If you’d told me twenty years ago that I’d one day be chairing the board of Beat Carnival, I probably wouldn’t have believed you.

Back then, I was much more likely to be found on a stage than around a board table.

Music has always been part of my life. I’ve spent many years performing across Northern Ireland, meeting extraordinary musicians, artists and creative communities whose passion continues to inspire me. Alongside this, I’ve worked in education since 2004, teaching in community organisations and post-16 colleges before moving into strategic leadership in higher education. Across both worlds, I’ve seen one thing time and again: communities have an extraordinary capacity to tackle complex social challenges when they’re empowered to learn, create and work together.

That belief is what drew me to Beat Carnival.

For more than 30 years, Beat Carnival has been a leading force in Northern Ireland’s arts and carnival sector. Through spectacular performances, participatory arts projects and deep community engagement, the organisation has created opportunities for thousands of people to express themselves, celebrate their identities and build meaningful connections with others. Its work demonstrates that carnival is far more than performance—it’s a powerful vehicle for creativity, inclusion and social change.

As Chair of the Board, I’m incredibly proud to support an organisation with such a rich legacy, but I’m even more excited about its future.

Beat Carnival has always evolved with the communities it serves. Today, we’re building on decades of experience to strengthen our impact, develop new partnerships and create opportunities for the next generation of artists and creative leaders. While remaining proudly rooted in Northern Ireland, we’re also looking outwards—embracing opportunities to collaborate internationally, share our expertise and position Northern Ireland’s unique carnival tradition on a global stage.

Professionally, I now lead strategic educational projects at Queen’s University Belfast. As a Chartered Manager and Senior Fellow of Advance HE, my work focuses on leading change in complex organisations. Although higher education and community arts might appear very different, I’ve discovered that successful organisations are built on the same foundations: strong relationships, shared purpose, courageous leadership and effective governance.

Serving as a trustee has reinforced my belief that governance is about far more than compliance or oversight. It’s about stewardship. It’s about creating the conditions in which talented people, ambitious ideas and vibrant communities can flourish. The role of a board is not simply to safeguard an organisation’s future, but to help shape it.

If there’s one lesson I’ve learned throughout my career, it’s that collaboration is our greatest strength. No single organisation can solve today’s complex challenges alone. Lasting change happens when communities, artists, educators, businesses and public organisations come together around a shared purpose.

That’s why I’m looking forward to joining fellow trustees and sector leaders at the Arts & Business NI Governance Conference. Beat Carnival is a powerful example of what can be achieved when creativity, community and collaboration sit at the heart of an organisation—and I believe its best chapters are still to come.