Centre for Democracy and Peace

🌟 Meet another Fellow from our Class of 2026 🌟 Introducing Anna McClung, Deputy Principal at the Department of Justice. With over a decade of experience in rehabilitation, resettlement and community safety, Anna has led cross-sector initiatives tackling intergenerational trauma, reducing reoffending and improving custodial outcomes. With a background in social policy and criminology, she is passionate about early intervention, lived experience, and building safer, more inclusive communities. #SpiritofPossibility

Really excited for the official launch of the Fellowship at Stormont next week! This programme simply wouldn’t be possible without the long-term commitment and support of our incredible partners. A massive thank you to Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade, Ireland, FinTrU, Ulster Carpets, Fujitsu NI, Camlin Group, NIE Networks, Allstate Northern Ireland and the Irish American Partnership. Your support and your vision for a more peaceful and prosperous Northern Ireland is what enables us to make a lasting impact. Many thanks to our Advisory Group and team: Darragh McCarthy, Christina B., Melanie McMordie, Nick Coburn, Dalreen Buchanan, Derek Hynes, Gordon Parkes (Chartered Companion CIPD) Dip IOD MBA, Peter Cunningham, Harvey Maylor, Saul Betmead de Chasteigner and Zachary Hutchinson.

As we continue to introduce our Class of 2026, please meet another inspiring Fellow! Rhyannon Blythe is Director of Legal at the Northern Ireland Human Rights Commission. A qualified barrister, she was called to the Bar of Northern Ireland in 2008, having studied Law and Criminology at Cardiff University and completing a Master’s in Human Rights and Criminal Justice at Queen’s University Belfast. She also serves on the board of the Community Foundation for Northern Ireland, bringing her expertise and commitment to advancing rights and justice. #SpiritofPossibility

✨ Meet another Fellow from our Class of 2026 ✨ Introducing Lewis McVitty, Constituency Manager for Diana Armstrong MLA. A History and Politics graduate from Queen’s University Belfast, Lewis has been politically active since the age of sixteen and now serves as Secretary of the Ulster Young Unionists. Raised on a family farm in Fermanagh, he is passionate about rural affairs, the local economy, and promoting pragmatic Unionism and the successes of Northern Ireland. #SpiritofPossibility

🌟 Introducing another Fellow from our Class of 2026 🌟 Meet Ola Sobieraj, Project Manager at the3million. With two decades of experience in grassroots NGOs across Northern Ireland and Great Britain, Ola is a passionate organiser and advocate, empowering underrepresented communities to play a full role in public life. Through her work with the3million, she represents EU citizens in the UK after Brexit, ensuring their voices are heard. Ola also serves as Vice-Chair of the MME Think Tank and is active in the Friends of Poland All-Party Parliamentary Group at Stormont. #SpiritofPossibility

Happy Monday! ☀️ We’re excited to continue introducing our Class of 2026 Fellows. Today, meet James Redmond, Head of Transport Planning, Modelling & Data Analytics at the Department for Infrastructure. A chartered engineer with over 23 years’ experience across the UK and Ireland, James brings deep expertise in transport and planning. Beyond work, he’s passionate about sport, coaching GAA and soccer in his local community. #SpiritofPossibility #MondayMotivation

✨ Meet the Fellows – Class of 2026 ✨ Today we’re delighted to introduce Emma Cairns, Head of Policy and Business with the Ulster Unionist Party. A First-Class PPE graduate from Queen’s University Belfast, Emma brings her passion for supporting young carers and advancing animal welfare legislation to the Fellowship. We’re excited to see the insights and impact she will contribute in the year ahead. #SpiritofPossibility

The Class of 2026 brings together leaders who are transforming systems and communities - today we spotlight another of our Fellows. Meet Sean McQuade, Head of Quality Improvement at the Northern Health and Social Care Trust. Sean is a healthcare leader and quality improvement specialist with over twenty years’ public sector experience across local government, education, and health. #SpiritofPossibility

Our spotlight on the Class of 2026 continues as we welcome another remarkable Fellow to the stage. Meet Corrina Grimes, RD, MSc - an Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health at the Global Brain Health Institute (Trinity College Dublin) and co-founder of the pioneering health-tech start-up MemoryTell. With over two decades of experience translating research into policy and practice, Corrina’s work spans clinical, academic, and public health fields. Stay tuned each day as we introduce more members of the Class of 2026. #SpiritofPossibility

Introducing another voice from our Class of 2026 - a group of leaders shaping change across sectors and communities. Meet Gillian Hamilton, Partnership Manager at EastSide Partnership. Rooted in east Belfast, Gillian is passionate about trauma-informed practice and helping systems work better for those furthest from power. She chairs TIDES Training and Consultancy and plays an active role in the charity Rethinking Conflict. In 2023, she also stood as a Green Party NI candidate for Titanic DEA. #SpiritofPossibility