Philip enjoys the inclusivity of choirs and loves how choirs can come together to make a stunning sound which you can’t get with fewer people. This scholarship will help Philip continue his singing as he travels to Australia with the New Zealand Youth Choir at the end of the year.
Sophi Rose
Sophi currently leads the Brand, Marketing and Communications team at the Institute of Directors and is passionate about the power of brand to drive a strong future for organisations and their stakeholders. She has a background working in brand, marketing, communications and PR in New Zealand, Australia, the US and UK across a range of industry sectors and businesses including professional bodies, government, not for profits and corporates.