Membership of the Board

Mr Barry Mulholland is the Chairperson of the Board of the Education Authority (EA), effective from 1 January 2021. Mr Mulholland was most recently the Chief Executive of the Controlled Schools’ Support Council (CSSC). He previously served as Chief Administrative Officer in the Belfast Education and Library Board and subsequently as Chief Executive of the Western Education and Library Board.  When the Education Authority came into operation in 2015, he assumed the role of Regional Managing Director taking responsibility for the Western and North and Eastern areas.

Mr Mulholland has also served in a voluntary capacity on a wide range of public and community based committees, including BBC Children in Need (NI), BBC Appeals Committee (NI), the Duke of Edinburgh Award Scheme, Lurgan Credit Union and the Chief Executives’ Forum (NI).   

Mr Mulholland has been appointed to the Board through the public appointments process. He was first appointed on 1 January 2021 and his term ends on 31 December 2024. He is paid circa £50,000 per annum plus travel and subsistence expenses based on a time commitment of three days per week.

Rev Amanda Adams is a Church of Ireland Minister in the Diocese of Connor. She is also a School Governor of two primary schools and one post-primary school.

Rev Adams has been appointed to the Board to represent the interests of the Transferor Representatives’ Council (TRC). She was first appointed to the Board on 1 April 2015 and has been reappointed for a second term, commencing 1 April 2020 and ending on 31 March 2024.She is paid £8,800 per annum and is entitled to travel and subsistence expenses based on a time commitment of approximately five days per month.

Miss Frances Boyd is a member of the Church of Ireland Board of Education for NI and is Secretary and Treasurer to the Clogher Diocesan Board of Religious Education. She taught in a primary school in Belfast, was Head of RE in a High School in County Tyrone and was Advisory Officer for Religious Education in the Western Education and Library Board from 2002 - 2013.

Miss Boyd has been appointed to the Board to represent the interests of the Transferor Representatives’ Council (TRC). She was appointed to the Board on 1 April 2020 and her term ends on 31 March 2024. She is paid £8,800 per annum plus travel and subsistence expenses based on a time commitment of approximately five days per month.

Dr John Kyle is a Councillor on the Belfast City Council. He has declared that during the last five years he has undertaken activity on behalf of the PUP. He was Deputy Leader of the PUP and spoke on behalf of the party in that capacity. He left the PUP in December 2021 and became a member of the UUP in February 2022 and canvassed for the UUP during the recent Assembly elections. He does not currently hold any other public appointments.

Dr Kyle has been nominated to the Board by the Ulster Unionist Party. He was first appointed to the Board on 31 May 2022. The Education (Northern Ireland) Act 2014 does not provide for a term of a specified length for political members but does provide that political members shall cease to be appointed (and new nominations sought) in the event of changes in the Executive and Assembly as defined under the 1998 Act. He is paid £8,800 per annum plus travel and subsistence expenses based on a time commitment of approximately five days per month.
 

Mrs Patricia Carville is a former school principal.  She has been a CCMS Council member for over 20 years, is Chair of the Armagh Diocesan Education Committee and the Education Curricular Committee and a School Governor in  two schools across both the primary and secondary sectors.

Mrs Carville has been appointed to the Board to represent the interests of the Northern Ireland Commission for Catholic Education (NICCE). She was first appointed to the Board on 1 April 2015 and has been reappointed for a second term, commencing 1 April 2020 and ending on 31 March 2024.  She is paid £8,800 per annum plus travel and subsistence expenses based on a time commitment of approximately five days per month.

Mr Jonathan Craig MIED, is a former aircraft design engineer, a former Mayor of Lisburn Council, a former MLA and member of the Education Committee.  He  is a member of Lisburn and Castlereagh City Council and a School Governor in two schools across both the primary and secondary sectors.

Mr Craig has been nominated to the Board by the Democratic Unionist Party.  He was first appointed to the Board on 1 June 2016. The Education (Northern Ireland) Act 2014 does not provide for a term of a specified length for political members but does provide that political members shall cease to be appointed (and new nominations sought) in the event of changes in the Executive and Assembly as defined under the 1998 Act. He is paid £8,800 per annum plus travel and subsistence expenses based on a time commitment of approximately five days per month.

Mr Mervyn Storey is Chairperson of the Board of Governors of William Pinkerton Memorial Primary School and a member of Board of Governors of Ballymoney High School. Mr Storey has declared that during the last five years he has undertaken activity on behalf of the DUP as an MLA (2003-2022) and previously as a Councillor on Ballymoney Borough Council 2001-2014. He does not currently hold any other public appointments.

Mr Storey has been nominated to the Board by the Democratic Unionist Party. He was first appointed to the Board on 31 May 2022. The Education (Northern Ireland) Act 2014 does not provide for a term of a specified length for political members but does provide that political members shall cease to be appointed (and new nominations sought) in the event of changes in the Executive and Assembly as defined under the 1998 Act. He is paid £8,800 per annum plus travel and subsistence expenses based on a time commitment of approximately five days per month.
 

Mr Ronnie Hassard is currently a Director of the Governing Bodies’ Association (GBA NI) representing the voluntary grammar sector and is a member of the Board of Governors of Campbell College. He has over 40 years’ experience in controlled and voluntary post-primary schools. Mr Hassard brings to the Board experience of corporate governance and, as a former Principal of Wellington College and Ballymena Academy, he has substantial experience of budgetary management and applying financial management principles in an organisation. He has experience of meeting and negotiating with Trade Unions as the GBA representative on the Management Side of the Teachers’ Negotiating Committee and represents the GBA on two Area Planning Local Groups and on the Project Board reviewing suspensions and expulsions. He was also a member of a ministerial expert group considering the future of qualifications. 

Mr Hassard has been appointed to the Board to represent the interests of the Governing Bodies’ Association. He was first appointed to the Board on 1 April 2021. He is paid £8,800 per annum plus travel and subsistence expenses based on a time commitment of approximately five days per month.
 

Rev Robert Herron is Minister of Trinity Omagh and Gillygooley Presbyterian Churches.

Rev Herron has been appointed to the Board to represent the interests of the Transferor Representatives’ Council (TRC). He was first appointed to the Board on 1 April 2015 and has been reappointed for a second term, commencing 1 April 2020 and ending on 31 March 2024.  He is paid £8,800 per annum plus travel and subsistence expenses based on a time commitment of approximately five days per month.

Mr Maurice Johnston previously served as a member of the North Eastern Education and Library Board for 12 years, and worked for the Northern Ireland Housing Executive for 37 years. He has been a governor at several schools in both the integrated and controlled sectors and is currently a member of the Board of Governors of Killinchy Primary School. He is a former Director of the Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education.

Mr Johnston has been appointed to the Board to represent the interests of the Northern Ireland Council for Integrated Education (NICIE). He was appointed to the Board on 1 April 2020 and his term ends on 31 March 2024. He is paid £8,800 per annum plus travel and subsistence expenses based on a time commitment of approximately five days per month.

Mr Paul Kavanagh is currently employed by the Martin McGuinness Peace Foundation and served as Special Adviser to the former deputy First Minister.  He is a member of the Board of Governors of Lumen Christi College, Derry.  

 Mr Kavanagh has been nominated to the Board by Sinn Féin.  He was first appointed to the Board on 1 February 2021. The Education (Northern Ireland) Act 2014 does not provide for a term of a specified length for political members but does provide that political members shall cease to be appointed (and new nominations sought) in the event of changes in the Executive and Assembly as defined under the 1998 Act.  He is paid £8,800 per annum plus travel and subsistence expenses based on a time commitment of approximately five days per month.

Mrs Sarah Kelly is a former principal of a post primary school in Derry.  She serves on the Board of Governors of a nursery school.  She is a former board member of Youth Life and is a founding member of Pathways to Work. 

Mrs Kelly has been appointed to the Board to represent the interests of the Northern Ireland Commission for Catholic Education (NICCE).  She was first appointed to the Board on 2 July 2018 and has been reappointed for a second term, commencing 1 April 2020 and ending on 31 March 2024. She is paid £8,800 per annum plus travel and subsistence expenses based on a time commitment of approximately five days per month.

Mr Gerry Lundy retired from CCMS as Deputy Chief Executive in September 2016 after a career spanning almost four decades in the education service. He currently works as a self-employed education adviser.

Gerry spent 20 years in a range of post-primary schools in the selective and non-selective sector, first as a modern language teacher and then as a senior manager with particular responsibilities for pastoral care. During that time, he also worked in the FE and Voluntary Youth sectors. He moved to CCMS, firstly as a senior adviser before joining the senior management team as Head of Planning and Development in 2001. He was appointed to the post of Deputy Chief Executive in CCMS in September 2011.

Mr Lundy has been appointed to the Board to represent the interests of the Northern Ireland Commission for Catholic Education (NICCE). He was first appointed to the Board on 13 November 2017 and has been reappointed for a second term, commencing 1 April 2020 and ending on 31 March 2024.  He is paid £8,800 per annum plus travel and subsistence expenses based on a time commitment of approximately five days per month.

Mr Frank Maskey is a former Principal of Corpus Christi College, Belfast and former Vice Principal of St Patrick’s College, Belfast. Prior to these positions he was a Lecturer in Mechanical Engineering. He is a member of the Board of Directors in Newstart Education Centre, Belfast, a member of the Board of Governors of St Genevieve’s High School, Belfast, and Member of the Executive Committee and Chairperson of the Strategic Steering Group (Education) of the West Belfast Partnership Board.  

Mr Maskey has been nominated to the Board by Sinn Féin.  He was first appointed to the Board on 1 February 2021. The Education (Northern Ireland) Act 2014 does not provide for a term of a specified length for political members but does provide that political members shall cease to be appointed (and new nominations sought) in the event of changes in the Executive and Assembly as defined under the 1998 Act.  He is paid £8,800 per annum plus travel and subsistence expenses based on a time commitment of approximately five days per month.

Miss Rachael Ferguson is a Councillor on the Derry City and Strabane District Council.  She is a member of the Alliance Party, Vice-Chairperson of NILGA Health, Social and Environmental Wellbeing Network and a Member of the Board of Governors of St Oliver Plunkett Primary School. She is a Trustee of La Dolce Vita Project and a volunteer with the Tiny tots Community Playgroup and Strathfoyle Women’s Activity group. Miss Ferguson has declared that during the last five years she has undertaken activity on behalf of the Alliance Party and has stood for election and canvassed on behalf of the party and is the Alliance spokesperson for Mental Health and Suicide Awareness. She holds one other public appointment as Commissioner of the Londonderry Port and Harbour for which she is remunerated, the details of which have been disclosed.

Miss Ferguson has been nominated to the Board by the Alliance Party.  She was first appointed to the Board on 31 May 2022. The Education (Northern Ireland) Act 2014 does not provide for a term of a specified length for political members but does provide that political members shall cease to be appointed (and new nominations sought) in the event of changes in the Executive and Assembly as defined under the 1998 Act. She is paid £8,800 per annum plus travel and subsistence expenses based on a time commitment of approximately five days per month.

Mrs Gillian McGrath is a recently retired Director of Education in the Council for Catholic Maintained Schools (CCMS). Mrs McGrath brings to the EA Board experience of corporate governance and leading the Education Directorate in CCMS. She is a former primary school principal and was employed by ETI as an inspector of schools in all sectors and phases. She currently works as an independent education adviser.

Mrs McGrath has been appointed to the Board to represent the interests of the Northern Ireland Commission for Catholic Education (NICCE). She was first appointed to the Board on 1 February 2021. She is paid £8,800 per annum plus travel and subsistence expenses based on a time commitment of approximately five days per month.

Mr Stephen Donnelly is a Councillor on the Fermanagh and Omagh District Council, a member of the Board of Directors of Omagh Enterprise Company, a political member of both the Fermanagh and Omagh PCSP and the Omagh Neighbourhood Renewal Partnership and a member of the Board of Governors of Drumragh Integrated College. Mr Donnelly has declared that during the last five years he has undertaken activity on behalf of the Alliance Party and has held a number of offices within the Party and has been involved in numerous election campaigns. He does not currently hold any other public appointments.

Mr Donnelly has been nominated to the Board by the Alliance Party.  He was first appointed to the Board on 31 May 2022. The Education (Northern Ireland) Act 2014 does not provide for a term of a specified length for political members but does provide that political members shall cease to be appointed (and new nominations sought) in the event of changes in the Executive and Assembly as defined under the 1998 Act. He is paid £8,800 per annum plus travel and subsistence expenses based on a time commitment of approximately five days per month.
 

Ms Angela Mervyn is currently employed by the West Belfast Partnership Board in the role of Education Programmes Manager.  She is a Director in the Upper Andersonstown Community Forum, a member of the Belfast City Council Community Planning Working and Learning Board and Tackling Educational Inequalities Task Force, and a member of the Board of Governors of St John the Baptist Primary School, Belfast, St Joseph’s Primary School, Belfast and St Mary’s University College, Belfast. 

Ms Mervyn has been nominated to the Board by Sinn Féin.  She was first appointed to the Board on 1 February 2021. The Education (Northern Ireland) Act 2014 does not provide for a term of a specified length for political members but does provide that political members shall cease to be appointed (and new nominations sought) in the event of changes in the Executive and Assembly as defined under the 1998 Act.  She is paid £8,800 per annum plus travel and subsistence expenses based on a time commitment of approximately five days per month.

Mr Kieran Mulvenna has 34 years’ teaching experience in Modern Languages. During that time, he has served as a vice-principal for 9 years and a principal for 10 years.  He has particular interest in schools’ provision for pastoral care and mental health support. Kieran was seconded to the Education and Training Inspectorate in 2008 as an Associate Assessor. 
Kieran is a former Secretary to the Association of Controlled Grammar Schools, and former Chair of the Steering Group for Carrickfergus Learning Community.

Mr Mulvenna has been appointed to the Board to represent the interests of the Association of Controlled Grammar Schools (ACGS).  He was first appointed to the Board on 1 April 2019 and has been reappointed for a second term, commencing 1 April 2020 and ending on 31 March 2024. He is paid £8,800 per annum plus travel and subsistence expenses based on a time commitment of approximately five days per month.

Mr Liam Ó Flannagáin is a recently retired Chief Executive of Comhairle na Gaelscolaíochta and former Chief Executive of Limavady Borough Council. Prior to working in local Government, he worked in social housing for 25 years and was Director of Housing at Fold Housing Association.  He is a former non-executive Director on the Board of the Rural Development Council.

Mr Ó Flannagáin has been appointed to the Board to represent the interests of Irish Medium schools. He was appointed to the Board on 1 April 2020 and his term ends on 31 March 2024. He is paid £8,800 per annum plus travel and subsistence expenses based on a time commitment of approximately five days per month.

Miss Rosemary Rainey is Chair of the Transferor Representatives’ Council, a Board Member of the Board of Education of the Methodist Church in Ireland, and a member of the NI Cancer Registry Council.
Having served on several Government working groups and numerous educational bodies, she was Chairman of the former Belfast Education and Library Board (2010-2015) and President of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers (NI Branch) (1989-1991).
She is  Chair of the Board of Governors of Grosvenor Grammar School and a trustee of the Stephen Parker Memorial Fund, City of Belfast School of Music.
Rosemary was awarded an OBE in 2011 for services to education.
Active in the voluntary sector, she was Chairman of Women's Forum NI (2004-2008) and given their highest award of honorary life membership in 2010.

Miss Rainey has been appointed to the Board to represent the interests of the Transferor Representatives’ Council (TRC).  She was first appointed to the Board on 1 April 2015 and has been reappointed for a second term, commencing 1 April 2020 and ending on 31 March 2024. She is paid £8,800 per annum plus travel and subsistence expenses based on a time commitment of approximately five days per month.