Fellows 2021

Anne Anderson

Principal of New-Bridge Integrated College

Anne spent the first number of years as a teacher in England experiencing first-hand the benefits of the comprehensive system of education, returning home to the Integrated Sector in 1994 to take up a post in Lagan College. Anne then moved to New-Bridge Integrated College in 2008 as vice principal and had the privilege of being appointed principal in 2013. She has been involved in Peace building projects over the years, which have been beneficial to both staff and students and the wider community.

Tanya Anderson

Head of UK Deposits at AIB

Tanya joined AIB after her time at the NI Chamber, where she oversaw the delivery of peer learning programmes for Northern Irish companies on themes such as productivity and international growth. Tanya is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Ireland, having trained with PwC in Belfast. Prior to joining AIB, Tanya was also a Corporate Banker within Danske Bank and Ulster Bank and held a senior advisory position in Corporate Finance at Grant Thornton.

Cllr Aaron Callan

DUP Councillor for Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council

Aaron previously worked for PwC, Danske Bank and FinTrU.

He is also a keen local historian and has published articles in History Ireland, and is also a Fellow of the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce.

Aaron also serves as a Governor at Limavady Grammar School and an alumnus of the Washington Ireland Program for Service and Leadership.

Michelle Canning

Communications Adviser

Michelle was a special advisor to the deputy First Minister, Michelle O’Neill. She is a former Head of Corporate Communications with a large public sector body and spent over twenty years as a journalist/news editor working in the print and broadcast media. A CIPR Global Fellow, she co-founded the local not-for-profit ‘Women in PR’ and is a founding member of the NI Public Sector Communications Forum, where she chaired its leadership work. Michelle’s interests lie in social justice, law, gender equality in decision-making and the participation of women in public and political life.

Jackie Coade

Teacher and SDLP member

Jackie has been heavily involved in grassroots politics from 2006.

As well as engaging with constituents on local issues, Jackie is a teacher with over twenty-five years’ experience in education both here and the south east of England.

Jackie is a passionate campaigner for restoring the Portadown to Armagh rail link.

Julie-Anne Corr-Johnston

Ulster Unionist Party’s representative for North Belfast

A former Belfast City Councillor and Chair of the People and Communities Committee, Julie-Anne has been heavily involved in grass-roots politics since 2013.

As well as engaging with residents from her North-Belfast office, Julie-Anne is a political commentator and occasional contributor for Belfast Telegraph.

Irene Culleton

Principal Officer in the Department of Health

Irene has been a civil servant for almost ten years, having entered through the Fast Stream Graduate Entry Programme.

She has worked in a range of policy and other strategically significant projects across several government departments, including DfE, and the former DoE and DCAL.

Prior to this, Irene worked in private legal practice for two regional law firms in Belfast. She holds an LLB Honours Law Degree from Queen’s University Belfast.

Anne Dickson

Executive Director, Chief Executives’ Forum

Anne is a member of the NI Senior Civil Service, currently on secondment with the CEF, where she leads a programme of networking and development opportunities for senior leaders across the public service.

Amongst her earlier roles, Anne served as Principal Private Secretary to the deputy First Minister from 2010 – 2015, attending the Northern Ireland Executive, the North-South Ministerial Council and the British-Irish Council.

Previously, Anne was Principal Information Officer in both the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment and the Department of Education.

Before entering the public service, Anne worked in corporate communications in a number of private sector organisations.

Brian Donaldson

ExcludedNI leader

After 20 years within the hospitality sector in Northern Ireland working from the North coast to Newry, cooking for the Northern Ireland men’s team at Euro16 and running his own business, Brian found a change in direction for his career due to the pandemic.

Brian led a group of people who had been left out of financial support. ExcludedNI was a successful campaign with a common goal, it was inclusive and brought support to thousands in NI.

This has now opened the door to Brian for new avenues in the civic space and for new opportunities to develop as a leader.

Connie Egan MLA

Alliance Party MLA for North Down

Connie attended Queen’s University Belfast where she graduated with a degree in Politics and Philosophy in 2016.

Following university, she worked for a political party, and latterly shifted her focus to research as part of her role assisting the chair of the Northern Ireland Education Committee.

Connie progressed in her council career, serving as chair of the Corporate Services Committee and being promoted to her Party group’s Deputy Leader.

She was elected as an MLA in 2022. She has a keen interest in social justice and building a progressive society.