The Board of Trustees
The DAZL Board of Trustees is composed of professionals from a diverse range of sectors, including Health, the Arts, Legal, Public Relations, and other relevant fields. The Board is responsible for overseeing the organisation’s overall strategic direction and meets quarterly, or more frequently if required.
Trustees may be recruited through various channels, such as Arts & Business, by recommendation from the DAZL Director, or via existing Board members. Prospective trustees are initially provided with a comprehensive Board Induction Pack and must follow formal procedures to be officially elected onto the Board. Once appointed, trustees receive ongoing support throughout their tenure. This includes access to relevant training opportunities and participation in development activities such as away days.
The key roles and responsibilities of the DAZL board
Set and maintain vision, mission and values
Develop strategy and establish/ monitor policies
Set up employment procedures
Ensure compliance with governing document
Ensure accountability and compliance with the law
Maintain proper fiscal oversight
Select, manage and support the Director
Respect the role of staff
Maintain effective board performance
Promote the organisation
DAZL BOARD – Co Chair
Susan Rautenberg
As an NHS planner for Children’s Services I saw great health potential in DAZL from the first time I discussed this with Jan Burkhardt over 15 years ago. However, DAZL continues to amaze me in terms of the depth of community involvement it has achieved, its proven track record producing high quality dance and dance leaders, and the tens of thousands of children, young people and adults who have become active participants and beneficiaries over that 15 years. I have now retired from the NHS and I am still involved in supporting young people, the arts and promoting health. I bring a public sector perspective to the Board, and an unwavering belief that DAZL is a very healthy option for children and families in Leeds
DAZL BOARD – Co Chair
Melissa Peacock
Melissa has been a dedicated part of the DAZL community since 2010, actively volunteering and proudly dances in our vibrant adult Queens team. With over 20 years of experience in the Charity sector—spanning Business, Finance, and Culture—she brings invaluable expertise in financial management, HR systems, and strategic planning to our board.
Melissa also brings lived experience of neurodiversity and disability, which enriches her inclusive approach and deepens her commitment to ensuring everyone feels seen and valued. Her passion for wellbeing and inclusion perfectly aligns with DAZL’s mission and values.
DAZL BOARD
Janet Matthews
I have been a Board member since October 2013. I retired in July 2013 from a career in auditing the public sector – and now I hope to apply the skills gained through my past life and work to ensure the good governance and financial management of DAZL.I am impressed with what DAZL has achieved and am keen to help in supporting its future developments. I am a school governor and am involved in several voluntary roles as treasurer or trustee. I have lived in Leeds for nearly 40 years, married with two grown up children.
DAZL BOARD
Wayne Sables
Wayne works across several disciplines including digital technologies, film, photography and dance. He is passionate about the power of the arts to engage, inspire and enthuse both in an educational and professional context. Wayne continually combines art forms to devise new and interesting ways to create relationships with technology, art and environment. Graduating from Bretton Hall with a BA (Hons) in Contemporary Dance in 2001 he began a career in dance teaching, performance and choreography. Over the next 14 years Wayne had a varied career both in the USA where In 2003 he became artist in residence at the Vermont Arts Exchange, and in the UK where he performed and choreographed for several companies before going on to form Wayne Sables Project (WSP) a multimedia company. He has made numerous works in both a professional, community and educational context, his film ‘The Immortals’ won the Marsh media award in 2014. Since its founding WSP has gone on to become one of Yorkshire’s premiere multi media companies specialising in combining the arts and technology within the professional, community and educational environments. Wayne regularly consults and collaborates with other professional artists and institutions across the UK.
Wayne has worked with numerous community and education groups, artists and corporate companies to devise and create small to large-scale performances, installations, exhibitions, films, projection mapping, animation and more recently aerial and 360 videos. Working with like minded people from across different sectors is at the heart of Wayne’s ethos and it underpins the entire companies foundations
DAZL BOARD
Jen Wren
Jen Wren has been an active supporter of DAZL and delivered many artistic projects for the DAZL Families over the past 4 years. She brings to DAZL, knowledge and skills she has gained as a multi-skilled international dance artist and creative director with a passionate for communicating stories through dance and film. Since graduating from the Northern School of Contemporary Dance she has enjoyed an incredibly diverse career in dance. In 2004, she formed Slanjayvah Danza which creations are draw on stories from real life, to create art that resonates across cultures and generations whilst taking great pride in regularly working at a grass-roots organisations such as DAZL. engaging people across all ages and abilities, as well as mentoring others the DAZL dance leaders in their own practice.
