Our Board
Our Board
Sylvia Gordon is the Chair
of WOMEN'STEC. She works for
the Corrymeela Community as
Head of Programmes and has extensive experience of peace and reconciliation.
In a previous position as CEO of Groundwork NI Sylvia led on a partnership initiative working alongside local communities in North Belfast to open the first peace wall after the Belfast Good Friday Agreement. This was recognised by President Barack Obama in his speech at the Waterfront Hall, Belfast, May 2013.
Sylvia has worked and volunteered in the voluntary sector for 24 years and has been a Council member of the Community Relations Council (CRC) and previous chair of Women’s Aid in Antrim, Ballymena, Carrickfergus, Larne and Newtownabbey.
SYLVIA GORDON
Chair
Michael works in the Research Service of the NI Assembly, supporting the legislature with research on equality, human rights and community relations.
Michael has a background in community-based and academic research in gender equality, conflict and peacebuilding.
MICHAEL POTTER
Board Member
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 for all building types including the upgrade of historic buildings.
SIOBHAN BROWN
Board Member
Norah is a founding member of WOMENS’TEC. As a former client of Windsor Women’s Centre in the 1990s, she, alongside some other women were interested in doing a DIY course.
Funding was sourced and a female-only course was developed at Millfield Technological College. It became apparent that there was an appetite for non-traditional trades programmes for women in the community and so WOMEN’STEC was born.
Norah is a Board member of Windsor Women’s Centre and a Board member and Treasurer of WOMEN’STEC.
NORAH BAILLIE
Maria Bradley is the Human Resources Director at Gilbert-Ash, she is passionate about gender diversity and believes it is essential for businesses to create opportunities and empathy in the workplace to help foster innovation and make them more inclusive. Maria is also a CITB NI Board member and has been at the core of several wider construction industry initiatives and improvements throughout the years.
Nuala has over ten years’
experience working at a senior
level in both the private and public sectors. Sheis currently Environmental Social Governance Manager (ESG) at Herons and is passionate about how social value is delivered and how we can make a lasting and positive impact on the environment, in society, and in the wider economy. In a previous role, Nuala gained extensive experience in community engagement, stakeholder management, the delivery of Social Value working as well as experience working within the construction industry and the public/community sector.
She believes passionately in the importance of social value and corporate business responsibility and has utilised this throughout her career for the benefit of all organisations that she engages with.
Maria Bradley is the Human
Resources Director at Gilbert-Ash, she is passionate about gender diversity and believes it is essential for businesses to create opportunities and empathy in the workplace to help foster innovation and make them more inclusive. Maria is also a CITB NI Board member and has been at the core of several wider construction industry initiatives and improvements throughout the years.
NUALA GRIFFITHS
MARIA BRADLEY
Treasurer
Board Member
Board Member
Maria Bradley is the Human Resources Director at Gilbert-Ash, she is passionate about gender diversity and believes it is essential for businesses to create opportunities and empathy in the workplace to help foster innovation and make them more inclusive. Maria is also a CITB NI Board member and has been at the core of several wider construction industry initiatives and improvements throughout the years.
NICOLA MCCRUDDEN
Nicola is Chief Executive Officer at Homeless Connect. She has almost 30 years’ experience working in housing and homelessness and has expertise public policy development, good governance, and strategic leadership. Nicola strongly believes in collaboration, co-design and service user involvement.
Board Member
Nuala is a Development Officer within the Strategic Investment Board overseeing construction projects in NI. She has experience in the public & private sector delivering events & engaging with organisations to showcase the wide range of careers that the construction industry has to offer.
ANDREA MCKERNAN
Andrea has been a journalist for more than 20 years in Belfast. Currently a freelance journalist at The Irish News, Andrea has reported extensively on issues of deprivation, poverty, women’s rights and housing in her long career. Andrea says: “My focus from a very early age has always been social, employment and educational rights for girls and women."
Board Member
Our Team
Our Chief Executive,
Lynn Carvill joined WOMEN’STEC in 2014. She is passionate in promoting gender equality, particularly in relation to women’s labour market participation and economic position. Lynn has also has held a number of policy/advocacy roles in the wider community and voluntary sector. She is a founding member and Chair of the Northern Ireland Women’s Budget Group and a former Commissioner on the UK-wide Commission for a Gender Equal Economy.
LYNN CARVILL
Chief Executive
Helen joined WOMEN’STEC in 2018 after spending 6 years previously working with a wide range of charities, sports clubs, councils, and government departments as a third sector consultant, building up her skills, knowledge, and experience of the sector. “I absolutely love my job. I have found my place! A place where I have a voice, where I can support other women to have their voices heard and where I can effect change in our sector, in empowering women and in wider society!”
HELEN KERR
Head of Operations & Development
Lisa is WOMEN'STEC's Head of Finance and Resources. She has over 15 years of experience working in finance within the community sector. She has been working for WOMEN'STEC for 8 wonderful years. "I am a hugely passionate supporter and advocate of providing women and girl's with career and training opportunities."
LISA MCCANN
Head of Finance & Resources
Amanda has previous experience working in the community with NICOD (now the Cedar Foundation) and also worked part-time in a Primary School.
"I’m also a full-time mum of four which means I’m constantly busy. I then started to work for WOMEN’STEC whilst balancing mum duties and am still here after a fantastic 8 years"
Amanda is our coordinator for the Building Independence Programme.
AMANDA FERGUSON
Young Mums Coordinator
Sarah joined WOMEN’STEC in January of 2022.
"I believe we as women should have access to all career opportunities, especially within the construction sector. I was previously an Outreach Tutor, and I was also a TEFL teacher for two years in Thailand which was an unforgettable experience."
Sarah is qualified in Electrics, Mechanical engineering, and Construction and will be training our ladies in these specific skills.
SARAH SIMMS
Workshop Manager and Tutor
Michael works in the Research Service of the NI Assembly, supporting the legislature with research on equality, human rights and community relations. Michael has a background in community-based and academic research in gender equality, conflict and peacebuilding.
Born in a farming community near Portaferry, Patricia has worked in London, New York and Gibraltar but Belfast has been her home for over 25 years. "I have been working in WOMEN’STEC for 22 years addressing issues of equality. The key to this is education, information and access. Through my work at WOMEN’STEC I have been providing women with the capacity to build confidence to make informed choices in their lives and their community."
PATRICIA FLEMING
Programme Coordinator
Amy joined WOMEN’STEC at the start of 2022, after finishing up university studies in Media Studies & Production and a Postgraduate Degree in Arts Management. She is working as our Social Media Officer.
"I love the ethos of WOMEN’STEC and through my work here I am helping spread this message to a wider audience."
AMY NOLAN
Social Media Officer
Vilma joined WOMEN'STEC in 2015. Following a change in circumstances, she changed career and went to university as a mature student.
"This experience has made me passionate about helping women who are returning to the workforce."
VILMA BISSON
Systems Coordinator
Alex came to WOMEN'STEC in 2020 to coordinate and formalise the Northern Ireland Women's Budget Group, which focuses on achieving a gender-equal economy. Prior to this, she completed her MA degree in Conflict Transformation and Social Justice at QUB and has worked in various media and communications roles in the US. "I am passionate about gender equality, its intersections with other equalities, and how economic policy can be used to promote such equality."
ALEX BRENNAN
NI Women's Budget Group Coordinator
CLAIRE KING
POP Coordinator
MAXI PANAYI
POP Officer
VICTORIA PAYNE
Receptionist & Admin Officer
Claire joined us in 2022 as Programme Coordinator for the Promoting Opportunities Programme #notjustforboys. She has 20 years of experience as a youth worker in the community and voluntary sector and is particularly passionate about working with girls and young women.
"Through the programme, I hope we can provide amazing opportunities for girls to learn new skills, increase awareness of career opportunities in non-traditional trades and support them to pursue their passions."
‘Born and raised in London, Maxi has worked in the charity sector ever since graduating with a Sociology & Criminology degree in 2015. After moving to Belfast in she joined WOMEN'STEC in December 2021 as a Communications and Events Officer but has recently been promoted to Project Officer for the #NotJustForBoys Programme.
'I’ve always believed and desired to help girl’s/women due to the injustices and lack of opportunities we face daily.’
Born and raised in London, Maxi has worked in the charity sector ever since graduating with a Sociology & Criminology degree in 2015. After moving to Belfast in she joined WOMEN'STEC in 2021 as a Communications and Events Officer but has recently been promoted to Project Officer for the #NotJustForBoys Programme.
'I’ve always believed and desired to help girls & women due to the injustices and lack of opportunities we face daily.’
Victoria joined WOMEN'STEC in September of 2022 as a receptionist and admin officer. She is currently working as part of the RANK Foundation's,
'RANK Aspire Programme.'
“There is no limit to what we as women can accomplish."
Jane joined us in 2022 as our Workshop Technician and Tutor. She is also a self-employed gardener and Yoga Teacher.
She is committed to the ethos of WOMEN'STEC of empowering women with practical skills, confidence and opportunities to explore wider choices in careers, undertake practical projects at home and enjoy learning alongside other women in an inclusive and encouraging environment.
JANE MCMAHON
Workshop Technician and Tutor
Patricia joined us in 2022 as Newry Programme Coordinator as part of our Newry expansion.
PATRICIA MURNION
Programme Coordinator
- Newry
Louise rejoined WOMEN'STEC as our Newry Workshop Manager and tutor and is taking classes, alongside a few of our other tutors, in out Newry premises.
LOUISE ANSON
Workshop Manager and Tutor - Newry