our trustees
Our eight-strong board of trustees, each representing excellence and success in their chosen field, oversees governance of StarJam. We feel it is crucial to the ongoing success of our organisation that we garner input from a range of areas within both the not-for-profit AND the for-profit sectors.
Andrew Seerden
Chair
Andrew has an extensive history in the IT industry, ranging from working for IBM in the Netherlands & New Zealand, Compaq & Hewlett Packard. Andrew has an MBA from Newport University, Utrecht, The Netherlands & a Bachelor Degree in Business Administration from the Institute for Economic Sciences in The Netherlands. He spends most of his spare time with his wife Maree & twin boys Ivo & Luca. Andrew’s first StarJam experience was at the StarJam live interview show in 2005. He enjoyed it so much that he offered to assist StarJam in realising its vision.
Don Ambrose
Treasurer
Don was Jammed after attending the StarJam Stage Show in 2005. StarJam made such an impact, he offered to assist in achieving its Mission & Vision. Originally from Christchurch, & an avid Cantab supporter, Don’s background is in finance & management. He has had experience in a number of business sectors including refrigeration, transport, capital equipment, jewellery & finance. Don spends his spare time with his wife Glenis, socialising with friends, traveling, gardening, reading, & is an avid sports follower, especially rugby league, golf & cricket.
Roy Bartlett
Secretary
Roy has worked in the not for profit sector since 1986. During this time he has worked for Presbyterian Support, the Alzheimers Foundation,the Home & Family Society & the Multiple Sclerosis Society of Auckland. Roy is a member of the Fundraising Institute of NZ & has served on both the National Executive of its Council & the Northern Regional Branch. Prior to his move into management for non profits, he worked for 20 years as an engineer. Roy particularly enjoys the movies, the theatre, socialising with friends over a good meal as well as sharing a love of sun, sea & sand with his wife Julie.
John Abrahamson
John Abrahamson has been an academic engineer (teaching, research, consulting and administration) for almost 40 years, working at Canterbury University for most of that time, with some periods in the UK, US, Germany and India. During that time he has worked with many young people, with the luxury of being able to guide most to satisfying careers and independence, not only financial independence but also in independent thinking. His specialties are dust removal from air, early signs of snow avalanches, electric arcs and carbon nanotubes, and explaining ball lightning, and otherwise trying to forget about all of these!
Franceska Banga
Franceska is the founding and current CEO of the New Zealand Venture Investment Fund Limited (NZVIF), with overall responsibility for the market development and investment programmes of NZVIF. NZVIF is a $200 million fund initiated by the NZ government, to catalyse more private investment into NZ's most promising high growth technology companies.
Previously she has held positions as a Director in the New Zealand Treasury, Chief Strategy Advisor at the Ministry of Research, Science and Technology, and as a financial markets economist both in the private sector and the Reserve Bank of New Zealand.
She also has an extensive background in the Health & Disability sector, and has served on the Blind Foundation Board.
Franceska is the current Chair of the New Zealand Venture Capital Association and a Director of a privately owned New Zealand company (National Business Coach Limited) that provides business training and advice to successful NZ SMEs.
Franceska has a BComm from Auckland University in Economics and Finance and a BCA (Hons) from Victoria University of Wellington in Economics and Finance. She is also a graduate of the Stanford Business School Senior Executive Programme and the Darden Business School Leadership Programme. She is also a qualified Occupational Therapist.
In her spare time she spends time with her family and swims.
Simon Botherway
Simon was Executive Chairman of Brook Asset Management Limited, New Zealand’s largest boutique investment management company. Simon left Brook in December 2008 after 12 years of managing institutional equities portfolios for the likes of the NZ Superannuation fund.
Simon has a B.Comm from Otago University and holds the post-graduate Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) designation from the US-based CFA Institute (CFAI). Simon is also Past-President of the CFA Society of New Zealand and previously served on the CFA Institute’s Asia-Pacific Advocacy Committee. He chaired the NZX’s Asset Management Advisory Board. Simon has for several years been outspoken in campaigning for improved corporate governance standards and has been a strong advocate of shareholder activism in this country. Simon was the recipient of the New Zealand Shareholder’s Associateion ‘Beacon Award’ for 2005.
Dick Hubbard
Dick Hubbard joined StarJam’s Board of Trustees in July 2008. Dick is the founder of Hubbard Foods Ltd and was the Mayor of Auckland City from 2004 to 2007. Dick has not only been a great supporter of StarJam but has really entered the Jammers’ world. Dick performed a cameo role in the show StarJam staged to open the Sir Woolf Fisher Arena at the TelstraClear Pacific Events Centre in 2005 in Manukau City and joined the Jammers in the wheelchair dance section of the show. He attended the post-show Certificate of Stardom presentation and delighted the Jammers with his support of their efforts.
Grant Sharman
Following my accident playing rugby at the age of fifteen I was approached by an amazing man, Bruce Hopkins, who could only move his head. Bruce introduced me to painting using a brush in my mouth. My first efforts were terrible but he insisted I kept trying.
The rest is history. In 1981 I received a small scholarship from AMFPA and in 1988 was made a full member. I still have my first two paintings that I did with my mouth and they hang in my art studio. They are a reminder of where I have come from in terms of my art as well as proof that anything is possible if you never give up.
I have also represented my country as a member of the New Zealand Wheel Blacks since 1995, captain from 1996 to 2000 when I retired. My career has included competing at two Paralympics and two World Cups with my highest medal being a silver at the Toronto World Cup in 1998. I also coached the team at the Athens 2004 Paralympics.
On January 1st 2004, I was made a Member of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to people with disabilities. This was a great honour and something I am both proud of and humbled by, as I know there are many people in the community who daily give of themselves and would be worthy recipients in their own right.