Fellows 2024-2025

Karen Gilgunn has a wealth of experience in communications and advocacy with over fifteen years’ experience.

As the senior communications and influencing lead at Mencap Northern Ireland, Karen leads on strategic initiatives to amplify the organisations mission and influence public policy.

With a strong background in social impact and stakeholder engagement, she has received multiple awards for her commitment to advancing the rights of marginalised communities in Northern Ireland.

Passionate about inclusivity and change, Karen is dedicated to improving the wellbeing of others within our communities. She also holds various voluntary board roles within local sports.

Carl Hashim is a trained economist, having graduated with a master’s degree from the London School of Economics and bachelor’s degree from Queen’s University Belfast.

Carl has nearly twenty years of experience working in the energy industry in Northern Ireland, specialising in economic regulation and compliance matters.

Carl works at NIE Networks, as its head of regulation strategy. When not working, he enjoys spending time with his wife and their three sons. An avid sports fan, Carl particularly enjoys watching and playing football and tennis.

Blaithnid Hughes is from Clare, Co Armagh and is wife to Paul and mum to two daughters.

Blaithnid has a degree in Irish History and Politics from Ulster University, an MSc in Business Improvement and is an alumnus of the University of the Ozarks, Arkansas, USA.

She comes to the Fellowship with over fifteen years’ experience across healthcare in NI. Starting out as a booking clerk, Blaithnid has worked her way to senior management positions within the hospital setting, including roles in governance, transformation and service improvement, stroke reform and operational management.

She is excited for how the Fellowship will challenge and develop her thinking.

Cahir Hughes is head of the Electoral Commission Northern Ireland. Cahir joined the Electoral Commission in 2006 as a participation officer and then a senior communications and electoral administration officer before taking up the position of head in 2019.

He has been the lead author of numerous reports on elections and electoral registration and has overseen the delivery of large scale public awareness campaigns promoting engagement in the democratic process.

As a member of the Commission’s senior leadership team, Cahir also plays an active role in setting and delivering the Commission’s strategic objectives and goals across the UK.

Curtis Irvine graduated from Durham University in 2019 with a First Class Honours degree in International Relations. Following graduation, Curtis spent three years in the charity sector as a coach and communications professional, equipping young adults to engage with social justice issues.

In 2022, he began working for an Alliance Party MLA in casework and communications before taking on his current role as policy and communications manager for Kate Nicholl MLA in 2023.

Curtis has also completed a certificate in Strategic Management and Leadership with the Chartered Management Institute and is completing his master’s degree in International Public Policy at Queen’s University Belfast.

Sam Jinadu is head of constitution and special projects within the Northern Ireland Office where his work has spanned strategy, legislation, and governance policy.

Prior to joining the Northern Ireland Office, Sam has spent time at a number of Whitehall departments working on the UK’s exit from the EU, the Covid-19 pandemic response, as well as on health, charity, and devolution focussed policy roles.

He is passionate about public service, delivering better policy outcomes, and improving people’s life chances through modelling collaborative problem solving and decision-making. Sam is a graduate of Newcastle University and has a young daughter.

Alan Lewis is a victim’s advocate working within the Victims and Survivors Service in Northern Ireland. Elected to Newry, Mourne and Down District Council in 2019, Alan was re-elected again in 2023 and was formerly a policy advisor in Stormont from 2010 to 2016.

During his term on council, he has twice served as chairman of the district Policing & Community Safety Partnership, and currently sits on the council’s Active and Healthy Communities committee, Strategic Policy and Resources committee, as well as a Safe Food advisory board member.

During his time as a victims advocate, Alan he has assisted with the Kingsmills Inquest, formerly working with the Family Research and Policy Unit in Markethill and now with the Fermanagh based victims groups SEFF, which have outreach offices across Northern Ireland.

Vincenta Leyden is an accredited public relations professional, with a promoting public health competency, practicing in the public, third, and private sectors. Vincenta currently works as service development manager with the MND Association.

Most recently she successfully participated in the Boardroom Apprentice, with CCEA as host board. Inspired to create lasting change, she finds purpose in her voluntary and community contributions.

Vincenta comes to the Fellowship Programme with a curious mind, a varied skill set and a passion for people. She relishes the opportunity to reimagine her own place and leadership in advancing lasting peace and prosperity in Northern Ireland.

Máirtín Mac Gabhann MBE is an award-winning campaigner and founder of the Donate4Dáithí organ donation awareness campaign, established after discovering his son Dáithí needed a heart transplant over six years ago.

Máirtín’s advocacy led to the introduction of Dáithí’s Law in Westminster. Over 200,000 people have also joined the NHS Organ Donor Register in Northern Ireland since the Donate4Dáithí campaign began.

He recently completed a master’s in Communication and Public Relations and was honoured with an MBE for Services to Organ Donation in June 2024. Máirtín continues to promote the importance of organ donation through his son’s lifesaving campaign.

Andrea MacLean works for the Strategic Investment Board (SIB), where she leads on the social value approach for public sector IT contracts. In 2021, Andrea was appointed as a Visiting Fellow of Practice for Social Value at the University of Oxford.

She also co-leads SIB’s Sustainability Forum to embed sustainability practices across the organisation’s processes and culture.

Prior to joining SIB, Andrea worked in the private sector for eight years advising companies on their tender strategies, with a particular focus on sustainability.

Andrea is also qualified as a barrister in Northern Ireland and is a board member for NOW Group.

Shauna Mageean is EU affairs manager at the Northern Ireland Assembly, working with elected representatives and Assembly committees on EU exit issues, including the provision of advice and guidance on the legislative and procedural implications of Brexit.

Shauna has previously supported a number of committees at the Assembly. Prior to joining the Assembly, she worked in corporate sales, marketing, and brand management.

Outside of work, Shauna enjoys sampling the many culinary delights of east Belfast and beyond, photography, and travel. Shauna is a volunteer at EastSide Arts.

Amy Mairs is an Alliance Councillor for Limavady DEA in Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council.

Amy was elected in the 2023 Local Government Election as the youngest female in Northern Ireland, at nineteen years of age. Amy currently chairs the Environmental Services Committee, is the deputy lead of the Causeway Coast and Glens Alliance council group and represents the Borough as one of its Youth Champions.

Alongside council, she also works for her family business, a driving tuition company based in Limavady.

Siobhán McAlister currently works as Senior Parliamentary Adviser to Claire Hanna MP, supporting her parliamentary and constituency work as well as managing her team of staff.

Siobhán also played a leading role in Claire’s recent successful General Election campaign. She has previously worked in policy and public affairs in the voluntary and community sector in Northern Ireland, providing advice and advocacy as well as connecting the sector with government.

Siobhán is an active member of the SDLP and currently chairs SDLP Women. Outside politics, she enjoys running and is a member of Carryduff GAC Rounders team.

Jane McCooey is an Executive Director and COO for the Global Technology & Data Legal group at Morgan Stanley.

Upon moving to NYC in October 2013, Jane worked at international law firm, Davis Polk & Wardwell LLP.

An Armagh native, she studied Law with French Law at University College Dublin and Université Toulouse Capitole, a Master of Law at Cambridge University, and an Executive MBA with Quantic School of Business & Technology.

Jane is the founder & CEO of Women with Ambition, which provides a professional networking platform for Irish and Irish American women of all industries working in New York.

She is also the global ambassador for AwakenAngels, a women-led angel investing syndicate.

Roisin Muirhead works at FinTrU in legal documentation and contract negotiation, specialising in securities markets and financial regulation.

Roisin is currently undertaking a post-graduate qualification in Derivatives and Securities Law at the University of London, having received a First-Class Honours degree in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from Queen’s University Belfast where she achieved the HAPP Faculty Foundation Scholarship.

In her studies, she has focused on the use of economic policy in addressing social problems and the interface between regulatory public law and private commercial law.

Roisin is an alumna of the Washington Ireland Programme and previously worked as the elected sabbatical officer for equality and diversity at Queen’s Student Union.

Aidan Sloane is the COO and executive director at Belfast Met, responsible for corporate planning, strategic finance, digital transformation, and sustainability, delivering to over 12,000 students per annum, and responsible for annual income of £80m.

Aidan is currently undertaking a PhD with Ulster University and holds an MSc in Executive Leadership and a BA (Hons) degree. He was the 2015 NI representative for the U.S. Department of State’s International Leadership Programme and is an experienced board director, receiving a ministerial appointment to the Construction Industry Training Board in 2022.

Aidan is married to Claire, and they have two sons.

Brian Smyth has been a Green Party Councillor in Belfast City Council for the Lisnasharragh DEA since 2019.

Prior to entering politics, Brian worked with young people in the care system in Belfast for two decades and his background is youth and community work for which he has an BA Hons as well as a Post Grad Certificate in Restorative Practices.

His interests include climate, peace building and reconciliation, the redevelopment of Belfast City Centre and reform of drug legislation.

In his spare time, Brian has a keen interest in music and football. He is married with one son.

With over twenty years working in and leading tech teams, Susan Walker has a proven track-record in delivery across insurance, banking and business solutions companies.

Susan leads the implementation of Allstate Northern Ireland’s inclusive diversity and equity strategy, managing a broad portfolio of initiatives ensuring DEI is integrated into the business and company culture, advancing equity for their diverse workforce.

With a focus on data-driven outcomes, she partners with all areas of the business to provide cohesive delivery and connectivity across workstreams.

Susan’s hard work ethic and approachable management style is matched by her strategic thinking and expertise in communication and programme management.