Cormac Maguire – Chair

Cormac began his career in London before returning to Belfast in 2011 to establish the Belfast branch of FCB Studios. He now works at Queen’s University Belfast as Estates Manager – Major Projects.

He has led major cultural and educational projects including the Ulster University Belfast campus development and has been involved in initiatives such as Open House Belfast.

Ciara Flanagan – Treasurer

Ciara is a member of Chartered Accountants Ireland, bringing over 15 years of financial experience across the public, private, and housing sectors—including gaining valuable international experience working in an accounting firm in Canada.

An avid music fan, Ciara has attended a number of the Crescent’s own dance classes over the years and in her spare time also does voluntary work for the Welcome Organisation.

Michael Campbell

Michael is a member of Chartered Accountants Ireland with over 15 years’ experience in financial reporting across the public, private and charitable sectors.

He currently serves as Chair of the Board of Governors at Oakwood Integrated Primary School and has a strong interest in arts and community engagement.

Ursula Doherty

Ursula has 30 years’ leadership experience in Human Resources, primarily gained in the NI public sector.

She has led HR teams delivering on workforce strategy and planning, employee wellbeing and development, reward, employee relations, equality, diversity and inclusion, recruitment and retention, and organisation change and development.

She is a Chartered Member of the Chartered Institute of Personal and Development (CIPD). 

Iain Heap

Iain is Chief Information Officer and Data Protection Officer at Kainos, where he leads enterprise technology strategy, digital transformation, and the responsible adoption of data and AI. With senior leadership experience across the UK and Canada, he has led large-scale organisations through complex operational and cultural change.

Iain has a long-standing passion for music and the arts, and a particular interest in how technology can support creativity and cultural expression. He joined the Board to help support sustainable innovation and the continued impact of The Crescent within South Belfast’s vibrant arts community.

Evelyn Hoy

Evelyn is an experienced Chief Executive Officer of an Arm’s Length Body and a former civil servant of 30+ years.

She leads the team supporting the Commissioner for Older People, overseeing corporate objectives, communications, engagement and organisational resources.

Evelyn established the Commissioner for Older People’s organisation in 2012 and has worked with both former and current Commissioners.

Jackie Lenaghan

Jackie is a Marketing Operations leader at Kainos with over 16 years’ experience across marketing, project management and transformation programmes.

She is passionate about the arts and previously co-founded a speech and drama school for young people in South Belfast.

Chris McComish

After two decades living and working across London and Bristol, Chris has recently returned to Belfast bringing a wealth of creative, technical, and educational leadership experience. He currently leads a global content production team within a large customer-experience technology company, where he shapes video-driven learning programmes for some of the world’s most influential brands.

Chris’s career spans senior roles in tech retail, instructional design, and creative content production, developing high-engagement creative strategies and large-scale training initiatives. 

Alongside his work in the tech sector, Chris is an accomplished musician. He has recorded in studios around the globe including multiple sessions at Abbey Road, toured internationally with various artists, and notably performed on George Ezra’s multi-award-winning album ‘Wanted on Voyage’. He continues to create documentary-style short films, develop his passion for print making and champion creative education in Northern Ireland.

Sarah McCullough

Sarah is a Creative Director working between Belfast and London.

Formerly Director of Creative at Selfridges, she led major cultural campaigns including Agender, The Beauty Project and Project Earth, and now consults through Ourselves Creative Studio.

Holly Milne

Holly holds a PhD in marketing and business strategy and currently works in shopper marketing at Dale Farm.

She has a strong interest in the arts and previously co-founded an artisan food business while completing her doctoral research.

Babita Sharma

Babita is an award-winning author, journalist and broadcaster and former BBC World News anchor.

She is the author of The Corner Shop and presenter of documentaries including Dangerous Borders: The Story of India & Pakistan.

Mark Stockdale

Mark is a solicitor and a partner in A&L Goodbody's Belfast office where he heads up the corporate and commercial department. He has a particular specialism in renewable energy and has worked with most of the leading developers and investors in the sector in Northern Ireland. He is a regular speaker on renewable energy and energy transition topics and has worked with various energy charities and non-profits.  

Lisa Tolund

Lisa is Senior Manager – Economy in Belfast City Council. She has responsibility for economic development – including business start-up and growth, employability and skills development support and sectoral development activities.  She also oversees the Northern Ireland Enterprise Support Service on behalf of the 11 councils across NI.

Lisa is also responsible for the development and promotion of the city’s markets and coordination of the council’s EU and international development activities, including funding support and development of civic, business and cultural linkages with key international cities and partner organisations.

Lisa has worked with the council since 2002 in a variety of economic development and regeneration roles.  Prior to joining the council, she worked for Leeds City Council and the Northern Ireland Centre in Europe, based in Brussels.