Our team

Gerry Paul

General Manager

Gerry Paul is an award-winning Dublin-born, New Zealand-raised musician and cultural programmer with over 20 years of international experience. As a touring musician, he performed at 500+ festivals across thirty countries with some of the biggest names in folk music, including Grammy winner Tim O’Brien and Sharon Shannon.

Gerry relocated to Te Tai Tokerau from Pōneke Wellington in 2021, where he served as Festival Director of CubaDupa. Under his leadership, the festival won the Wellington Gold Award in the Vibrant category, became a finalist in the New Zealand Event Association Awards for Best Cultural and Best Community events. Gerry was also a finalist for Wellingtonian of the Year 2021 in the Arts category.

As General Manager of the Turner Centre, Gerry brings his extensive artistic background and international connections to develop meaningful cultural exchanges and arts programming in the Far North. He lives in Kerikeri with his wife and daughter.

Tyler Bamber

Venue Operations Manager

Born and raised in the Far North, Tyler brings more than 20 years of hands on experience in hospitality, events, and venue management to his role as Venue Operations Manager at the Turner Centre. With a background in running large live events, festivals and being involved in grassroots level community initiatives, he is joining us after recently selling the Pioneer Tavern, where he was the local publican for the last 10 years while also holding a role on the BOI-Whangaroa Community Board. Passionate about arts, culture and the community, Tyler is excited to be a part of the team bringing a diverse range of exciting events to our local venue.

Ginny Pearson

Event Coordinator

Originally from the UK, Ginny spent her early career as a private chef aboard luxury superyachts that took her around the world & back again. Since settling in New Zealand, her career as progressed to event management which fulfils her love of organising & attention to detail.

She is a busy mother to 2 nearly teenage girls and when time permits, she loves exercising, exploring the outdoors, cooking, entertaining & anything arty.

Mariona Wesselo-Comas

Marketing & Communications Manager

Born in Barcelona and now based in Kerikeri, Mariona brings her creative experience from years as a Creative Art Director at top global ad agencies. With a background in Advertising, Fine Arts, and Computing in the Arts, she’s passionate about using creativity and design to connect people and spark ideas.

Mariona loves working on projects that engage and excite, whether they’re big productions, small moments of magic, or initiatives that bring communities together. Her journey has taken her from crafting campaigns for international brands to contributing to local arts and events here in Te Tai Tokerau.
Outside of work, she juggles life as a mum of three with running, photography, and sneaking in time to explore Northland’s trails and beaches.

Loree Jellick

Event Producer

Loree previously worked as the Events Manager at Waitangi Treaty Grounds where she led successful Waitangi Weeks hosting over 10,000 people across multiple venues on the grounds. Leading events like Waitangi Week and managing such a diverse range of gatherings and initiatives enabled her to steer positive change and create lasting impact. Loree prioritises building relationships and embodying manaakitanga.  She has worked in a variety of different industries including corporate law, design, events and hospitality, training, property, finance, education, and real estate. With a Diploma in Design, Loree relishes the opportunity to bring the community’s creative visions to life. She has qualifications in décor, management, tikanga Māori, sales, and service.

Merv Pinny

Theatre & Studio Technician 

Merv has spent many years in the entertainment business as a performer and songwriter. 2013 he formed M Music Ltd a live production company and recording studio in Kerikeri. Working with many of New Zealand’s top artist as a sound engineer and has worked many local theatre productions. Merv is also the coordinator for the Local Launch Pad a new innovation to bring song writers in front of their local audiences.

Janette Walker

Visitor Experience Manager

Janette, originally from the UK, has lived in New Zealand for 21 years, the last 9 in Kerikeri. Janette brings a wealth of administration skills to the team, where her previous roles included working for various government departments.

Janette is our Visitor Experience Manager, which includes managing all our wonderful volunteers and casual staff here at the Turner Centre.

Janette is a passionate local photographer and loves nothing more than getting up close to nature, and capturing what the eye doesn’t always see. Janette exhibits her work in the Turner Centre exhibitions and the yearly Art Trails around Kerikeri and surrounding areas. Janette is a member of Kerikeri Theatre Company, and has been in lots of productions including Macbeth, Social Climbers and Calendar Girls, which was staged here at the Turner Centre back in 2019.

Cinna Smith

Funding & Community Engagement

Cinna engages with the community to identify opportunities for the Turner Centre to support our diverse communities to experience arts and culture. Born in Whangārei, Cinna returned to the north a decade ago after working across Aotearoa, Asia and the UK as a researcher and writer in the arts, media and television production. She is passionate about community arts, removing barriers to access, and using the arts to tell our stories.

Hana-May Riedlinger-Kapa

Kaiārahi Toi Māori 
Born and raised in Kerikeri Hana-May is of Ngāti Rēhia descent.
Hana has a background in hau ora (health and wellbeing) and is passionate about creating wānanga and exploring wellness through a creative lens that weaves both traditional and modern practices such as breathwork, meditation and Te Ao Māori. Hana has a deep love for toi Māori and practices both rāranga, (weaving) and taonga pūoro (traditional Māori instruments). She is inspired to support and elevate Toi Māori and artists from Te Tai Tokerau to help influence the cultural landscape of the north and strengthen community.

Mariao Tehuranga Hohaia

Trustee

Mariao graduated in 1992 from Northland Polytechnic Applied Arts Drama course working in NZ, and the UK, in writing, directing, acting, and theatre production.

Returning to Kerikeri in 2005, Mariao has worked for Te Runanga a Iwi o Ngapuhi for nearly a decade in both youth development and hapu development. He also serves on the Bay of Islands Arts Festival Trust (Upsurge).

Mariao is currently the Executive Manager of Tapuaetahi Incorporation and with him brings  manawhenua representation to the board on behalf of his hapu, Ngati Rehia.

Kylie Mooney

Chair

Kylie joined the Turner Centre Board in May 2023 and was appointed Chair of the Board in July 2026.

She is an experienced senior executive with experience on both corporate and not for profit boards. Her previous roles were CEO and COO for law firm, and office of the Crown Solicitor, Meredith Connell where she worked for 15 years. Here she was responsible for IT, risk management, finance, HR, marketing, facilities and all operational functions. She has also worked as an independent contractor in project management and change management.

Kylie is currently providing governance support and consulting to clients in both the public and private sector and is the Deputy Chair of the Board for the Kerikeri Retirement Village.

Kylie and her husband have two adult daughters. They moved to Kerikeri in 2022 to spend more time gardening, boating and learning to play golf.

Rachel Smith

Trustee
Rachel brings over two decades of governance experience and a passion for community empowerment. As an elected member of the Far North District Council for six years, she drove initiatives addressing climate change and digital inequities. Rachel’s national leadership includes advocating for diverse representation in governance and resourcing shifts in the arts sector.
Currently, as a Systems and Strategic Lead in a social innovation unit, she focuses on intergenerational health prevention through data-driven approaches. Rachel believes in the critical role of the arts in celebrating identity and promoting social cohesion. With her background in governance and dedication to community well-being, she brings valuable experience to the Turner Centre.

Jenni Prisk

Trustee

Jenni has coached hundreds of individuals and corporate teams in the United States and internationally in leadership and public speaking and is the author of Stand in Your Spotlight: An Ode to Living Fully.

Jenni founded Voices of Women a non-profit organisation that presented 80+ educational events and raised funds for  nonprofit organisations that support women and girls globally. For three years, Jenni chaired the San Diego County Commission on the Status of Women and Girls and then was appointed the President of the Association of California Commissions. She is a member of the San Diego Rotary Club where she founded the Peace Committee and is a member of Global Women New Zealand.

Locally, Jenni has directed productions of Macbeth and Blithe Spirit for the Kerikeri Theatre Company where she serves as a committee member.  Jenni and her husband have lived in San Diego for 40 years and now divide their time between California and the Bay of Islands!

David Clendon

Trustee
David has lived in Kerikeri for only 12 years, but has had a life-long association with the North. He has had a varied career, including time as a politician, an academic, a business adviser, a truck driver and a security guard. He has been on the governing body of a trust focused on enabling access to the arts, especially for young people, for over a decade.
His current part-time role in the heritage sector allows him time to enjoy volunteer work, and to indulge his passion for motorcycling.

Andrew Burden

Trustee

With extensive experience in site management, construction management, and general management, Andrew has also owned construction companies and explored development projects. These experiences form the foundation of his current role as a Project Director, where he represents clients and oversees all aspects of their projects, from concept to handover.

Having purchased land in Kerikeri with his wife 20 years ago, Andrew and his family made their dream of relocating to Northland a reality earlier this year. His role at the Turner Centre marks an exciting new chapter, where he is keen to contribute his construction expertise to the facility’s development and apply his management skills to support the board’s work.

Joan Honeyfield

Visual Art Curator (Volunteer)

Joan Honeyfield has been part of the Far North arts community for nearly twenty years. At Turner Centre she curates Theatre Bar exhibitions, carrying on the much-loved 100×100 Show and founding the Young Artists Show, which celebrates the talent of local high school students. She also leads the volunteer-run Art in Kerikeri Group, serves as a trustee of the ArtsXL Charitable Trust, and curates the Kerikeri Permanent Art Collection. A painter herself, Joan enjoys creating opportunities for others to share their work and helping the arts thrive in our community.

Kelly Stratford

FNDC Observer

Kelly Stratford is a third-term Far North District councillor for the Bay of Islands-Whangaroa ward, with a strong passion for community wellbeing, accessibility, emergency management, housing and climate resilience. Born and raised in Kawakawa, she brings a deep understanding of Te Tai Tokerau communities and is known for her practical, people-focused approach to governance and decision-making.

Kelly is a strong supporter of the arts, culture and community spaces that bring people together, and values the important role the Turner Centre plays for the wider Northland region. Outside of governance, she enjoys dabbling in flash fiction writing, hiking, and fibre arts including quilting and knitting