Our Trustees
Pauline Harper is currently co-manager of Volunteer Wellington, an organisation dedicated to being a catalyst for community involvement in greater Wellington. She has spent several years as a journalist, often writing about artists and arts projects. She travels regularly to India and is interested in promoting international networks and cultural conversations.
Moira Wairama is a Wellington storyteller, playwright, poet, and a member of the Writers Block initiative. She has written a number of plays for stage and radio and also writes for children. In 2006 she was awarded the Joy Cowley Book Award. Moira, who is Pakeha, is well known for her bilingual tellings of traditional Maori legends and her own original stories. She’s co-founder of the Baggage Co-op and Secretary/Treasurer of the Baggage Arts Charitable Trust (BACT). She teaches part time at Te Ara Whanui Kura Kaupapa Maori and has three adult children.
Tony Hopkins is a Black Cherokee, actor, storyteller and poet originally from Washington DC now living in Wellington. He has acted on stage, screen and television in both Europe and New Zealand. As a storyteller, he specialises in the telling of African, African American and Native American legends and personal stories from his own life experiences. Also co-founder of the Baggage Co-op and chairman of the Baggage Arts Charitable Trust (BACT). He works as a casual host at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa (Te Papa).
Ann Purton works as a flight information officer in Christchurch. In her spare time she enjoys creating things with wood, especially children's toys and tramping in the New Zealand bush.
Manea Pasilio was born in Tokelau and came to New Zealand at aged nine. Writing has always been a part of Manea's life. Her poetry has been published in several anthologies featuring Pacific writers and she is currently working on the very first Tokelaun film script.
Amanda Hereaka (Ngati Tuwharetoa, Te Arawa) was the Kaihautu Auaha of Taki Rua Productions from 2003 to early 2006. Since leaving Taki Rua Productions she has worked as a contractor for the AIDS Foundation and Lake Taupo Arts Festival. Amanda has worked for several organisations including Downstage, Black Grace Dance Company and Fringe NZ Festival. She is currently the Chair of the Wellington Creative Communities committee and on the board for the Te Aokarere Land Trust. For the 2006 STAB season at BATS, she produced and directed the critically acclaimed Open Book Production of I Ain't Nothing But A Glimmer In The Dark, She Said.
Sonal Patel is BACT's off-shore trustee based in Brisbane, Australia. A screenwriting graduate from the London Film School, Sonal has experience as a Production Manager, Producer, Publicist and Director in NZ and the UK (though not all at once ... sometimes!). She has toured shows to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Melbourne International Comedy Festival, NZ International Arts Festival and various fringe festivals around NZ. She is currently working as a Script Editor and Screenwriter
Whiti Hereaka (Ngati Tuwharetoa, Te Arawa) is an award winning writer who has written for theatre, radio, film and print. In 2007, Whiti was the Randell Cottage Writer in Residence where she worked on her debut novel The Graphologist's Apprentice (ISBN 978-1-86969-422-7).
Whiti has twice won Best New Play by a Maori Playwright in Playmarket's Adam New Play Awards with Te Kaupoi in 2010 and with Rona and Rabbit on the Moon in 2011.
Pauline Harper is currently co-manager of Volunteer Wellington, an organisation dedicated to being a catalyst for community involvement in greater Wellington. She has spent several years as a journalist, often writing about artists and arts projects. She travels regularly to India and is interested in promoting international networks and cultural conversations.
Moira Wairama is a Wellington storyteller, playwright, poet, and a member of the Writers Block initiative. She has written a number of plays for stage and radio and also writes for children. In 2006 she was awarded the Joy Cowley Book Award. Moira, who is Pakeha, is well known for her bilingual tellings of traditional Maori legends and her own original stories. She’s co-founder of the Baggage Co-op and Secretary/Treasurer of the Baggage Arts Charitable Trust (BACT). She teaches part time at Te Ara Whanui Kura Kaupapa Maori and has three adult children.
Tony Hopkins is a Black Cherokee, actor, storyteller and poet originally from Washington DC now living in Wellington. He has acted on stage, screen and television in both Europe and New Zealand. As a storyteller, he specialises in the telling of African, African American and Native American legends and personal stories from his own life experiences. Also co-founder of the Baggage Co-op and chairman of the Baggage Arts Charitable Trust (BACT). He works as a casual host at the Museum of New Zealand Te Papa Tongarewa (Te Papa).
Ann Purton works as a flight information officer in Christchurch. In her spare time she enjoys creating things with wood, especially children's toys and tramping in the New Zealand bush.
Manea Pasilio was born in Tokelau and came to New Zealand at aged nine. Writing has always been a part of Manea's life. Her poetry has been published in several anthologies featuring Pacific writers and she is currently working on the very first Tokelaun film script.
Amanda Hereaka (Ngati Tuwharetoa, Te Arawa) was the Kaihautu Auaha of Taki Rua Productions from 2003 to early 2006. Since leaving Taki Rua Productions she has worked as a contractor for the AIDS Foundation and Lake Taupo Arts Festival. Amanda has worked for several organisations including Downstage, Black Grace Dance Company and Fringe NZ Festival. She is currently the Chair of the Wellington Creative Communities committee and on the board for the Te Aokarere Land Trust. For the 2006 STAB season at BATS, she produced and directed the critically acclaimed Open Book Production of I Ain't Nothing But A Glimmer In The Dark, She Said.
Sonal Patel is BACT's off-shore trustee based in Brisbane, Australia. A screenwriting graduate from the London Film School, Sonal has experience as a Production Manager, Producer, Publicist and Director in NZ and the UK (though not all at once ... sometimes!). She has toured shows to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Melbourne International Comedy Festival, NZ International Arts Festival and various fringe festivals around NZ. She is currently working as a Script Editor and Screenwriter
Whiti Hereaka (Ngati Tuwharetoa, Te Arawa) is an award winning writer who has written for theatre, radio, film and print. In 2007, Whiti was the Randell Cottage Writer in Residence where she worked on her debut novel The Graphologist's Apprentice (ISBN 978-1-86969-422-7).
Whiti has twice won Best New Play by a Maori Playwright in Playmarket's Adam New Play Awards with Te Kaupoi in 2010 and with Rona and Rabbit on the Moon in 2011.