Geoff Bartlett
Chair
Before moving to Whangarei, Geoff worked in Australia in the Non-Profit sector, as well as an actor, journalist and author. As an actor, Geoff has appeared in feature roles in TV shows such as All Saints, Water Rats and Home and Away. As a journalist, Geoff’s articles and interviews have run in over 20 publications, including The Sydney Morning Herald, The West Australian, The New Zealand Herald and Pacific Island Paradises. Geoff is also the Author of four books and has taught writing workshops in NZ and Australia. His latest creative work is a play – The Illiterate Book Club. It has currently been signed for four productions in NZ with its premiere in Australia slated for 2025. In a management role, Geoff has worked with Non-profit organisations for over 20 years. His areas of focus include fostering new streams of revenue and growing an organisation’s audience base. In addition to his role on the board of Creative Northland, Geoff also works with the Whangarei Film Society.
Dr. Carol Peters
Trustee (WDC Representative)
Carol is our WDC appointed representative to the board. She is a strong advocate for the arts, social and community development.
Her links in Northland include One Double Five Community House Whare Awhina, best known for its free legal services; Tai Tokerau Emergency Housing Trust; Open Arms day centre for the homeless; and Northland’s Food Rescue. She is also a key member of Tai Tokerau Climate Change Action and a founding member of Northland television channel and video production company CNorth.
Carol Ashton
Carol loves her job as Programme Manager for Springboard Trust in Northland, supporting Principals with strategic planning and leadership development programmes.
Carol says ‘I am really excited by the opportunity to become a trustee for Creative Northland, and to contribute to fostering creativity, especially for our young people’.
Ralph Johnson
Russel Mooyman
Ataria Rangipikitia Sharman
Ataria (Ngāpuhi, Tapuika and Pākehā) is a writer and editor. She is the creator of Awa Wahine, Kaiwāwāhi Kaupapa Māori at The Pantograph Punch and a Creative Northland board member.
Ataria has a Masters of Arts in Māori Studies and her dissertation focussed on Mana Wahine and the Atua Wāhine. During her Master’s studies she wrote the manuscript for children’s fiction novel Hine and the Tohunga’s Portal. This was one of five selected for Te Papa Tupu 2018 and has been published by Huia Publishers in July 2021. Ataria’s writing has been published on E-Tangata, The Pantograph Punch, Awa Wahine, Ensemble, Love in the Time of COVID: A Chronicle of a Pandemic, Creative Junction and The Māori Literature Trust, and her poetry was featured in IHO: A Collaborative Exhibition about Māori Hair.
Ataria curated two events for Verb Festival in 2019. Ataria grew up in Te Whanganui-a-Tara and now lives in Whangārei, Te Tai Tokerau with her partner Te Piha Niha.
