The MoA Team

Graham Scown

Chief Executive Officer

Graham is CEO of Ministry of Awesome, leading its mission to build a unified, collaborative startup ecosystem across Aotearoa to support aspiring founders. A seasoned innovation leader, he brings deep expertise in driving strategy, designing cross-functional programmes, and bridging the worlds of government, universities, startups, and industry.

Marian Johnson

Electrify Chairwoman

Marian leads our Electrify initiative to support the under-represented community of women and non-binary founders across New Zealand. She is deeply passionate about connecting, advancing, and advocating for wahine within Aotearoa's high growth startup community and as our former Chief Executive - driving collaboration between founders, investors, government, talent, and corporates. Previous to her role at Ministry of Awesome, Marian spent 15 years developing and executing marketing and business growth strategies for software and tech startups in NZ as well as with Universal Studios and Discovery Networks in the US and Europe.

Zach Warder Gabaldon

Chief Innovation Officer

Zach is our CIO responsible for developing and managing the impact of our startup and innovation product. After spending two and half decades in the Valley immersed in and surrounded by entrepreneurship and innovation, he is incredibly well equipped to helping Aotearoa's startup sector realise its potential as a unique and powerful incubation nation.

Ben Erskine

Chief Marketing Officer

As the CMO for the Ministry of Awesome, Ben is responsible for overseeing all marketing efforts, including brand management, digital marketing, and social media strategy. Additionally, he is dedicated to building and fostering a vibrant and engaged community around Te Ōhaka, ensuring that all users feel connected.

Tori Ball

Head of Operations

Tori is the go-to person for keeping things running smoothly at the Ministry of Awesome. With a mix of experience from different industries like corporate, manufacturing, hospitality, and retail, she brings a lot to the table. Tori's all about making sure everyone's supported and empowered, and she's on a mission to create a super-organised and mega-productive work vibe for her team.

Bekah Tregonning

Creative Marketing Specialist

Bekah believes that brand and marketing hold the power to tell stories that shape the world around us. At the Ministry of Awesome, her workflow spans design, brand, events, and marketing, as she uses her diverse skill set to help define, represent, and share the stories and values of the work we do.