PRAXIS CARE - Key Persons
Job Titles:
- Head of HR Northern Ireland & Isle of Man
Job Titles:
- Head of Operations, Southern Trust
Aine joined Praxis Care in 1995 as a Team Leader in Newry before becoming Manager in Banbridge in 1999 both services providing supported accommodation for individuals with mental ill health. In 2017, Aine was appointed as Head of Operations covering multiple services within the Southern Trust and Rainbow Lodge in Ballymena. She has a wealth of experience spanning over 25 years of service to Praxis Care.
Job Titles:
- Aisling Murtagh Head of Operations
Job Titles:
- Director of Care & Development ROI & Great Britain
- in 2018 As Head of Operations & Development
Amanda joined Praxis Care in 2018 as Head of Operations & Development ROI West. She holds a BA in Business Studies with an Honours BA in Social Care. Amanda has worked in a variety of roles and settings in the social care field for nearly 20 years and brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise. She has worked on a number of specific de-congregation projects in the West of Ireland, supporting individuals living in Institutions to move to homes of their own, in communities of their choosing. Amanda was appointed to Director of Care & Development ROI in April 2023.
Job Titles:
- Head of Marketing & Communications
Angela (Ange) Cruz is an experienced marketing and communications professional with a focus on the non-profit sector. Originally from Canada, she has worked in public, private and charity sectors in Canada, Guatemala, the United States, England and China. Before moving to Belfast and joining Praxis Care's marketing and communications department in 2020, she was Director of Marketing and Communications at ELG, a paediatric therapy and special education social enterprise based in Shanghai.
She loves that her job is sharing stories of the fantastic work of her colleagues and achievements of the people they support. She also enjoys facilitating internal communications so staff can share updates, resources, challenges and wins.
Job Titles:
- Head of Quality & Governance
Brian qualified as a Registered Nurse (Mental Health) in 1993. He worked for a number of years in the care of the elderly, both in England and Northern Ireland. Brian then moved to the voluntary sector and Praxis Care in 1997. From 2003 Brian managed the mental health scheme in Lurgan. He was appointed Assistant Director of Operations in 2008.
Since 2010, Brian has been Head of Quality & Governance. He works as part of a team which has responsibilities for the organisation's policies and procedures, audit, safeguarding, risk management, co-ordination of the annual ISO9001:2015 assessment, as well as data protection, research, health & safety and fire safety.
Job Titles:
- Chief Executive Officer
- Member of the Senior Leadership Team
Carol was appointed Chief Executive of Praxis Care in April 2023. Carol has extensive experience in the Health and Social Care sector with over 20 years working in management and leadership positions . She has worked in various roles including Manager, Head of Operations and Director of Care and Development. She has extensive experience working with both adults and children with intellectual disabilities , mental ill health, autism and complex needs across a variety of support settings. Carol is a Registered Nurse, she completed her degree in Trinity College Dublin and most recently graduated with a professional diploma in leadership and management from Dublin City University.
Job Titles:
- Ciara Duffy Head of Operations
Job Titles:
- Head of Operations NI North Down & Ards
David joined Praxis Care as Scheme Manager for Greenville Residential in Cork in 2020. David has taken up the position of Temporary Head of Operations for Cork in late 2021. David holds a BA in Applied Social Studies, and a QQI Level 6 award in People Management.
Job Titles:
- Assistant Director of Property
David is a Chartered Architect with 30 years' experience in private practice. Before joining Praxis Care, he successfully ran his own architectural business, specialising in large scale residential development and the conversion and restoration of listed buildings. He has designed some of the largest and most complex housing developments in Northern Ireland, including the re-development of Belvoir Park Hospital and the Harberton Park residential development in Belfast. He has also worked closely over the years with the R.U.A.S, having designed the Eikon Exhibition Centre and Balmoral Park developments.
Job Titles:
- Director of Finance & Corporate Services
David qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 2002, completing his training with Grant Thornton in Belfast. He joined Praxis Care as Assistant Director of Finance in June 2010 moving into the role of Director of Finance in 2016.
Previous to joining Praxis Care he worked in the retail and wholesale sector working. He has responsibility for the Finance and IT Department
Job Titles:
- Regional Director of Care for NI South & East
- Regional Director of Care for Northern Ireland
Deirdre Carr joined Praxis Care as Regional Director of Care for Northern Ireland in March 2020. A qualified social worker, Deirdre has worked directly with individuals in older people and dementia services, mental health services, learning and physical disability services, children's services and addiction services for over 20 years. After working for the Southern Health and Social Care Trust at the start of her career, Deirdre moved to management of a bespoke dementia service with Fold Housing Association, and then to senior management with responsibility for Residential Care & Support Services, Day Care Services and Joint Managed Partnerships. Deirdre brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the organisation.
Anne works as a Research Officer for Praxis Care. Anne has previously worked as a Research Associate as part of the Children's Sport Participation and Physical Activity (CSPPA) study - an all-island physical activity survey in children and young people after completing a PhD in physical activity and intellectual disability at Ulster University. Her PhD research involved development and testing of a school-based multi-component walking intervention for children with intellectual disabilities.
Job Titles:
- Director of Quality & Governance
- Learning Disability Nurse
Eileen is a registered Learning Disability Nurse and holds a Master's Degree in Public Administration (Health Services). Previously employed in Praxis Care as the first Assistant Director for Learning Disability Services (1996-2005) Eileen left to assume the role of Director within a large Housing Association (with care) Organisation followed by a post as Head of Services/Professional Lead Nurse for Learning Disability Services in the Western Health and Social Care Trust.
Fiona Duignan joined Praxis Care in January 2017, as Head of Development. She began her career as a Youth Worker, then moving to Dublin to work as Project Coordinator with a crime diversion programme in the North Inner City with the Belvedere Youth Club. She continued to work with young people at risk and moved on to become Programme Manager with Youth Advocate Programmes in North Inner City Dublin. In 2005 Fiona was promoted internally to Assistant National Director where her role was to expand provision of services nationally.
Gavin Davidson is Professor of Social Care and the first Praxis Chair of Social Care at Queen's University Belfast. Gavin moved to Queen's in 2008 after working for 12 years in mental health services, in the Northern Health and Social Care Trust, as a Community Mental Health Team social worker, out of hours Approved Social Worker, project manager and team leader in assertive outreach and rehabilitation.
His main research interests are in the area of mental health, specifically: the effectiveness of mental health services; the social determinants of mental health; human rights and mental health/mental capacity law; and the associations between adverse childhood experiences and mental health. He was appointed as the Praxis Chair at Queen's in 2018 and his work with Praxis is focused on: ensuring Praxis Care's services are evidence based; developing innovative and participatory approaches to research; evaluating the effectiveness of services; and identifying possible service developments to achieve the best possible outcomes for the individuals who avail of services.
He is also the Queen's coordinator for the Northern Ireland Approved Social Worker Training Programme; and one of the social work representatives on the Department of Health's Reference Group for the Mental Capacity Act (Northern Ireland) 2016. Coincidentally his first job, after qualifying as a social worker in 1995, was with Praxis Care in Kimberley House.
Job Titles:
- Director of Care & Development for Northern Ireland
- Director of Care & Development NI & Isle of Man
Greer Wilson, joined Praxis Care as Director of Care & Development for Northern Ireland in 2019. A qualified social worker, Greer has worked directly with those in children's services, elderly and dementia services, learning and physical disability services and complex needs. After working for the South Eastern Health and Social Care Trust for over 20 years, including eight years as a senior manager with responsibility for learning and physical disability services, care management, day care settings and supported living schemes, he brings a wealth of knowledge and expertise to the organisation.
Job Titles:
- Head of Property ( Fire Safety )
Hugh is a professionally qualified Health & Safety/Fire Safety practitioner with extensive experience within the Health & Safety, Fire Safety, and Employer/Public Liability claims sectors. His career began initially within a large UK Government department, and thereafter within the construction sector, the education sector and, since January 2010, within the health and social care sector with Praxis Care. Hugh holds a master's degree in Health & Safety/Environmental Law from the University of Salford and is a member of the Health & Safety Lawyers Association, the Institute of Fire Safety Managers and the International Institute of Risk and Safety Management. Hugh is currently employed with the Praxis Care Property Division specialising as Head of Property (Fire Safety).
Job Titles:
- Head of Human Resources ROI /
Jamie has been an IT Professional for over 30 years, working in Start-up, Local Government, NHS, and Private as well as the 3rd Sector and is currently a Prince2 Practitioner. He is passionate about the user experience has been responsible for Organisations Technology and Security for 17 years. He led the IT Integration of two £250M+ businesses with several other acquisitions. In Praxis he has created a single desktop virtual environment across 100+ sites for 2000+ staff. Just being curious how things worked led him into IT but has acquired various skills from property renovation to building race cars in his personal life.
Job Titles:
- Head of Supporting People and OMS
Jenny joined Praxis Care during 2005 where she has worked as Supporting People Manager for a number of years and most recently as Head of Supporting People and OMS. Jenny has a degree and postgraduate in International Business Studies with Japanese language and Personnel Management. Having worked in Supporting People roles for 18 years her experience includes service expansion and reconfigurations, implementing SP's quality agenda, representing Praxis Care at external forums and contract compliance. Jenny also leads the organisation in Service User Outcomes Management and in recent years has worked with the Head of IT to develop an IT based Outcomes system and a Service User Outcomes Tracking Progressive Web App.
Job Titles:
- Head of Employee Relations
Following 25+ years working in finance across regulated industries in the UK, Jo moved to a HR career in 2000, becoming a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.
Jo joined Praxis Care's HR department in 2020 with responsibility for the TUPE transfer of 100+ staff to the newly acquired Cork services. Subsequently, she also looked after services in the West and South of the country.
In 2024, Jo was appointed to the Head of Employee Relations role which includes the teams that respond to staff queries and generalists.
Job Titles:
- Chartered Building Engineer
- Head of Capital Development and Property Management ROI
Joe Beggan is a Chartered Building Engineer & Building Surveyor with over 30 years relevant experience. Joe was previously employed as Head of Technical with Kingspan Insulation and Technical Service Engineer with Flogas (DCC Energy) . In recent years, Joe operated his own practice as a planning ,design and surveying consultant. He is a Chartered member of SCIS, CIOB & CABE, an Associate Engineer with Engineers Ireland and a registered BER assessor.
Job Titles:
- Head of Operations, Isle of Man
Julie has worked for Praxis Care since 2016 as Head of Operations on the Isle of Man. She brings over 20 years of experience across the statutory and voluntary sectors in the Health and Social Care sector in both the UK and IOM.
Combined with her experience in the field Julie has completed her NVQ Level 4 in Leadership and Management and continued her professional development through achieving her Certificate in Professional Practice (MSc) and is currently in the process of completing CMI Level 7.
Job Titles:
- Karen Barrett Head of Operations
Job Titles:
- Head of Property & Development NI
Laura joined Praxis in 2021 as Property Manager having worked in the property industry since completing her MSc in Planning & Property Development in 2014. Over the last decade Laura has been involved in both residential and commercial property management across the UK and Canada, where she obtained her Stata Management Licence from the University of British Colombia. Laura was appointed Head of Property for NI in 2023.
Job Titles:
- Support Worker
- Regional Director of Care for ROI
Lisa joined Praxis Care as a Support Worker in the first residential service in the Republic of Ireland in 2006. She holds a Degree in Applied Social Services in Social Care and a FETAC Level 7 Leadership & Management in Health & Social Care. Since joining in the organisation she has been promoted to Head of Operations in the North East of Ireland. She commenced the role of Head of Operations in May 2016.
Lisa was appointed to Regional Director of Care for ROI in June 2023.
Job Titles:
- Head of Operations ROI Western Region
Martina joined Praxis Care in October 2017 as Manager for Leitrim Services and became Head of Operations for Wexford in December 2020 and moved back the West of Ireland covering Sligo, Mayo and Leitrim in May 2021.
Previously, Martina had spent a number of years with a service provider in Omagh, Northern Ireland holding a number of management roles. Prior to this she completed her Social Work degree and a masters in Counselling and Therapeutic Communication.
Martina has been working in the intellectual disability and autism sector for over 17 years. She has participated in summer schemes for children with disabilities, worked as a play therapist and worked in respite and supported living services whilst completing her studies.
Martina is an advocate for the voices of the people we support being heard and put the individual at the centre of her work and the services they live in.
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Job Titles:
- and Chairperson of Praxis Care Research Committee
- Patron of Praxis Care and Chairperson of Praxis Care Research Committee
Nevin developed an early interest in mental health at the age of 17 whilst working in the school holidays on a psychiatric ward. He continued this interest over several years working across psychiatric and learning disability hospitals while he attended university to study psychology. This included a year's placement in London, looking at various aspects of mental health. Following the completion of his degree, Nevin worked for the Simon Community Charity, setting up a 10 bed unit for homeless people, many of whom had mental health issues. The fact that there was a deficit of community services for this group led Nevin to set up the Mental Health Action Research Team in 1980. This was to carry out evidence based research to drive the development of mental health services in the community. The Mental Health Action Research Team was renamed Praxis and Nevin fulfilled the role of CEO for the organisation from 1981, establishing services for children and adults with mental ill health, learning disabilities and acquired brain injury across 4 jurisdictions.
Nevin then retired in 2019 to become Praxis Care's Patron and the Chairperson of the Praxis Care Research Committee.
Job Titles:
- Ciara Duffy Head of Operations
Job Titles:
- Head of Learning & Development
Nicola has over 25 years' experience working in Learning, HR and Organisational Development across various sectors, as both consultant and in-house expert. Having enjoyed values-driven roles in not-for-profit organisations spanning health and social care, education and cultural heritage, taking up the Head of Learning & Development role in Praxis in April 2023 was a natural next step.
Job Titles:
- Acting Director for Human Resources and Learning & Development
Nikki joined Praxis Care in November 2019 as Head of HR Operations and Services. She started her career in HR at entry level, coupled with part time study for a CIPD qualification. She has a real passion for HR and supporting people of the organisation.
Prior to joining Praxis Care, she worked within BPO Outsourcing/Contact Centres for over 14 years' supporting large scale commercial organisations in growth and takeover processes. Most recently, she was responsible for a business set up in partnership with INVESTNI.
Job Titles:
- Employee
- Head of Operations for Children 's Service and Dementia Services
- Temporary Head of Operations for Children 's Service and Dementia Services
Nikki Taylor is a long-time Praxis Care employee, progressing in her career from a support worker in 2003 to team leader in 2008. She was promoted to service manager of a support living service in Newtownards for five years. In June 2021, she was appointed Head of Operations for Children's Services in Northern Ireland.
Job Titles:
- Head of Operations ROI East
Noeleen joined Praxis Care in 2009 as a Relief Support Worker. Since then Noeleen has grown within the organisation from Support Worker to Team Leader to Manager. Noeleen has managed both residential and day services.
Noeleen was appointed head of operations ROI East in August 2023
Job Titles:
- Noeleen Ryan Head of Operations
Noeleen joined Praxis care in September 2018 as manager of Cornerstones and The Avenue in Ardee. Prior to this Noeleen worked for over twenty years with adults and children with intellectual disabilities, complex needs and autism across a range of service including residential and respite, in both a social care worker and manger capacity. Noeleen holds a BA in Social Care and a QQI Level 6 in people management. Noeleen moved into the Head of Operations role in May 2023.
Paul works as Head of Research for Praxis Care where he has conducted a number of internal and externally contracted research projects in the areas of supported living, employability, advocacy, supported decision making and transitions and outcomes for care leavers.
He also has interests in research methodology with a particular focus on reproducible research methods. Prior to working for Praxis Care, Paul worked as a Research Officer for the Northern Ireland Association for the Care and Resettlement of Offenders (NIACRO). He is a nurse (adult) by profession and has worked in community and hospital settings.
Paula joined Praxis Care in January 2020 as Recruitment Manager, stepping into the Head of Recruitment role in October of that year.
A seasoned recruitment professional, with 13 years' experience gained across a number of sectors, she has both a recruitment agency and in-house setting backgrounds. Paula was keen to join an organisation where the impact of her day to day role would benefit not just her team and the wider organisation, but also could contribute to providing individuals with the best quality of life.
Job Titles:
- Aisling Murtagh Head of Operations
Job Titles:
- Karen Barrett Head of Operations
Job Titles:
- Noeleen Ryan Head of Operations
Rosaleen commenced with Praxis Care in 2006, she was involved in the development of the first Praxis Care service in the Republic of Ireland, a service she went on to manage in 2008. She has been working with Praxis Care for over 13 years and her current role is Head of Operation ROI Midlands, appointed in 2015.
Rosaleen holds a BA Hons in Nursing, a Diploma in Higher Education in Nursing and a Certificate in Occupational Health & Safety (NISO Foundation Programme). She gained many years' experience in general nursing in Scotland, Australia and Ireland before moving into the area of intellectual disability.
Job Titles:
- Team Leader
- Regional Director of Care for ROI
Rosarie joined Praxis Care as Team Leader for the first residential service in the Republic of Ireland in 2006. Since then she has grown within the organisation to her current role as Head of Operations in the North East of Ireland. She holds a BA (hons) English & Sociology, Diploma in Child Psychology, Higher Diploma Youth & Community Work and FETAC Level 7 Leadership & Management in Health & Social Care. Rosarie was appointed to Regional Director of Care for ROI in April 2023.
Job Titles:
- Regional Director of Care NI North & West
Rosemary joined Praxis Care in 2015. She is a Registered Mental health Nurse with a Certificate in Management Studies (CMS) and a Diploma in Management Studies (DMS). With over 25 years of experience in social care and health across sectors including: NHS, Housing Groups, Charity & Voluntary, Rosemary is well equipped in delivering excellent quality care. Additionally, she is an M.H.F.A. (Mental Health First Aid) instructor and has delivered mental health training to various groups with the emphasis on decreasing stigma and discrimination that surrounds mental health. She is passionate about delivering the best quality care in supporting individuals to live their life to the fullest.
Job Titles:
- Member of the Great Britain Team
- Head of Operations, England
- Head of Operations, GB
Ruth began her career as a registered general nurse in both the acute hospital and long term residential sectors. She gained experience of dementia support, health care, and learning disabilities through employment as a nurse before moving into social care in 2002.
Ruth has been employed with Praxis Care since 2013. She has managed the Praxis Care children's short breaks service in Leicestershire which supports children with severe learning disabilities, challenging behaviours and complex health needs. She successfully managed a period of significant change within the service bringing together the amalgamation of two sites under one management whilst improving service delivery and quality.
Ruth was appointed as Head of Operations, England in 2017. She is keen to see Praxis Care develop new services for a wide range of service user groups across England and believes in inclusion and promoting independence through appropriate and responsive packages of support
Job Titles:
- Head of Operations, England - Midlands and North
Salma has worked in a variety of roles with children, as an NNEB qualified support worker and with adults with disabilities as a care support worker, co-ordinator, registered manager, operations manager and now Head of Operations. Salma also has an interest in dementia to where she is accredited by the Alzheimer's society as a dementia trainer for trainer. She previously deputised for the Chief Executive to support with business continuity.
Her passion for supporting people began when she was an informal carer for many years to her mother and father in law. This developed into supporting people to live their best lives, ensuring they are in receipt of quality services that are effective, co-produced, caring and user led. This passion also extends to the staff that Salma supports, coach and mentor to ensure they have the appropriate training, skills, and confidence to deliver care to the highest standard. Salma believes the quality of staff reflects the quality of service we can offer.
Having worked for charitable organisations and domiciliary care organisations Salma is aware of the need to be proactive in identifying needs and developing services to meet those needs and have a record of setting up new services which are still being delivered. One of her proudest achievements was taking an organisation from "required improvement "and breaches to an organisation with two "goods" whilst increasing the number of hours delivered by over a third. Salma also won the Midlands Business and Community Charity Carer of the Year awards in 2017 and as Registered Manager achieved an "excellent" in 2014.
Salma says, "I am now excited to work with Praxis and all my colleagues to help maintain the high standards already being achieved and to develop services throughout England."
Job Titles:
- Head of Operations, Fermanagh
- Manager of the Day
Sandra joined Praxis Care in May 2011 as Manager of the day-care facility in Kesh. She then successfully gained a permanent position in July 2019 as Head of Operations with operational responsibilities for the Fermanagh schemes. The schemes she currently manages are mental health scheme and floating support in Lisnaskea, residential, supported living in Kesh and Enniskillen and Day care opportunities in Kesh.
Prior to joining Praxis Care, Sandra also worked as a field social worker for adults with a physical Disability for a period of 5 years and one year as field social worker for adults diagnosed with a learning disability. Additionally, she has spent time as a social worker within the Mental Health field and elderly people team which developed her knowledge and skills in a range of areas within the care sector. With over 30 years' experience in the care sector and day-care with the WHSCT she brings a wealth of experience to her current post.
Job Titles:
- Head of Property & Development GB & IOM
Sarah has worked in the social housing sector for almost 20 years, primarily within Property Compliance and Asset Management. She has also worked for Children's social services and supported students with various learning difficulties and behaviours that can challenge, within a further education setting. Sarah is a member of IOSH and holds an NVQ4 in Leadership and Management. She is also qualified in Fire Safety Management and Fire Risk Assessment and continuing to study for her Gas Safety Level 4.
Job Titles:
- Head of Operations, Antrim
Shirley Anne Hyslop has worked for Praxis Care since 2009 as a Manager and Head of Operations, Northern Ireland. Prior to that Shirley Anne spent her career working within not for profit organisations, working her way up from Support Worker to becoming a Service Manager team member. Throughout her career Shirley Anne has made it her primary focus to find creative and person centred ways to improve opportunities for people with Learning Disabilities and people with Mental Health and well-being needs. Shirley Anne currently sits on the Regional Personality Disorder Network and established the first KUF Kafe in the North in partnership with the NHSCT Personality Disorder Team.
Job Titles:
- Head of Operations ROI Western Region
Job Titles:
- Head of Operations ROI Wexford
Tara joined Praxis Care in May 2021 as a manager for one of the services in Wexford and became Head of Operations for Wexford in October 2021.
Tara holds a BA in Applied Social Studies in Social Care and a level 7 in the management of Human Services. She is a Certified Brain Injury Specialist with the American Academy of Brain Injury Specialists since 2011.
Tara has vast experience in the management of quality, person-centred services, having worked in the social care sector supporting adults with acquired brain injuries, disabilities and complex needs for over 14 years across residential, day and community services.
Job Titles:
- Head of Operations NI Southern Western Region
After qualifying as a registered nurse in learning disabilities (RNMH) Vanessa continued her studies at Queens University completing BSc Hons in Health Studies and an Advanced Diploma in Leadership and Management at the University of Ulster. She has worked for Praxis Care for 25 years and has a wealth of experience supporting adults living in nursing, residential and supported living services. She has particular interest in positive behaviour support (PBS) and has worked for many years supporting adults with behaviours of concern to improve their quality of life and engage in day time opportunities. She is currently head of operations for the PBS service in Portadown and Ards mental health service.