Speaker Profiles

Director, Journalist and  broadcaster

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Sarah Travers was educated at Dominican College in her home town of Portstewart and went on to study journalism at the Nottingham-Trent University. After a brief spell with a commercial radio station in Leicester, she joined the BBC starting at BBC Radio Foyle in 1995 before moving to the Belfast newsroom in 1997 where she worked as a journalist and a news reader on BBC Radio Ulster.

A move into TV a couple of years later saw Sarah take up a presenter position with the BBC Newsline team. She currently presents a range of bulletins and programmes throughout the week.

Sarah is from Portstewart and she still lives there with her family.

In her spare time Sarah enjoys getting out in the fresh air on the north coast and spending some quality family time with her partner and two children.

Permanent Secretary, Department for the Economy

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Ian Snowden is the Permanent Secretary of the Department for the Economy.  He took up the position on 8 December 2023.

 

Ian has worked in the Northern Ireland Civil Service for 31 years.  Prior to joining the Department for the Economy, he had been Chief Executive of Land & Property Services for five years, where he was responsible for Land Registers of Northern Ireland, Ordnance Survey NI, Valuation Services, rating policy and the collection of business and domestic rates.  During the pandemic, he led on the delivery of a major package of rate reliefs and grants for businesses affected by the restrictions to control the virus which provided £1.25 billion in support for the local economy.  He has also worked on creating a register of all land and property owned by Northern Ireland departments and arms’ length bodies and a new approach to asset management.

 

Before joining LPS, Ian worked the Department for Communities as Head of the Engaged Communities Group, where he was responsible for a wide portfolio that included arts, culture, language policy, sport, museums, libraries, built heritage, community development, community based regeneration and social inclusion policy. 

 

In DfC and the former Department for Social Development, he also worked for almost 18 years in Housing and Urban , working in some of Northern Ireland’s most disadvantaged and segregated communities, including West Belfast and Londonderry.

 

Since 2015 Ian has led the co-ordination of Northern Ireland’s response to the immediate and longer-term needs of Syrian, Afghan and Ukrainian refugees being resettled in Northern Ireland.  To date, 1,900 Syrians, over 100 Afghans and 3,000 Ukrainians have been successfully supported into new lives here.

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Mayor of Derry

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Lilian Seenoi-Barr is a prominent Kenyan Irish political and community activist known for her commitment to social justice, equality, and human rights. Born in Kenya, Lilian's early life was shaped by the challenges and inequities she observed in her Maasai community, sparking a passion for advocacy that would guide her life's work.

 

In her late twenties, Lilian relocated to Derry/ Londonderry, where she quickly became an influential figure in local politics and community activism. As the Founder and Chief Executive Officer at the North West Migrants Forum, she played a pivotal role in advocating for the rights and integration of migrants and minoritised minorities. Her work at the Forum involved developing programmes that addressed issues such as racial discrimination, social inclusion, and community cohesion.

 

Lilian's political career gained significant momentum when she joined the Social Democratic and Labour Party (SDLP). Her dedication to public service and her ability to connect with diverse communities led to her election as the Chair of the Derry SDLP District Executive. In 2021, she was co-opted into the Derry City and Strabane District Council, marking a significant step in her political journey. Demonstrating her growing influence and popularity, Lilian was subsequently elected in 2023 as one of the SDLP Councillors for the Foyleside District Electoral Area.

 

Beyond her political engagements, Lilian is known for her grassroots activism. She has organised numerous campaigns and events aimed at raising awareness about issues such as racial inequality, Night time economy, Women’s Health and Housing. Her efforts have not only brought about tangible changes in her community but have also inspired many others to take up the mantle of activism.

 

 

Lilian Seenoi-Barr's contributions to political and community life have been recognised with several awards and honours. Her work continues to inspire and empower individuals and communities, making her a formidable force for positive change. Through her tireless efforts, Lilian has demonstrated the profound impact that dedicated activism and compassionate leadership can have on society.

 

 

Lilian Believes this is our time to build a more inclusive, prosperous, and vibrant Derry City and Strabane District. She wants to be a mayor for everyone, one who is accessible and one who will lead with hope. Lilian Has chosen DUB Club as her charity of the year and will fundraise and promote the work of this organisation during her term in the Guildhall.

Housing Executive, Chair

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Nicole qualified as a barrister from King’s Inns Dublin and practised in both Dublin and Belfast for five years.

 

In 2015, she was an Inaugural Board Member of the Education Authority. In 2017, she was appointed as an Independent Board Member of the Northern Ireland Courts and Tribunals Service, and she currently chairs its Audit and Risk Committee. Also in 2017, she was appointed as a Non-Executive Director of the Irish Auditing and Accounting Supervisory Authority in Dublin where she chaired its Audit Committee. 

 

In 2018, she was appointed Chair of the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service and, in 2019, she was appointed Chief Commissioner of the Charity Commission for Northern Ireland. Last year Nicole became Chair of the Public Sector Chairs Forum, where she works alongside colleagues across the public sector.

 

Having served as a School Governor for over fifteen years, Nicole has extensive experience working in corporate governance, overseeing the delivery of public services in important areas such as health, education, justice, financial and charity regulation and now housing.

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Housing Executive, Chief Executive

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Grainia Long is the Chief Executive of the Northern Ireland Housing Executive.

 

Previously, Grainia was the Commissioner for Resilience for the city of Belfast, and co-Chaired the Belfast Climate Commission. She spent nearly four years as Chief Executive of the National Child Protection Charity in Ireland, ISPCC Childline.

 

This position followed several years working in housing, including as Chief Executive of the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH), and previously National Director of the CIH in Northern Ireland. She served two terms as a member of the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission, and has extensive experience as a Non-Executive Director, having spent six years as Senior Independent Director on the Group Board of Metropolitan Thames Valley Housing.

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Housing Executive, Area Manager

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Eddie has worked for the Housing Executive for a total of 37 years,  having joined the organisation in 1987. He has spent the vast majority of his career in the delivery of front line services. He has held senior positions in DLO, Private Sector Grants, Policy and Organisational change and development. In his Housing Management career he has held senior management positions in 6 different District offices across Council boundaries of Causeway, Mid Ulster, Derry/Londonderry and Omagh Fermanagh. He has been Area Manager in South West Area and is currently Area Manager of the West Area. Eddie and his teams deliver a full range of front line Landlord and Regional Services in the West Area. He is a Committee Member of Advice NW and has represented the Housing Executive on many external Stakeholder Partnerships. Eddie is a member of The Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS) and also a member of the Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH).​

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Department for Communities, Permanent Secretary

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In February 2024 Gordon Lyons MLA was appointed as the Minister for Communities. His remit is wide ranging and covers housing, regeneration, sports, arts, culture, languages, libraries, museums, historic environment, benefits and pensions, community and voluntary sector, residential building safety, child maintenance services, tackling disadvantage and promoting equality of opportunity.

Gordon served as a Councillor on Mid and East Antrim Council from May 2014 to August 2015 when he was appointed as MLA for East Antrim and subsequently re-elected in 2016, 2017 and 2022.

In January 2020, Gordon was appointed to the Executive as a Junior Minister. He acted as Minister for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs for a short period and was appointed Minister for the Department of Economy from July 2021 to October 2022.

Housing Executive, Director of Housing Services

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Jennifer Hawthorne was appointed the Director of Housing Services in April 2022. She is responsible for a division with 1,500 staff and manages 83,000 Housing Executive homes across Northern Ireland. She is also responsible for the management of all homelessness services in NI.   

 

Since joining the Housing Executive in 1978, Jennifer has worked in a number of roles throughout her career in the Housing Executive, including Regional Manager for Belfast, Public Relations Manager for Belfast and operational manager for the Shankill area. Jennifer also headed up the Community Cohesion division in the Housing Executive for 10 years, with major accomplishments including the development of shared housing, re-imaging and peace wall barrier removal programmes. In 2015, Jennifer was awarded an OBE for her work on the successful transformation of post conflict communities

 

 

Founding Director at Northern Ireland Alternatives​

 

Northern Ireland Alternatives, a community based restorative project working within grassroots loyalist communities in Northern Ireland. This Project was established in 1998 to address the issue of summary justice practices carried out by armed groups and restorative practices provided a non-violent intervention. This innovative work involves mediation between ex political combatants and prisoners to move them away from violence.

 

Debbie has been involved in the area of justice work, peace building, reconciliation, community relations and youth work for the past 30 years. She completed her degree at the Ulster University and has worked as a restorative justice practitioner for the past 27 years including the management of the first restorative justice programme in the USA from 1993-1997.

 

She is actively involved in lobbying, advocacy and training in restorative practices, mediation and community development empowerment both within local communities, schools, universities and statutory agencies. including working with women in communities and women’s groups to build capacity and empowerment. She has also taught classes at Queens University, Belfast on Restorative Practice and on the new Degree Course in Policing at Ulster University and has published several articles jointly with Professor Harry Mika, Central Michigan University on the role of Restorative Practice in Peace building and Reconciliation within post conflict societies.