Fellows 2025-2026

Rhyannon Blythe is the Director of Legal at the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission (NIHRC). In this role she is responsible for managing the NIHRC’s exercise of legal powers and its programme of strategic litigation. Rhyannon was previously responsible for leading the research, advisory and investigatory functions of the NIHRC. She studied Law and Criminology at Cardiff University and has a master’s degree in Human Rights and Criminal Justice from Queen’s University, Belfast. A qualified barrister, Rhyannon was called to the Bar of Northern Ireland in 2008. She also sits as a member of the board of the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland.

Michael Boyd OBE is a leadership, management, and organisational change specialist with over two decades of experience in sport, charity, and community development across Ireland and internationally. He is the founder of MB Consulting and Coaching and has held senior roles including sixteen years at the Irish Football Association, where he set up and led the IFA Foundation, creating and leading the award-winning “Football for All” and “Let Them Play” community engagement and youth strategies. Michael is a UEFA DFLM award recipient and a European A-Licence Coach. He currently serves as a consultant director with the Rio Ferdinand Foundation, Team Fee Pay, and Street NI, and is the former chair of Belfast Healthy Cities. Michael is a non-executive director at the prestigious Institute of Public Health, and he is also a volunteer board member of the Glentoran Social Partnership and the Northern Ireland Youth FA. In 2024, he was awarded an OBE for services to football, charity, and reconciliation in Northern Ireland.

Joanna Braniff is a strategic communications and advocacy professional based in County Antrim. As well as her role with The Rivers Trust, Joanna currently chairs the Northern Ireland Freshwater Taskforce, working across policy, media, and public engagement. With a background in journalism, government relations, and civil society empowerment and cohesion, she brings over thirty years of experience in storytelling for systems change. Joanna is passionate about building cross-border coalitions, championing environmental justice, and fostering public participation in policymaking. Her work connects communities, decision-makers, and nature, using words to inspire action and bridge divides

Emma Cairns graduated with First Class Honours in Politics, Philosophy and Economics from Queen’s University, Belfast. Following her graduation, Emma began working with the Ulster Unionist Party in Stormont as a Press, Policy and Business Officer and has recently become Head of Policy and Business for the Party. Having had caring responsibilities for both her mum and dad from a young age, Emma is passionate about supporting young carers. She is also focused on seeing the improvement of animal welfare legislation in Northern Ireland.

Sarah Carlisle is chairwoman of Queen’s Orange Society and has represented Queen’s University, Belfast, on BBC’s University Challenge. A writer and musician from County Down, Sarah recently graduated from Queen’s with a dissertation examining the femicide crisis in fiction. Her work explores which narratives are absent from Northern Irish art and literature, and why. Sarah’s short fiction has been published in Apiary literary magazine. A part-time piano teacher and volunteer traditional music tutor in disadvantaged areas, she is passionate about promoting culture and the arts. In January 2025, she co-hosted Queen’s University’s first-ever Burns Night Ceilidh.

Corrina Grimes, RD, MSc, is an Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health at the Global Brain Health Institute (Trinity College, Dublin) and co‑founder of a pioneering health tech start‑up, MemoryTell. Their work uses digital speech biomarkers to reduce the scale and impact of dementia. Formerly a national deputy director at NHS England, Corrina brings over two decades of experience translating research into policy and practice, spanning clinical, academic, and public health.

Gillian Hamilton is a collaborative, values-led leader with a deep commitment to building a fairer Northern Ireland. She has over eighteen years’ experience across the community and public sectors, and currently works as partnership manager at EastSide Partnership, leading elements of both EastSide Greenway and EastSide Learning. Rooted in east Belfast, Gillian is passionate about trauma-informed practice and helping systems work better for those furthest from power. She chairs TIDES Training & Consultancy and plays an active role in the charity Rethinking Conflict. In 2023, she stood as a Green Party NI candidate for Titanic DEA.

Claire McBride is a successful business professional with over twenty-five years of experience in a range of leadership roles within several industry sectors. She is passionate about giving people access to opportunities that help them thrive. In her current role as the social value manager for Fujitsu in Northern Ireland, Claire is committed to delivering social value initiatives that have been thoughtfully developed with VCSE partners and designed to maximise social impact, improve wellbeing, and drive economic growth. She has been shortlisted for three Women in Tech Excellence Awards 2025: Hero of the Year, Role Model of the Year, and Transformation Leader of the Year.

With over a decade of experience within the justice sector specialising in rehabilitation, resettlement and community safety, Anna McClung has led cross-sector initiatives that address intergenerational trauma, breaking down barriers, and promoting collaboration between statutory agencies, community leaders and elected representatives. Anna has also had strategic roles focused on reducing reoffending and improving outcomes for individuals on a custodial journey. With a background in social policy and criminology, Anna combines strategic insight with a deep understanding of frontline challenges. Passionate about early intervention and the role of lived experiences in shaping services, she is committed to building safer, more inclusive communities through systems change, policy influence, and evidence-informed practice.

Having spent twenty years in the English classroom, Róisín McCreesh will always be a teacher (and learner) at heart. Since leaving teaching, she has committed herself to supporting systemic change so that teachers and young people are empowered and encouraged to stride forward with hope and kindness. Currently working in corporate planning, Róisín prioritises equitable access to positive opportunities, experiences, and outcomes for all children. She is a married mum of two teenage sons, and a committed servant to her local basketball club.

Gerard McDonald is a long-standing member of the SDLP having served the party as a volunteer, campaign manager, vice chair, and now staff member to SDLP leader Claire Hanna MP. His main policy interests include policing, legacy, housing, and social security. Gerard is a graduate from Ulster University and previously worked for Community Advice Antrim and Newtownabbey. He cites his best successes in local politics as helping secure Claire Hanna MP’s election in 2024 and delivering casework breakthroughs daily.

Kyle McMullan has over twenty years’ experience in the electricity and consultancy industry, building his career on powering progress and change; most of which within NIE Networks’ Engineering Design Department. As engineering design manager for the past four years and part of the senior management team, Kyle has led with purpose to help deliver a reliable and innovative infrastructure for Northern Ireland. In his spare time, he enjoys coffee, coaching his sons’ football teams, CrossFit, and running.

Lewis McVitty is a graduate of Queen’s University, Belfast, with a degree in History and Politics. He has served two Fermanagh and South Tyrone MLAs, formerly Lord Elliott of Ballinamallard and currently Diana Armstrong MLA as constituency manager. Politically active since the age of sixteen, Lewis is secretary of the Ulster Young Unionists and is passionate about helping people across his community. Raised on a family farm in Fermanagh, he has a keen interest in rural affairs and the local economy. He is committed to pragmatic Unionism and promoting the successes of Northern Ireland.

Steven Mills is chief operating officer at the Northern Ireland Football League, the governing body for professional men’s and women’s football in the region. A University of Ulster graduate, he brings over twenty years of experience in sports development across local councils and national governing bodies including boxing, netball, and football. As an active volunteer in a range of sporting roles, Steven is deeply committed to harnessing the power of sport to drive positive change in Northern Ireland, particularly through education, employment, and community cohesion.

Cllr Micky Murray is a Belfast City Councillor and a member of the Alliance Party, who served as Lord Mayor of Belfast from 2024 to 2025, becoming the city’s first openly LGBTQ+ Lord Mayor. He has a strong background in the community and voluntary sector, with frontline experience in youth work and homelessness, before working for an MLA in the Northern Ireland Assembly. Micky is a passionate advocate for inclusion, equality, and community engagement, with a particular focus on social justice, economic development, and social value.

James Redmond is a fellow and chartered traffic and transport engineer/planner (CEng) of over twenty-three years, with a wealth of experience gained within both the public and private sectors across the UK and Ireland. James is currently the head of Transport Planning and Modelling Unit within the Department for Infrastructure. Prior to this role, he previously worked in private consultancy delivering transport planning, mobility and engineering design solutions. In his spare time, James enjoys travelling and is a sports enthusiast, coaching younger generations in GAA and soccer at the weekends for his local clubs.

Jonathan Rogan is the founder of SQC Digital Limited, a performance-led marketing consultancy based in Belfast. With a background in sales and marketing, Jonathan takes a consultative, data-driven approach to delivering tailored digital strategies across SEO, PPC, and content. A graduate of the Institute of Leadership, he is passionate about collaboration, innovation, and sustainable business growth. In January 2025, he co-organised the Shaping a Prosperous Future event, bringing together local leaders to discuss economic opportunity and regional development.

Ola Sobieraj is project manager at the3million, the largest grassroots organisation representing EU citizens in the UK after Brexit. With twenty years’ experience in grassroots NGOs across Northern Ireland and Great Britain, Ola is a passionate community organiser, advocate, trainer, and facilitator, working to empower underrepresented and marginalised communities to participate fully in public life. Ola is vice-chair of the MME Think Tank and an active member of the Friends of Poland All-Party Parliamentary Group.

Aoibhinn Treanor LLB LLM has worked in a parliamentary environment for over twenty-five years. Aoibhinn is currently clerk to the Committee for Education at the NI Assembly. Previous roles include deputy editor of Hansard, advising MLAs and the Speaker on Executive and non-Executive legislation, and clerk of the Public Accounts Committee. She has also worked in other parliaments. Aoibhinn is an ambassador for the Global Ecovillage Network and a member of Amnesty International.

Gareth Wilson, from Aghory, Co Armagh, is a long-serving DUP councillor. Gareth was elected to the former Armagh City & District Council in 2005 and more recently has served in Armagh City, Banbridge & Craigavon Borough Council (ABC), serving as Lord Mayor in 2017. He has completed twenty years in local government this year, gaining a valuable insight into many aspects of civic life, democratic processes, and engagement across the political spectrum. Gareth works as a parliamentary assistant to William Irwin MLA, supporting constituency services and public communications. Passionate about community engagement and civic life, Gareth is also active in his Christian faith and local activism. Married to Allison with two children, he enjoys construction projects, target sports, and restoring classic vehicles in his spare time.