The Funding team deals with funding applications, assessments and contracts for funded projects.
Amie Mills - Head of Funding - Tumuaki o ngā Take Pūtea
Amie is a member of the Senior Leadership Team and has overall responsibility for the Scripted, Non-Fiction and Platforms streams of funding, and the Game Development Sector Rebate. Amie has worked in the media industry in Aotearoa and abroad, in a range of creative and digital production roles. She is the former Digital and Children’s Commissioner at TVNZ and was co-lead of the New Blood Innovation Programme aimed at reaching non-traditional audiences with local content. In 2015 she joined Saatchi & Saatchi London to help deliver a BAFTA-winning mobile game, Sea Hero Quest, to help scientists fight dementia with the world’s largest crowd-sourced database for medical research. amie@nzonair.govt.nz
Glenn Usmar - Associate Head of Funding (Systems) - Tumuaki Pūtea Ngātahi Taupua/Tumuaki Tūhono Pūtea (Pūnaha)
Glenn has more than 30 years television experience in a number of senior positions in both state and private broadcasting companies. Prior to joining NZ On Air, he was the Programme Manager for the Rialto Channel on Sky TV, and was responsible for the channel’s establishment as the Sundance Channel. Previously Glenn worked at TVNZ in both acquisitions and programming roles, with his last position being programmer for TV One. He has also held programming positions at Kid’s TV and former Telecom channel First Media. glenn@nzonair.govt.nz
Kelly Davis - Associate Head of Funding (People) - Tumuaki Pūtea Ngātahi Taupua/Tumuaki Tūhono Pūtea (Tāngata)
Kelly leads the people management and stakeholder management responsibilities of the Scripted, Non-Fiction and Platforms funding rounds. She also supports the Head of Funding with the operations, systems, and processes for these funding streams. Kelly has worked in screen industries across Europe, North America and Aotearoa for more than 25 years. She has produced award-winning films, television and commercials – and has experience in factual television, feature films and commercial content. She has worked at ITN and NBC Universal in London, and most recently worked as Managing Director of Ignition Creative, a film trailer production house and Territory Studio, which produces VFX for feature films and television. kelly@nzonair.govt.nz
Anna Currie - Senior Funding Policy Advisor - Kaitohutohu Kaupapahere Pūtea Matua
Anna provides high level strategic and operational funding policy advice and support to the organisation. This includes analysis of funding trends, processes, and gaps, and establishing, shaping, and implementing clear funding policies aligned with the organisation's priorities and strategic plans. Anna has held different roles within the NZ On Air Funding team since 2014 and she now balances this part-time role with life at home with her two young children. She has a Master of Arts (Media Studies) specialising in television and a lifelong passion for public media. anna@nzonair.govt.nz
Nicole Rex Taofinu'u - Senior Funding Advisor - Kaitohutohu Kaupapahere Pūtea
Nicole Rex specialises in Community Broadcast Platforms and Pacific Media at NZ On Air. With a career spanning more than 15 years as a radio broadcaster and later running radio stations as a radio operations manager, her experience and passion has always been one of service. In 2017, she joined NZ On Air as a Funding Advisor to help creatives navigate the intricacies of public media funding. Her creative and business experience has helped her to lead numerous initiatives for NZ On Air. Nicole is a proud Niuean from Avatele and also a busy mum with three children. nicole@nzonair.govt.nz
Heperi Mita - Funding Advisor - Kaitohutohu Pūtea
Heperi has worked as an independent filmmaker, a Māori Collections Archivist, a public speaker, an assessor for the New Zealand Film Commission and Te Māngai Pāho, a Board member of Ngā Aho Whakaari (and junior Board member for NZFC), and a sports journalist. His documentary MERATA: How Mum Decolonised the Screen played at the Sundance and Berlin Film Festivals in 2019. He is a passionate advocate for the advancement of diversity and inclusion in Aotearoa’s media industry. heperi@nzonair.govt.nz
Steven Gannaway - Funding Advisor Development - Kaitohutohu Pūtea – Whakawhanake
Steven assists with the screen funding rounds and provides project specific research and reporting. He was the Executive Director of the New Zealand Writers Guild for more than eight years, providing advice on screenwriter contracting, chain-of-title, advocacy for the film and television industry in New Zealand, and he established and administered the NZWG Seed Grants initiative. Steven is a writer and has a Bachelor of Fine Arts. steven@nzonair.govt.nz
Sarah Donaldson - Audience and Media Strategist - Kaiwhatakoto Rautaki Pāpāho
Sarah's role was created in 2021 to bolster cross-platform measurement and audience engagement with funded content. She provides insights on audience engagement with content, and oversees the performance of content marketing campaigns. sarahd@nzonair.govt.nz
Gabriel Thomas - Journalism Manager - Kaiwhakahaere o te Rīpoatatanga
Gabriel has more than 20 years of journalism experience, working at Three/Newshub, RNZ and the BBC World Service TV. Over 10 years at Three, she covered a number of roles including Executive Producer of Firstline and The Nation, producer on the 6pm news and producer of the 2014 election campaign coverage. At RNZ she was a bulletin editor and a producer on Morning Report. gabrielt@nzonair.govt.nz
Han-ah Kim - Funding Administrator - Kaiwhakahaere Tahua Pūtea
Han-ah is responsible for managing funding systems and coordinating projects. She brings with her a 'Swiss army knife' of skills from her years in film production and entertainment event management. Han-ah is the first-responder for queries for the Funding Team, and strives to ensure an informative and supportive experience for the team, stakeholders and applicants alike. In her spare time, Han-ah writes and produces podcasts focusing on the human condition. Han-ah@nzonair.govt.nz
Game Development Sector Rebate
The GDSR team administers the GDSR and all the details of the registration process, application and assessment.
Chantelle Cole - Kaiwhakahaere Kaupapa | Programme Director for the GDSR
Chantelle is a former CEO of Dinosaur Polo Club, where she steered the studio to international acclaim, earning nominations at the Independent Games Festival, the supreme award at the NZ Game Awards and 12th position on the Deloitte Fast50. Passionate about fostering diversity in games, Chantelle has represented women in the industry for Apple on International Women’s Day and was a finalist in the ‘Inspiring Women Leaders’ category at the NZ International Business Awards. In this role she aims to enhance support for the game development industry in Aotearoa. Outside of work, Chantelle is an avid tea lover, graphic design enthusiast and owner of a Flemish Giant Rabbit. chantelle@nzonair.govt.nz
Tobi Last – Kairuruku Kaupapa | Programme Manager for the GDSR
Tobi manages the day-to-day GDSR operations, with a focus on working with partners to achieve the best outcomes for New Zealand and the wider game development sector. Previously, Tobi was part of Riot Games’ international journey from startup to AAA and developed a knack for coaching and mentoring others. Since coming to Aotearoa, he has worked in the wider tech industry, including a tech-based music startup and several larger organisations, developing an understanding of varied business challenges and how to navigate them. Outside work, Tobi lives and breathes gaming news. He predominantly plays RPGs and turn-based strategy games, has a rescue puppy and enjoys hiking with his wife. tobi@nzonair.govt.nz