Our Board & Team

Alastair Adair is an Emeritus Professor in Real Estate Economics and a Chartered Surveyor.

He has over 40 years experience in higher education, former Deputy Vice-Chancellor at Ulster University and academic lead on the Belfast campus development.

He is a Deputy Lieutenant for Belfast, a member of the Board of Friends of the Cancer Centre, RFCA NI, Hon Capt RNR and Hon RSUA.

Colin is a documentary Film maker; the Chair of Digital Art Studios Belfast and a Main Board Director of GRAHAM Holdings Ltd. Colin became involved with the Belfast Charitable Society to help the Society protect its philanthropic heritage and to ensure it remained relevant in today’s difficult social and economic environment. He also wanted to help and encourage a new era of philanthropic generosity.

Colin is also chair of Clifton House Centre, the social enterprise of the Belfast Charitable Society.

Matt Higgins is a founding principal of HHD solicitors. Matt’s work was predominantly in Criminal Law, Judicial Review and human rights. He was chairman of the Belfast Solicitors Association 2008/2009, Treasurer of N.I. Criminal Bar Association and is a lead member of the Law Society of Northern Ireland’s Criminal Rules Negotiating Team. Matt is also a Director of the Metropolitan Arts Centre in Belfast, Chair of The Friends of St Malachy’s, committee member North Belfast Harriers and committee member of Jog Belfast.

Mark has held a range of roles, including Chair of the Carrick Antrim & Newtownabbey PEACE III Partnership, Committee Member for the Heritage Lottery Fund NI, and member of the BBC NI Audience Council.

Mark is a psychotherapist and has worked with the NI Victims and Survivors Commission, providing psychological support for those impacted by conflict.

Mark’s work has focused on the role of heritage in post-conflict societies and reconciliation. He currently works for the Presbyterian Church in Ireland, previously chairing their Communications Committee for 6 years

Norma has over 30 years experience in sales and marketing management in Northern Ireland and in Europe working for both local and international companies over the course of her career. She joined Queen’s Development and Alumni Relations Office in 2000 and was appointed to the role of Director of Development and Alumni Relations in 2008, a post she held until retiring in 2018. Her role here focussed on raising philanthropic income for priority projects across the University and she led two major fundraising campaigns.

In her role at Queen’s she also managed senior voluntary Boards: the Queen’s Foundation and the Friends of Queen’s USA. Norma wants to help the Society retain its innovative and entrepreneurial outlook and build on its philanthropic heritage.

Norma is also currently chair of the Mary Ann McCracken Foundation.

Siobhan Brown is a Chartered Architect specialising in Conservation. She has over 35 years experience in the building industry and worked within social housing for over 15 years.

Siobhan is currently Director of Operations at Flamma Ltd, who specialise in passive fire protection.

Glenn is retired from professional life post 39 years working in international industries where he operated in global supply chains at Director or Senior Management level.

A Chartered Member of the Institute of Directors (Ireland) and the Institute of Purchasing & Supply, Glenn has held other public appointments in his career, notably, as a Trustee of the Community Foundation NI, a Director of Inter Action and most recently as the Chair of the Northern Ireland Business & Human Rights Forum.

Glenn is a peace activist and collaborates on various capacity building initiatives across Ireland. He remains a Trade Union member, and engagement with NGOs, Corporates & others to advocate for Ethical Trade is ongoing.

Eileen is Founder and Chief Executive of the Summerhill Foundation, a charitable foundation set up to support educational, early years and parent-related projects locally and internationally. She is committed to helping to create, extend and execute the strategies of the charitable and philanthropic network within Northern Ireland and to apply extensive governance and finance experience to help improve outcomes for wider society.

Eileen is a chartered accountant and chartered director with experience in a range of sectors including manufacturing, professional practice and community and voluntary sector.

Aidan is a Digital Data and Transformation Director with broad experience across a number of international verticals including Healthcare, Commercial Banking and Utilities.

An IOD qualified Director, he served 7 years on the board of USEL as Chair of their Audit and Risk Committee and more recently he has spent 12 years on the board of RelateNI where he took on the role of Chair for a 3 year period during which he was named the Co3 Trustee of the year. He is also a Board Member of the Halifax Foundation.

Christine is a highly focussed, motivated and accomplished business leader with strong achievement in delivering financial performance, change management, strategic leadership and business development of market leading Leisure/Travel wholesale and retail businesses.

She has Director experience in leading an Irish management team and an executive member of the Commercial Board for TUI UK & Ireland a UK PLC FTSE 100/250.

Nick is an experienced journalist and communications professional with a distinguished career in newspapers and public affairs. He was former editor of The Irish News during the Northern Ireland Troubles, deputy editor of The Belfast Telegraph, and assistant editor of The Sunday Tribune, Dublin. He later served as Head of Public Affairs (Europe) for National Australia Bank, managing four communications teams across retail and wholesale divisions and founded and led PR consultancies handling major corporate issues. Now retired and keen to contribute to charitable, heritage and community development initiatives.