Non Executive Directors

Maynard Mawhinney

Maynard is a member of the board of the Health and Safety Executive (NI) and an Independent Director with Around Noon Limited. He sits on the College of Agriculture, Food & Rural Enterprise’s College Advisory Group, is an Independent Assessor with the Commissioner for Public Appointments (NI) and Agri-Food consultant to BDO. Maynard is married to Hazel, has two grown up sons and is involved in local church leadership. He enjoys travel and hiking.

Dr Maura Briscoe

Maura qualified as a medical practitioner from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland in 1978. She subsequently trained as a general practitioner and worked as a GP until early 1991. In 1997 she became a medical officer in the Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety (DHSSPS), becoming a Senior Medical Officer in 2002. In 2007 Maura moved into core policy and legislation setting up the Safety, Quality and Standards Directorate becoming its first Director. In 2008/9 she transferred within DHSSPS to become Director of Mental Health and Disability. In 2010 she became Director of Secondary Care in DHSSPS and subsequently led on special projects within the hospital and community sector. In 2012 Maura became Director of Mental Health, Disability and Older People. Maura retired from the Civil Service in July 2014. Her main interest since then has been in the development of models of care and support for those living with learning disabilities and their families.

Joan O'Hagan

Joan O'Hagan has had a long and varied career in both the public and voluntary sector. After training as a nurse, midwife and then health visitor working in primary care, the community, the acute sector and for the Department of Health, Joan then became the Director of Nursing and Community Health in Newry and Mourne Trust from 1995- 2007.

Following this she worked for Asthma UK as the Director in Northern Ireland from 2007- 2015. Joan was also an independent member of the Policing Board Northern Ireland between 2011-2015. Joan has a particular interest in Governance issues, leadership development and human rights in the healthcare sector.

Noel Brady

Noel is MD of his company, Consult Nb1, which provides services to national and international companies. He has held senior positions for over 40 years in both the public and private sectors. He is an Honorary Fellow and Chairman of the Sales Institute of Ireland and is also a Fellow of the Institute of Directors. Noel is a member of the Board of the NI Assembly Business Trust and he has just completed 8 years as a Belfast Harbour Commissioner.

Helen Minford

Helen has served in the public sector for over thirty years in both Health and Education Sectors and has held a variety of roles including a number of senior management positions. Until April 2016, she held the post of Head of School for Health, Care & Sport in Belfast Metropolitan College. Helen led and managed teams as they brought about change in very challenging situations. She has successfully overseen quality, performance and innovation in line with stakeholder requirements, has led through major inspections and managed a wide range of projects all within significant budgetary constraints. As well as participating in a number of working groups within the college, Helen was a member of a range of stakeholder groups, collaborative fora and strategic partnerships. Helen began her career as a nurse and midwife. She was a midwifery teacher before moving into the role of practice nurse with responsibility for Health Promotion. In 1998 she took up the post of a Lecturer in Early Years and Health & Social Care. Helen is married and has four children.