Team category

Class of 2026

Sean McQuade

Head of Quality Improvement, Northern Health and Social Care Trust
Sean McQuade is a healthcare leader and quality improvement specialist with over twenty years’ public sector experience, working across local government, education, and health. Since 2022, Sean has been driving organisation-wide continuous improvement and innovation. He formerly led major transformation and service improvement programmes in elective and community care in the Northern Trust. Sean has also led a series of strategic programmes across cancer services and public health, demonstrating a strong track record in leadership, change management, and partnership working.

Kyle McMullan

Engineering Design Manager, Northern Ireland Electricity Networks

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.

Cllr Kathleen McGurk

Sinn Féin Councillor, Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council
A native of Dungiven, Cllr Kathleen McGurk has served as a Sinn Féin Councillor on Causeway Coast and Glens Borough Council since 2018. She has previously held the position of deputy mayor and has served in numerous chair and vice-chair roles across the council’s committees. Kathleen is a graduate of both Queen’s University, Belfast, and Ulster University, and she currently works in the construction industry while also being a mother to three girls. She has worked closely with her local community to enhance services and facilities, overseeing projects such as Village Renewal schemes and the development at Banagher Dam. Kathleen has campaigned for regeneration in rural areas and is actively involved in the Council-led Growth Deal project. She also has a strong interest in planning and is a vocal advocate for the inclusion of rural needs in planning policy.

Lisa McGinley

Director, The MAC Belfast
Lisa McGinley is the director of the MAC (Metropolitan Arts Centre), Northern Ireland’s leading contemporary arts venue. Lisa has over twenty-five years’ senior management experience across the arts, heritage, hospitality, and commercial sectors. She has a background in strategic leadership, venue and event operations, customer experience, and cultural advocacy. Prior to becoming director in 2023, Lisa served as head of operations at the MAC from 2013, playing a central role in establishing it as a vibrant civic hub, welcoming over three million visitors since opening. She champions sustainability, inclusive access, and artist development with a deep-rooted commitment to excellence, collaboration, and cultural impact across Northern Ireland.

Gerard McDonald

Party Organiser, SDLP

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.

Róisín McCreesh

Corporate Planning Manager, Education Authority

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.

Anna McClung

Deputy Principal, Department of Justice

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.

Claire McBride

Social Value Manager (NI), Fujitsu

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.

Gillian Hamilton

EastSide Partnership Manager, EastSide Partnership

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.

Corrina Grimes

Founder, MemoryTell

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.