Meet the team

I am the Executive Director at Lighthouse.

The team never fail to inspire me. I really admire how we have been able to create something special where our team can bring the best of themselves.  It amazing to discover their hidden skills and talent, which sometimes just come out!  Although we work in a very serious and important space, there is such an amazing atmosphere and caring nature here – a very special place indeed.

I play golf and darts regularly but badly.  My passion is for my Old English Sheepdogs.  I love walking them in different places and taking them to the beach

I have been working for Lighthouse since 2005 and during that time, I have had the pleasure of watching the organisation develop and grow, expanding the staff team and the services delivered.

My role of Operations Manager is one that is busy and diverse, which I love, and provides me the opportunity to work with our full range of teams, in addition to individual staff members. I am continually amazed to observe the skills, care and compassion, and the dedication shown by staff within their various roles, and feel proud to be part of such a team. I’ve also had the privilege through the years of seeing the impact of our services, in supporting those who are going through the most difficult time of their lives, and to make even the smallest difference to those individuals, is the most we could ask for or want. 

I love to travel, learn new skills and spend time with family, particularly my amazing grandkids. 

I joined Lighthouse in 2011.  Since that time I have worked with thousands of young people throughout Belfast and beyond, which has been a privilege.  My current role as Project's Lead allows me to continue youth work across Belfast schools, working with young people presenting with emotional health concerns.  This work is delivered in partnership with my colleague Sinead McIlvenna, where we employ the skills of youth work and counselling.  Outside work I have a keen interest in classic cars and spend most weekends with my wife, son and daughter who both play football.

My role as services lead involves working closely with and helping to develop the counselling team. As a fully qualified supervisor and accredited counsellor I work closely with the team to ensure they are fully supported in delivering a high standard of counselling at all times.

I also continue to see clients on an ongoing basis as well as facilitate and develop support groups ensuring that client needs are always to the fore. I enjoy all facets of the work at Lighthouse and this is largely due to the team who are all fully committed to the work as well as creating a supportive environment that is a joy to work in.

Outside of work I enjoy walking, reading and spending time with my very active and fun loving grandchildren.

I qualified as an Integrative Counsellor in 2012 and taken specialist training with PCI and STOPSO.  I’m a member of ATSAC and Accredited with the BACP.  I work with a wide range of issues and provide support for individuals who are in crisis.  Being a ‘Mental Health First Aid’ Instructor, I facilitate a two-day course designed to equip participants with confidence, knowledge, and skills in helping with common mental health problems and crisis.

I enjoy being part of a supportive team at Lighthouse and am privileged to work with a varied group of Client’s who’ve taught me more than any qualification ever could.   I’ve a keen interest in aviation and enjoy relaxing walks at the shore.

Within my role as Senior Finance and Administrative Officer I’m responsible for the charity’s finances, payroll, HR & personnel, and management of all administrative staff. I also work closely with our Operations Manager on quarterly funding returns and any other duties. I’ve recently completed my CMI Diploma Level 5 in Leadership and Management.

What I enjoy most about working in Lighthouse is working with an amazing, happy and friendly team. 

In my spare time, I love going on walks with my husband and our fur baby Glen. I really enjoy colouring in as a form of mindfulness. I also enjoy spending time with my family and friends, and I love watching the rugby and Harry Potter!

I am the Fundraising Coordinator and I have been with the charity since 2021. 

There are several things I love about working for Lighthouse – the clients, the team but getting the opportunity to meet our supporters is so important to me.  These people go out of their way to raise money to enable us to continue to support people who are struggling with their mental health or have been bereaved by suicide, and I feel very privileged that these people choose to support Lighthouse, sometimes in memory of a loved one. I am honoured to get the opportunity to meet and to build relationships with them. 

I don’t really have a hobby per se but I do like eating out, meeting up with friends, watching films or reading a good book. Going on holidays or just sitting with a jigsaw is my way to destress and relax.

I joined the Lighthouse team in February 2022 covering holidays / sickness for the reception team, before moving to a permanent receptionist role in 2023.  As receptionist I am first point of contact for any correspondence, be it by phone, email, letter, social media and in person.  I work very closely with all the team and support them dealing with enquiries and administration tasks.  I also take an active role in our social media content creation.  I am immensely proud to be part of such an amazing team at Lighthouse, who have such a passion and empathy for helping anyone struggling with their mental health.

Outside of work, I love spending time with my family, travelling, sea dipping and working on my small business.

Within my role as Receptionist/Administration Officer I work very closely with the entire team and am the first point of contact for all servicer users so my role involves responding to a wide variety of enquires on a daily basis. I joined Lighthouse in March 2023 and am very much enjoying the role and feel privileged to work with such a wonderful team of committed, passionate people in supporting those struggling with their mental health.

I have also been fortunate to participate in a number of amazing events for Lighthouse, with one highlight being chosen to participate and to carry the Baton of Hope during its tour of Northern Ireland during July 2023.

Outside of work I have so many hobbies from reading, writing, painting, walking & cycling to just being outside enjoying nature. I try to get outside as often as possible exploring our beaches, parks and forests and having as many adventures and experiences as I can so you'll usually find me in one of those places when I'm not at work.

My role involves working closely with individuals who have been impacted by suicidal loss as they navigate the terrain of such complex bereavements. In addition to working one to one I also facilitate our ‘Hope Heal & Help support group’ which holds a space for those affected by suicidal loss to meet and engage with those of similar experience. Part of my role also involves liaising with statutory support services and providing them with feedback from our families regarding how best to support individuals in the immediate aftermath of a suicidal loss.

It is an immense privilege to support some of the amazing individuals who have been referred to the bereavement support service. Working closely with them and experiencing their trust is the best thing about my job. 

My free time is usually spent visiting National Trust sites and walking in the many forests and beaches of the North Coast.  At the time of writing this I’ve also been playing a lot of darts!

I co-ordinate training events for the Flourish Programme within Lighthouse.  I share information relating to the project.  I enjoy meeting and networking with new people and communities.  I really enjoy the various development opportunities that working at Lighthouse can provide.  My favourite hobby is walking my dog in nature. 

Within my role as Services Coordinator, I am responsible for ensuring a smooth, safe, and quality journey for our clients. This includes dealing with incoming referrals, allocation of our clients to counsellors and providing signposting information to other mental health services. I also support the operational leadership team by formulating business reports to help the team to plan and manage services.

I have been part of Lighthouse since October 2021 and I am thoroughly enjoying my job role. It is a pleasure working within such a collaborative and supportive team, witnessing the commitment and passion the Lighthouse team has for providing support to clients. It has been a privilege working with our clients and witnessing how Lighthouse is enmeshed into the North Belfast community. 

What I enjoy most about working in Lighthouse is that every day is different, and I get to work with a great variety of inspiring people, both clients and staff.

My favourite hobby is getting outside and spending time in nature.

I support people that have been referred into Lighthouse with a wide range of presenting issues such as anxiety, depression, abuse, trauma, bereavement, suicidal ideation.  I am an integrative counsellor which means I can use different approaches to suit the individual needs of my clients. I work in a way that is professional, friendly and down to earth as I know how difficult it can be to make that first step.

I enjoy working with such a diverse range of clients and also supporting the local community. I enjoy that as an organisation we all work together and support one another as one big team.

In my personal life, I enjoy walking , knitting and dabbling in some artwork.

What I like about working for Lighthouse is the lovely variety of clients and the supportive staff. 

I have two favourite hobbies; I like to walk and I love to read. 

I have been a counsellor since 2019 and have worked mostly in the charitable sector with focuses on crisis management and suicide prevention. I currently hold an undergraduate degree in counselling and have become very passionate about not just the practice but also scientific research in this field. My work at Lighthouse affords me the opportunity to work with different people with diverse education and skillsets, and to work with all sorts of clients from different backgrounds, all of which are tremendously valuable learning experiences. I hope in future to undertake further study and research to be of more benefit to my clients and to Lighthouse.

Aside from that, I enjoy in music, reading, writing, and games of all kinds.

My role as Training Business Executive involves identifying training requirements of organisations and facilitating the delivery of programmes.

Over the years I have found people make organisations and the people in Lighthouse are fantastic.

I am football fanatic and love my visits to my spiritual home Old Trafford.