About us Our team Our trustees Our trustees Extern’s 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 Gerry CampbellChair of Extern Group & Extern Ireland Gerry is the current Chief Executive of the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools, an organisation established as an upper tier of management for Catholic schools in 1989 in response to concerns about underachievement Gerry had previously led Colleges NI, the membership body representing the six Regional, Further and Higher Education Colleges in Northern Ireland. Before that, he was Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Commissioner for Children & Young People between July 2008 and June 2011. Prior to that, Gerry was the Director of Corporate Services with the Northern Ireland Social Care Council, overseeing corporate governance, financial management and human resources for over six years. Between 1999 and 2002, Gerry was the Regional Commercial Training Manager for the British Red Cross, responsible for all commercial training activities in Northern Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man. Previous to that, he was involved in private sector work including graduate recruitment and training. Gerry is currently the Chair of two small charitable organisations in Antrim and was previously a Non-Executive Director and Deputy Chair of the Health & Safety Executive for Northern Ireland and a Board Member with Sport Northern Ireland. Gerry is also the independent Chair of the Audit and Risk Assurance Committee with the Commissioner for Older People in Northern Ireland. In a voluntary capacity he is the Chair of the Board of Governors of a primary school in Antrim and a Governor of a post-primary school in Randalstown. Allen McCartneyExtern Group Vice-Chair, Extern Northern Ireland Director and Extern Ireland Director Allen is by profession a Chartered Electrical Engineer and Fellow of the Institution of Engineering and Technology, with degree qualifications in both electrical engineering and corporate leadership. He has had a distinguished career in Northern Ireland Electricity and Viridian Group. He is currently a self employed business consultant, a Lay Magistrate, an Independent Board Member of the Northern Ireland Legal Services Agency, and a Lay Assessor for NI Medical and Dental Training Agency. Aideen D’Arcy MBEExtern Supporting Communities Chair, Northern Ireland Chair, Extern Group Director/Treasurer & Extern Ireland Director 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. Brendan Johnston MBEExtern Northern Ireland, Extern Group and Extern Ireland Director & Chair of Audit & Risk Committee. Brendan Johnston is a social worker and has spent his career in statutory social work in Northern Ireland. He has had experience of many different roles in his career, working in all programmes of care though mainly in the area of children’s services. In the late ‘90s he worked closely with Extern West, particularly with development of Killadeas and later Roscor. As well as his qualification in social work, Brendan has a Diploma in Management Studies and an MBA. In 2004, he completed the Top Management Programme run by the Kings Fund. Brendan has also been involved in a number of joint training initiatives with colleagues from CO3 and the Republic of Ireland. Brendan previously worked as an Assistant Director of Social Services at the Western Health Social Board, where he was responsible for commissioning children’s services and training for social workers and social care workers. More recently, Brendan was the first Chief Executive of Northern Ireland Social Care Council and was responsible for establishing the regulation of social care workers in Northern Ireland. His work at the Council and in previous roles has provided him with a large range of experience in Strategic Management, Policy Formulation, Governance Risk Management, Finance and Human Resources. Brendan retired from the Council in early 2013. Ian McAvoyExtern Northern Ireland Director and Company Secretary, Extern Group Director and Company Secretary, Extern Supporting Communities Director and Company Secretary and Extern Ireland Treasurer 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 positon of Chairman of Rugby at Queen's University, Belfast. He is married to Lynne with three grown-up children. Andrew McCloskeyExtern Northern Ireland Director/Treasurer, Extern Supporting Communities Director/Treasurer, Extern Group Director & Chair of the Business Development Committee Andrew is a business professional with more than 20 years’ experience in global companies. He has worked in the procurement, IT, and planning departments specialising in the use of technologies to enhance business performance and holds a Master of Business Administration from Ulster University and a Law Degree from the Open University. He is currently employed by Moy Park, Craigavon. Jacqueline ArmstrongExtern Northern Ireland Director Jacqueline Armstrong (Jackie) is a corporate solicitor with almost 30 years' professional experience gained across various private, industry and public sector roles, most recently as sole in-house solicitor at the Agri-food & Biosciences Institute, a public body sponsored by DAERA, a NI government department. She is passionate about governance and regulatory compliance and already acts as a charity trustee of her church. She has the ability to articulate complex issues in an easily understood way as well as make reasoned, balanced recommendations. Her legal and commercial knowledge is applied proactively to achieve the most effective and efficient processes to get things done as well as using compelling arguments to gain the support and commitment of colleagues and other stakeholders. Jackie has been volunteering during the latest Coronavirus lockdown at a Belfast Foodbank alongside her 17 year old daughter. This has given her an insight not only into the deepening food poverty which exists locally but also the other needs of users for which compassionate advocates are required. Jackie believes that "every day is a school day" and she hopes to use her time on the Board of Extern to learn from others' experience, expertise and knowledge and perhaps be able to offer some of her own. Stephen LeachExtern Northern Ireland Director 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. Marian QuinnExtern Ireland Director Marian holds a Masters in Adult Education, a BSc in Youth and Community Work, Diplomas in Corporate Governance and Performance Management, and is a qualified Life and Business Coach and General Nurse. Her career has focused on children, young people and families through roles in both the statutory and non-profit sector. She has also lectured part-time in Maynooth University, Ireland, at post-graduate level in Adult and Community Education. Since becoming CEO of the Childhood Development Initiative (CDI) in 2007, Marian has overseen the design, delivery and evaluation of practice models across a spectrum of needs and led the roll out of proven interventions to communities throughout Ireland, including developing a series of training and quality assurance strategies. Marian has previously held roles in the HSE and Department of Justice and has also worked directly with young people and early school leavers. She developed the Copping On youth crime prevention programme, established the all-island Breaking Through Network and currently chairs Restorative Practices Ireland. Marian has been a member of the new Children’s Hospital Board, and the Social Work Registration Board. She remains a member of the Airfield Trust Board, and recently ended a seven-year period as Chair of the Prevention and Early Intervention Network where she led numerous campaigns to influence Government policy and resourcing. Marian is a skilled communicator, and has published a number of academic papers, presented widely at national and international conferences and co-authored a best-selling book (Click Click) about three sisters’ experience of child abuse. Jim DalyExtern Ireland 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.