Our People
Meet the NIRN Board
Michael Sloan, Area Manager – East Belfast Mission (EBM)
Michael oversees the management & development of EBM – an award winning Social Enterprise with stores selling preloved clothing, refurbished furniture and and repaired bicycles. As a board member of Community Resources Network Ireland, he has a wealth of experience in reuse & repair in the Social Enterprise and Community sector.
Heidi Redmond, Project Officer – Strategic Investment Board (SIB)
Heidi has a background in sustainable development, with over 10 years’ experience in the town planning sector across UK. She currently works for SIB supporting the Department for the Economy in the development of a Circular Economy Strategic Framework – the government’s first commitment to a CE, providing vision for collaboration and greater circularity across business and society.
Liam McNally, Practitioner – International Synergies
Through his work, Liam engages members in practical and innovative application of Industrial Symbiosis within their businesses to achieve positive economic benefits, environmental compliance and positive social responsibility when utilising resources. Liam is adept at problem solving to assist businesses seeking to apply Circular Economy and IS principles, which supports them on the first steps towards Net Zero Waste.
Nuala Griffiths, Environmental, Social & Governance Manager, Heron Bros
Nuala oversees construction projects in Northern Ireland and Scotland, and is experienced in the public & private sector, delivering events and engaging with organisations to showcase a wide range of careers that the construction industry offers. Her focus is on a wider circular economy and how the construction industry can make an impact in the communities in which they work.
Marcus Campbell – Project Officer, Belfast City Council
Marcus has almost 20 years experience in sustainable resource management. Employed in Belfast City Council’s Waste Management Unit, his responsibilities include developing and delivering new recycling, reuse and repair initiatives, and supporting the city’s moves towards a more circular economy. Marcus values the opportunities this provides to meet social need and support the local economy in addition to delivering environmental benefits.
Professor Ian Montgomery, Dean of Sustainability and Corporate Social Responsibility at Ulster University
Ian has championed environmental sustainability for over 15 years. His research focuses on design theory, knowledge transfer, sustainability, and cultural heritage. He has held senior leadership roles in higher education, including serving on the boards of the Arts Council of Northern Ireland and the Higher Education Academy.
Montgomery is a recognized leader in sustainability, chairing the Derry & Strabane Sustainability & Climate Commission and the Belfast Climate Commission. He is a Trustee of EAUC and incoming Chair of Belfast Healthy Cities. He has built strong international collaborations, receiving an award from the Chinese government and holding an Honorary Professorship.
Beyond academia, he serves on the boards of two Northern Ireland grammar schools, demonstrating a commitment to education and community engagement.
Meg Magill, Innovation & Entrepreneurship Project Manager at InterTrade Ireland
Meg is an Innovation and Entrepreneurship Project Manager at InterTradeIreland, focusing on initiatives that support women entrepreneurs on an all-island basis. In 2024, she founded The Wee Swap, a grassroots project in East Belfast promoting reuse and sustainability for local families.
As well as having over a decade of experience in the arts industry, Meg is also part of Ulster University’s 25@25 Leadership Cohort, engaging with other leaders to explore innovative approaches to collaboration in Northern Ireland.
NIRN Executive
Eimear Montague — Executive Director
Eimear is responsible for developing the Reuse & Repair Network in Northern Ireland to establish a membership base targeting community and third sector organisations. She holds a Bachelor of Social Science Degree in Law and Politics and was a founder and board member of Sustainable Building Solutions (SBS), which shaped the strategic direction of the Travis Perkins Group in the Sustainability Market. She sits on the Board of Rural Community Network (RCN), a group which promotes and supports the needs of the rural population in Northern Ireland and Techno Tyrone Ltd, an organisation which focuses on rural regeneration of Mid and West Tyrone and management and development of a community based business park.
Eimear can be contacted at info@ni-rn.com.
Catherine Taylor – Operations Manager
Catherine can be contacted at: catherine@ni-rn.org
George Gillespie – Community Network Manager
George is an experienced organisation Leader and Training Consultant. Specialising in Volunteer Leadership, Networking, Engagement, Change Management, Charity Development, Impact and Outcomes Research. A Leader with a demonstrated history of working in the Charity, Voluntary and Community Sectors for 25 years. Skilled in Nonprofit Organisations. Specialist in Developing Training, Volunteer Strategies, Policies, Programmes, Projects and Charity Governance. He has been an Investing in Volunteers Quality Standard Assessor for 15 years. Other areas of experience include Business Planning, Sales and Event Management. He is a committed professional with a bachelor’s degree focused in Business, Management, Marketing, and Related Support Services.
George can be contacted at: george@ni-rn.org
Helen Tomb – Community Network Manager
Helen has enjoyed a comprehensive career in the community and voluntary sector, with over 25 years of experience in delivering and managing environmental projects. Her previous roles with The Conservation Volunteers and Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful have allowed her to establish a strong network of community contacts and gain a profound understanding of community and environmental priorities. Helen brings extensive knowledge of the environmental sector to her role and is enthusiastic about fostering the development of community initiatives aimed at empowering individuals to address the climate crisis.
Julie Armstrong – Project Officer
Julie is a dedicated professional with a strong background in community engagement, arts, and cultural heritage. As Development Officer for Cuilcagh Lakelands UNESCO Global Geopark for three years, she successfully fostered partnerships and enhanced local engagement to protect the region’s natural beauty.
Prior to this, she gained valuable experience working at the Ardhowen Theatre for seven years as a Duty Officer and at Fermanagh County Museum for another seven years as an Education Assistant.
Passionate about the arts and their societal value, Julie is committed to preserving Northern Ireland’s rich landscape and cultural heritage, ensuring future generations can appreciate this remarkable part of the world.
Julie can be contacted at: julie@ni-rn.org
Maria McLaughlin – Operations Coordinator
Maria joins NIRN as Operations Coordinator, where she will be responsible for key administrative, communications and event planning.
She has extensive experience in the Agriculture and food sectors both here in Northern Ireland and also GB and has served as Secretary for the Agricultural Guild of Journalists.
As a Communications Manager she developed Northern Ireland Beef Week and collaborated on the first study of the “Profitability of the GB Dairy Industry”. Maria has organised industry representation at international food shows including show stand designs, developing literature, promotional aids and hosting groups of stakeholders on fact finding missions.
More recently Maria worked at Keep Northern Ireland Beautiful which ignited a passion for the Repair and Reuse sectors. She has worked on waste campaigns including the Fashion Forever Festival and “A Better Way” developing social media and website content. She has a keen interest in developing her own repair skills and is seriously considering investing in a sewing machine!
Maria can be contacted at : maria@ni-rn.org