ATHLETICS NORTHERN IRELAND - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Member of the Endurance Committee
- Secretary
Job Titles:
- Member of the Development & Participation Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of the Endurance Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of the Track & Field Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of the Development & Participation Committee
Job Titles:
- Chairman of the Introducing the Athletics NI Management Board
- Chairman of the Management Board
- ANI 's Chairman
David has been chair of Athletics NI since December 2020. As part of his role he is also on the Board of both UK Athletics as a Non Executive Director and the Athletic Association of Ireland, and David is also Chair of Mary Peters Track Ltd. David is based in Cushendall and now a member of Glens Runners having been a previous member of a number of clubs in England & Northern Ireland "back in the day".
In the early 1980's David competed for Great Britain and Northern Ireland. The highlights of his career were a 4th place at the 1982 Brisbane Commonwealth Games representing England and breaking the British Indoor High Jump record in 1983. However, one of his most satisfying and unlikely medals in his early athletics career was a silver medal in the Midland Counties AAA Decathlon!
In his early working life, David was a partner in a local Insurance Brokerage where he learnt many of the business skills that serve him well today as a board member. Prior to leaving full time employment in 2021 he was working for a multinational insurance and risk management organisation as a manager and account executive which in itself required a wide range of management skills. In addition to his people and budget management role, David specialised in providing advice to Charities and Not For Profit organisations and has been a board member or adviser to a diverse range of not for profit organisations.
David is committed to ensuring that Northern Ireland athletes have equal opportunity to follow either a UK or Irish pathway to international representation. He also wants to bring all facets of the sport in Northern Ireland together so that everybody including grass roots to elite, endurance to track and field, volunteers, officials, coaches, clubs, event organisers, schools and all those involved in participation in Athletics can enjoy the many benefits that the sport offers.
David brings to Athletics Northern Ireland a wide range of management and board experience, an athlete's perspective, and a diverse background that he believes will help him provide a positive contribution. As Chair he wants to help ensure that Athletics NI delivers a well governed and managed, vibrant and inclusive sport for its various constituents that we can all be proud of.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Selection Committee
- Member of Selection Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of the Endurance Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of the Endurance Committee
- Member of the Selection Committee
- Member of Selection Committee
Job Titles:
- Secretary
- Club & Coach Development Officer
Job Titles:
- CEO & Commerical Manager
- CEO ( Non Voting )
Job Titles:
- Member of the Track & Field Committee
- President
- President of the Management Board
- President ( Non Voting )
- Retired Public Affairs Consultant
Gerry is a retired Public Affairs Consultant and sports correspondent. Best known for his career in Health and Social Services roles, he was Head of Press and Public Relations for the Eastern Health and Social Services Board before being appointed as Director of Public Affairs at the Royal Group of Hospitals Trust. After early retirement from the Royal he resumed business as a Public Affairs and Media Consultant. A life-long trade unionist he is a Life member and Gold Badge recipient of the National Union of Journalists; he has been Chairman of the Irish Executive Council of the union, Chairman of the Belfast and District branch and represents Northern Ireland on the Public Relations and Communications Industrial Council.
He has been Vice Chairman of Sport Northern Ireland and the Belfast Education and Library Board, and Chairman of the West Belfast Partnership Board. His career in athletics over 55 years, included nine Senior Northern Ireland sprint championships; he set and equaled NI records over 100 and 220 yards; was a member of the Great Britain and NI relay squad; shared in the 4 x 100m and 4 x 400m NI records; competed for Ireland and was on the NI team at the 1970 Commonwealth Games. He is the NI record holder for 200m in the +75 category.
With NI teams he has been a coach and team manager, and has sat on coaching and track and field committees. He was the first to gain, in a written examination, the award of Senior Sprints and Relays Coach (BAAB). He has been a member of Albert Foundry AC, London Polytechnic AC, Shorts AC and Annadale Striders. He is honorary president of Victoria Park and Connswater AC and a sprint coach with Lagan Valley AC.
He hopes that in partnership with ANI's chairman David Abrahams and vice chair Paul Lawther, along with the management board and technical staff, they will inspire more participants, not just in running at all levels, and also work to improve the standards of track and field competitors from juniors to seniors, having fun and enjoyment in our sport, with the objective of enhancing championship performances.
Job Titles:
- Member of Audit & Risk Committee
Job Titles:
- Digital Marketing Assistant
Job Titles:
- Member of the Performance Pathway Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of Audit & Risk Committee
- Member of the Performance Pathway Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of the Endurance Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of the Endurance Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of the Track & Field Committee
Job Titles:
- Independent Board Member
- Member of the Introducing the Athletics NI Management Board
- Member of Willowfield AC
A member of Willowfield AC, Kathryn took up running at the age of 34 and competes regularly for her club in road and cross-country events from 5k through to marathon distance. While she tries to combine holidays with racing where possible, she finds her pbs are always attained competing locally - nothing is as motivating as having other board members dotted around (and sometimes on) the course!
A qualified corporate solicitor with over 15 years' experience, Kathryn is a Senior In-House Lawyer with international law firm, Allen & Overy. She advises the business on a range of risk and regulatory matters with a particular focus on technology and innovation. Kathryn brings a broad skillset to the Board, with a particular understanding of legal risk issues as well as best practice corporate governance.
Since taking up running, Kathryn has come to appreciate the huge value it can have on individuals at all levels of activity and on wider society. She joined the Board in order to support the work of Athletics NI in attracting more people to the sport and helping every individual get the most out of it. Kathryn has taken on the role of Equality Champion on the Board to support the efforts of Athletics NI in making it a truly inclusive sport.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Endurance Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of Audit & Risk Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of the Development & Participation Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of the Endurance Committee
- Member of the Selection Committee
- Member of Selection Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of the Performance Pathway Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of the Management Board
- Vice - Chair of the Introducing the Athletics NI Management Board
- Vice Chair
Paul has been a Board member since August 2020 and Vice-Chair from November 2020. He was a teacher for twenty years before moving to Belfast Education and Library Board where he held a senior position in education with responsibility for a wide range of educational initiatives relating to school improvement, governance, and teacher education
Paul is a founder member of Annadale Striders (established 1973) and has held a number of positions within the committee since then. As a competitive athlete he represented Great Britain both at Junior and Senior levels in events from the European Junior Championships to the World Student Games and represented Northern Ireland at two Commonwealth Games and Northern Ireland in the World Cross-country. He has run a number of Sub 4 minute miles.
Paul has been involved in athletics for fifty plus years and he hopes that this experience along with work in education can bring a positive and supportive role to Athletics Northern Ireland as it enters a new phase.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Endurance Committee
Job Titles:
- Member of the Endurance Committee
- Secretary
Job Titles:
- Member of the Selection Committee
- Member of the Track & Field Committee
- Member of Selection Committee
Job Titles:
- Honorary Treasurer
- Member of the Introducing the Athletics NI Management Board
- Member of the Management Board
- Treasurer of the Introducing the Athletics NI Management Board
Sharon-Louise has been Treasurer of Athletics NI since August 2022. With over 25 years' experience in commercial financial roles and over 8 years of experience as a Treasurer on the boards of Charites.
Job Titles:
- Performance Pathway Manager
Job Titles:
- Participation Development Officer
UK Athletics and its four partner Home Country Athletics Federations (HCAFs) has officially launched the UK Wide Officials Strategy for the sport of athletics in the UK.
The strategy has been created in consultation with the athletics officiating community across the UK through a combination of surveys, focus groups, individual discussions and desk-based analysis. Whilst the strategy sets out a clear plan for all officials (off-track endurance plus track and field combined) to 2032, it will be reviewed at the end of every four-year cycle to ensure it remains time relevant and effective.
The strategy outlines a shared vision for officiating that sees a diverse, valued, extremely knowledgeable, skilled and motivated officials' community enabling the successful delivery of the UK's competition and events programme - a community of officials who feel proud to play their essential role across all disciplines of the sport in the UK.
The mission is one of building a dual-focused athlete and people-centred officials' community where all officials feel valued, included, supported and motivated, and where officials support the delivery of inclusive, positive and enjoyable athlete competition experiences.
Job Titles:
- Company Secretary
- Member of the Introducing the Athletics NI Management Board
- Member of the Management Board
- Independent Board Member, Company Secretary & Safeguarding Champion