Our Board

The Crescendo Board is composed of a diverse skill set of industry leaders who drive the strategy and sustainability of the organisation.

Our Board

Marcus Powell blindspott guitarist and Crescendo Founder playing guitar on stage

Marcus Powell

Founder & Advisor

Marcus founded Crescendo in 2012 and has now stepped into a board and advisory role. He is still a vital member in the Crescendo whanau.

Growing up I had many pathways available to me. Some good, some not so good. As a young teen in a successful band I didn't always make good choices. However, I was fortunate enough to have certain adult role models in my life who stood out and supported me. So, when I reflect back on those years, I can clearly see those available choices and hope to inspire positive change in our young people.

Crescendo allows us to develop our young people from a heart space. I truly believe that if we ensure their happiness, safety, well-being and value sets are cared for, their pathways will be chosen with more clarity and thoughtfulness.

Crescendo Social Enterprise board member Liz Fraser

Liz Fraser

Chairperson

Liz’s career expands across the media industry, as well as working at our national airline. Positions held at Air NZ were GM Customer, as well as living 2 ½ years in Los Angeles managing the Americas region.

Her 20+ years in media included senior roles at MediaWorks, GM of MSN New Zealand, and various sales, marketing and television programming roles at TVNZ. Liz’s passion for music began in high school where she completed her LTCL Diploma in Singing.

Supporting to grow Crescendo with helping develop our rangitahi through creative arts is something Liz is excited to be a part of. Liz is married and has a 17-year old daughter.

Crescendo Social Enterprise board member Damian Vaughan

Damian Vaughan

Chairperson

Damian is the current CEO of Recorded Music NZ, the industry organisation representing recording artists and record companies in New Zealand.

In addition to advocating for the rights of its members, Recorded Music NZ also administer collective broadcast and public performance licensing, produce the annual Vodafone NZ Music Awards, the Official NZ Top40 Charts, the NZ Music Hall of Fame and administer a Music Grants programme for educational and/or charitable music projects.

Suzanna_010

Suzanna Pomeroy

Trustee

Suzanna is the Platform Director of Circular Cities Asia, an innovation and knowledge platform fostering entrepreneurship that makes our urban spaces more circular. Based in Singapore, she is also a Global Fellow of the Moving Worlds Institute.

Suzanna has an MA (Distinction) in Philanthropic Studies and is an Associate Practitioner of Social Value and Social Return on Investment.

Most recently, Suzanna has been working with capacity building organisations and is passionate about helping social leaders to communicate their impact and build productive, strategic partnerships with the corporate sector.

Katya Treasurer at Crescendo Trust on Auckland city backdrop

Katya Sukhova

Treasurer

Katya is a qualified accountant and a member of the Association of Chartered Certified Accountants.

Supporting the Crescendo Trust as treasurer, Katya has over 10 years of experience in professional accounting services, having worked at PwC in Kazakhstan, Australia and New Zealand.

She loves opera, theatre and live performances, and appreciates music in all its forms. As a teenager, Katya experienced the thrill and nerves of performing on stage playing guitar, and is rooting for anyone and everyone putting themselves out there with their art.

Katya is passionate about the not-for-profit sector elevating the role of culture in forming and expressing the personal and societal identities.

Nicola Bloom Crescendo Board Trustee In Avondale Office

Nicola Shute

Trustee

Nicola has spent 16 years in the insurance, banking, finance world, specifically in product management, people leadership projects, marketing and communications, risk and governance, business reporting, and everything else in between. After having her children she jumped over to HR, people leadership, leadership coaching and people experience in the tech world and found her calling. A couple of years later she decided to cofound a people and culture consultancy organisation, supporting organisations to help their people and business thrive.

Outside of work, she volunteers mainly with our rangatahi, leadership coaching, reading support, and is involved in a Board role with a few charities focussed on our younger peeps.

The kaupapa of Crescendo brought her in, as it combined her love for supporting our younger people to be the best version of themselves and through her years as a dancer/dance teacher, her love of music and how healing and empowering music can be for the soul.

Special Advisor

Crescendo special advisor Craig Spillane

Craig Spillane

Special Advisor

Craig Spillane is the owner and Managing Director of a successful accredited Media Agency, Bullseye Media Ltd. Bullseye Media launched in 1997 and has been responsible for the strategic planning and implementation of media for a number of local and international brands including Sony PlayStation, Absolut, C4 Music Television, Warner Music, JB HiFi, Yamaha and Lighting Direct.

He is also a shareholder for a large family businesses XPO Exhibitions and sits on the Commercial Communications Council’s Media Committee representing Independent Media Agencies.

He is keen to assist the Crescendo Trust mentor programme and those young people it supports. To make a difference by assisting the trust’s work for productive and engaged creative pathways for positive change.

Richard Catherall

Special Advisor

Richard is a Lancashire lad who arrived in Aotearoa with his Libyan partner in early 2020.

Richard has dedicated 20 years to entrepreneurship and enterprise as practice. He is a qualified coach, an MBA, Law and International Politics graduate. He has founded impactful enterprises, directed others as CEO, contributed entrepreneurially in government, and as a trusted adviser for international organisations, including the EU and UN. He is Innovation Investment Management for Auckland Council’s Community and Social Innovation Unit.

Richard is a board member of Westpac’s Innovation Fund with the NZ Government, an industry advisor for AUT’s Law and Business School, and a passionate advocate for Crescendo’s mission and kaupapa.

Melanie Advisor against white background

Melanie Barr

Special Advisor

Melanie is a Partnerships Director at AUT and an enthusiastic community builder. She has spent 15+ years working in the partnerships, education, and community sphere to unite like-minded tāngata.

Melanie is passionate about building authentic communities through whakawhanaungatanga to collaborate, share knowledge and develop a positive change for the future of business in New Zealand and for New Zealanders on the global stage. Developing engagement programmes and support networks that help rangatahi succeed, foster lifelong connections, and thrive in their chosen career and path.

Melanie has previously volunteered with Radio Lollipop New Zealand and was an advisor to the innovation hub, Shore Junction; she is now excited to support the future of Crescendo and its mahi.