Jason is of Ngāti Ranginui and Ngāi te Rangi descent, and is a Tauranga-based multidisciplinary artist with over 25 years of professional experience.

​His performance and musical direction of the 2015 Edinburgh Fringe Festival season of ‘K’Rd Strip’, Okareka Dance Company’s highly acclaimed devised work received 5-star international reviews. Other performance highlights include ‘Billy Elliot’, the NZ premiere of ‘Tuesdays With Morrie’ opposite George Henare, ‘Anything Goes’ and ‘La Cage Aux Folles’, and Raymond Hawthorne’s acclaimed production of ‘The Consul’ (Opera Factory).

He has directed and/or musically directed over 30 musicals including ‘Les Miserables’, ‘The Phantom of the Opera’, ‘Dreamgirls’ and ‘The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee’ (Manukau Performing Arts), which won 9 NAPTA Awards including Best Musical, Best Director and Best Ensemble Cast.

Jason was awarded the Auahatanga o te Wā / Creative of the Year at the 2024 Ngā Tohu Toi Awards, and was the recipient of the 2018 Adam Play Award for Best Play by a Māori Playwright. He has written several other plays and poetry collections.

Jason is dedicated to empowering young people through creativity and expression. With a passion for nurturing talent and fostering confidence, Jason has spearheaded transformative programmes that enable youth to discover their artistic voices. As the founder of Tuatara Collective, Jason has provided countless opportunities for Māori, Pasifika, LGBTQi+, and rangatahi to hone their skills and showcase their talents on stage. His innovative approach combines rigorous training with a supportive environment, in particular the Rātā initiative supporting mental health in the arts industry.