Extern Group Trustees Extern Group Board of Trustees is responsible for our governance and strategic direction. The Board is accountable for everything we do, including setting our strategic direction, scrutinising our performance and supporting & empowering our Executive Team of Directors. Board members do not receive any remuneration in respect of their services to the charity. Receipted expenses are reimbursed when incurred. The Directors, who are non-executive, represent a diverse range of relevant experience including: finance legal criminal justice housing health children’s services business research and mental health Read more about our trustees' below Allen McCartney Extern Group Chair Mr McCartney is by profession a Chartered Engineer and Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology, with degree qualifications in both electrical engineering and corporate leadership. He had a distinguished career at Director level in Northern Ireland Electricity and Viridian Group and brings a wealth of experience from previous public sector board appointments in the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority, the Department for Regional Development, and the Legal Services Agency Northern Ireland. He is a Lay Magistrate and an Assessor for the Northern Ireland Medical and Dental Training Agency. Aideen D’Arcy MBE Extern Group Director and Vice Chair Aideen lives in Belfast and was educated at Queen’s and the Ulster Universities. After graduating in Geography from QUB, Aideen taught in the post-primary sector before embarking on a rewarding career in social housing for over 30 years, specialising in the provision of supported accommodation for vulnerable people, including frail elderly, homeless, mentally ill and learning disabled people and street drinkers, as well as ethnic minorities. She initiated many innovative and statutory organisations on an all-Ireland basis. Aideen served on the NI Regional Council of the Society of St Vincent de Paul for over 15 years and undertook several initiatives to improve standards of accommodation and service provision of the organisation's homeless facilities throughout Ireland, recognising that everyone should have a safe place to call home and a stake in their community in order to have the opportunity to fulfil their full potential in life. Extern Group Director Jim Daly is a self employed business consultant from Clonakilty County Cork. Jim is a qualified Teacher and former school principal who is currently completing his studies with the Institute of Directors to become a chartered Director. Jim spent 16 years working as a public representative and announced his intention to retire from politics in 2020 while serving as Minister for Mental Health & Older People. Jim has a keen interest in Children’s welfare and education and recently completed studies at UCC in Trauma Informed Care. Jim previously served as Chair of the all party Oireachtas Committee on Children & Youth affairs where he championed many issues affecting vulnerable children especially those in foster care and played a lead role in the successful passing of the Children’s referendum of 2012. Jim Daly is currently a non executive Director of a number of private and not for profit boards as well as providing consultancy services to a wide range of businesses especially in the health area. Stephen Leach Extern Northern Ireland Director and Extern Group Director and Company Secretary Stephen lives in North Down and was educated at Cambridge University. He joined the Civil Service in 1975 and worked in the Northern Ireland Office and other Departments. In 1990/91 he spent a year in the USA as a Humphrey Fulbright Fellow. Subsequently he was involved in the negotiations which led to the Good Friday Agreement; and from 2000 to 2009 he was the Chair of the Northern Ireland Criminal Justice Board. During this period he helped to implement a number of reforms including the establishment of the Youth Justice Agency, the Public Prosecution Service and the Criminal Justice Inspectorate, as well as the introduction of statutory restorative conferencing for young offenders, risk-based sentencing, and modernized sexual offences legislation. After retiring from the Civil Service in 2009, he was appointed as a Non-Executive Director of the Health and Social Care Board and served in this role for 11 years. He has also served as a Parole Commissioner and as the Northern Ireland Commissioner on the Criminal Cases Review Commission, based in Birmingham. He is married with three grown-up children. Ian McAvoy Extern Group Director Ian lives in Belfast and was educated at MCB and London University. After graduating in economics Ian studied accountancy. After a spell in practice, he became the Finance Director of a leading Irish brand and was promoted to Chief Executive, holding that position for 16 years. He has much expertise in strategic planning, transformation, finance and marketing. Ian was Chair of PlayBoard, Vice Chair of Sport NI, Director of Sport NI, and is presently Vice Chair of Ark Housing. He has a keen interest in rugby and football, initially as a player and now as an administrator, and holds the position of Chairman of Rugby at Queen's University, Belfast. He is married to Lynne with three grown-up children. Eavann Murphy Extern Group Director Born in Northern Ireland and living in Dublin since 1999. Studied HND Computer Science, Masters - Marketing Management and ACCA Diploma Accounting & Finance all at University of Ulster. Currently Managing Director for the Wholesale Division of eir Group and founding Chair of the eir Group Brand Council. Extensively corporate career working in Bank of Ireland, Northern Ireland 1988-2000 in various marketing and strategy roles and then in Telecommunications with Vodafone 2000-2014 and within the eir Group since 20015 managing key business units across consumer, business and public sector markets. Previously served on the Board of Governors for Dun Laoghaire Institute of Art, Design and Technology. Completed the Institute of Directors Chartered Directors Diploma in 2021. Manage Cookie Preferences <148.105.251.16>