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Meet Our Team

Adam Bradley

Adam Bradley

Programme Manager, Role Models

Adam Bradley is the Programme Manager for Role Models and is responsible for growing and m... read more
Adam Bradley

Adam Bradley

Programme Manager, Role Models

Adam Bradley is the Programme Manager for Role Models and is responsible for growing and managing a pool of pro-bono volunteers to support opportunity for all across Catalyst’s programmes and initiatives.

Prior to joining Catalyst, Adam worked with Arts & Business NI, where he was responsible for managing their programme of events, training & support for arts organisations. He took a particular interest in the design and delivery of professional development programmes, and in developing best practice around diversity and inclusion.

Adam is experienced in programme management and delivery, training & development, fundraising & philanthropy, and partnerships.

He is passionate about social impact, sustainability, EDI, and creativity.

Adrian Johnston

Adrian Johnston

Director of Strategic Business Development

Adrian Johnston joined Catalyst in January 2022 as Director of Strategic Business Developm... read more
Adrian Johnston

Adrian Johnston

Director of Strategic Business Development

Adrian Johnston joined Catalyst in January 2022 as Director of Strategic Business Development. Prior to this he was Head of Digital Catapult NI supporting businesses and the public sector to adopt emerging digital technologies. He also has 20 years technology leadership experience having previously worked for Seagate Technology in their Springtown facility heading the Data Science and Analytics team.

Adrian holds a PhD in Informatics / AI and is a member of the Open Data Institute. He leads the Open Innovation Team at Catalyst which stimulates research collaborations and provides companies with the support, expertise and community to innovate.

In 2019 Adrian was awarded the Ulster University Graduate of the year and received an MBE for services to peace-building and the community in NI. Adrian is passionate about Inclusive Innovation and is the current Chair of the Community Foundation for NI.

Ally Armstrong

Ally Armstrong

Programme Manager – Youth and Ambition

Anne Rainey

Anne Rainey

Executive Assistant

Anne is the Executive Assistant at Catalyst, providing efficient support to the CEO and th... read more
Anne Rainey

Anne Rainey

Executive Assistant

Anne is the Executive Assistant at Catalyst, providing efficient support to the CEO and the wider team. As an Executive Assistant, Anne embodies professionalism, discretion, and a strong work ethic. Her ability to seamlessly coordinate schedules, streamline processes, and facilitate smooth communication channels enhances productivity and effectiveness across the board.

With over 25 years of experience as an executive assistant, Anne brings a wealth of expertise from various industries, including manufacturing, hospitality, and the legal sector. Her extensive background has honed her organisational skills and ability to navigate complex professional environments.

Anne’s dedication to Catalyst shines through her unwavering passion for ensuring that everyone has a positive experience within the organisation.

Carolyn Halferty

Carolyn Halferty

Project Administrator – Generation Innovation

Carolyn Halferty joined Catalyst as the project administrator in October 2021. She is spec... read more
Carolyn Halferty

Carolyn Halferty

Project Administrator – Generation Innovation

Carolyn Halferty joined Catalyst as the project administrator in October 2021. She is specifically responsible for maintaining and growing the Generation Innovation partnership porfolio. Carolyn’s role also involves planning and delivering events and programmes.

Carolyn worked as a senior business executive with BMW for 15 years and now loves using her love of connecting with people to connect the next generation with world leading local innovative companies.

Carolyn is passionate about helping each and every young person gain the self belief that they can pursue any goal and also help them discover what those goals may be.

Claire Kelly

Claire Kelly

Programme Coordinator – Co-Founders

Claire is the Co-Founders Programme Coordinator and supports the recruitment and delivery ... read more
Claire Kelly

Claire Kelly

Programme Coordinator – Co-Founders

Claire is the Co-Founders Programme Coordinator and supports the recruitment and delivery of the programme.

Prior to joining Catalyst, Claire worked with Make-A-Wish Ireland as the National Volunteer Coordinator. The volunteers played a pivotal role in helping to grant wishes for the wish children. Claire was also responsible for Make-A-Wish Ireland’s national fundraising campaign – Wish Week, which ran across the Republic of Ireland and helped to raise vital funds for the charity.

Claire has a passion for working with non-profits and over the past 18 years has worked with other charities such as Mellon Educate, Mater Foundation, and Oxfam.

Claire is experienced in event and programme management and volunteer/stakeholder engagement.

Conor Francis

Conor Francis

Finance and Governance Officer

Conor is the Finance and Governance Officer at Catalyst, working within the Finance team. ... read more
Conor Francis

Conor Francis

Finance and Governance Officer

Conor is the Finance and Governance Officer at Catalyst, working within the Finance team.

Apart from when living abroad in Melbourne, Australia for 2 years, Conor has always worked in Finance after obtaining his BSc in Economics with Finance from Queens University Belfast. Conor also helps run the internal IT function within Catalyst.

Craig Stewart

Craig Stewart

Head of Estates and Development

Craig joined Catalyst in June 2023 as the Head of Estates and Development. He is responsib... read more
Craig Stewart

Craig Stewart

Head of Estates and Development

Craig joined Catalyst in June 2023 as the Head of Estates and Development. He is responsible for leading the estates team to maximize and grow the property estate both in Belfast and Derry/Londonderry including existing buildings and future developments.

A member of the RICS since 2010, Craig has over 15 years of experience in the UK property industry across retail, office, industrial, and leisure sectors.  Prior to joining Catalyst, Craig worked for a Northern Ireland based property investment and development company as a Senior Asset Manager where he was responsible for the drafting and delivery of large-scale business plans and developments for private equity clients across a UK-wide portfolio.

Craig holds a Bachelor’s degree from University of Ulster in Property Investment and Development and RICS certification in Construction Project Management.

Craig is proudly the 5th generation of his family to work on the Belfast Titanic Quarter site with a family history in Harland and Wolff going back to the Olympic Class liners!

Danielle Darragh

Danielle Darragh

HR Officer

Danny Wallace

Danny Wallace

Assistant Management Accountant

Danny is a Finance Assistant at Catalyst. Danny originally began his working life as an as... read more
Danny Wallace

Danny Wallace

Assistant Management Accountant

Danny is a Finance Assistant at Catalyst.

Danny originally began his working life as an assistant dairy farmer, but took an interest in finance after he graduated from university & believed that you can conquer the world with a well put together spreadsheet.

Danny studied Business Management at Ulster University & has decided to return to his studies by working towards his Chartered Accountancy qualification through CIMA.

At Catalyst, Danny enjoys helping to streamline procedures & providing support to other departments so they can deliver Catalyst’s mission.

Outside of work, you will find him on a football pitch or reading a comic book.

Darren Stewart

Darren Stewart

Director of Finance

Declan Loy

Declan Loy

Project Coordinator – Generation Innovation

Declan is a Project Coordinator for Generation Innovation, where he assists in organising ... read more
Declan Loy

Declan Loy

Project Coordinator – Generation Innovation

Declan is a Project Coordinator for Generation Innovation, where he assists in organising the work experience programme as well as delivering workshops and impact days to young people.

He achieved an Arkwright Engineering scholarship in school before attending Trinity College Dublin, where he obtained a degree in Engineering with Management.

After finishing a Technology Consulting internship with Deloitte, Declan moved on to work for Spark Crowdfunding as their Special Projects and Digital Marketing Manager, which gave him exposure to the Irish startup ecosystem, funding routes and supports available.

Declan McCaffrey

Declan McCaffrey

Head of Facilities

Declan McCaffrey is the Head of Facilities for Catalyst where he Works within the Property... read more
Declan McCaffrey

Declan McCaffrey

Head of Facilities

Declan McCaffrey is the Head of Facilities for Catalyst where he Works within the Property Team, working closely with the Community Team to deliver a world class service for Catalysts onsite community, partners and visitors.

With 15 years experience in Facilities Management and passionate about making the working environment an even more green and sustainable place.

Declan graduated from University of Ulster in 2008 with a degree in Building Surveying, Adv Diploma in Leadership and Management in 2012. He is an avid Life saver and achieved a Bronze Medallion and Award of Merit.

He also enjoys playing football, golf, walking his dog and hiking in his spare time.

Emma Carson

Emma Carson

Project Administrator - Open Innovation

Emma is the Project Administrator in the Open Innovation team at Catalyst. Currently Emma ... read more
Emma Carson

Emma Carson

Project Administrator - Open Innovation

Emma is the Project Administrator in the Open Innovation team at Catalyst.

Currently Emma is working on the Inclusive Innovation Skills Programme designed to help young people develop life skills to fulfil their potential.

Emma studied at St Mary’s University College Belfast where she earned a BA degree in Business Studies. She is passionate about inspiring young people to fulfil their potential and has various certificates on mental health and wellbeing in young people including a life coaching and mindfulness Diploma.

Emma Green

Emma Green

HR Officer

Emma is Catalyst’s HR Officer and works in the People & Culture team. As HR Offi... read more
Emma Green

Emma Green

HR Officer

Emma is Catalyst’s HR Officer and works in the People & Culture team.

As HR Officer, in a small and busy team, Emma is responsible for providing expert support on daily activities and key HR projects.

Prior to joining Catalyst, Emma obtained a Master’s degree in Human Resource Management and is an Associate member of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

Enya Carroll

Enya Carroll

Programme Manager – Design Hub

Fiona Bennington

Fiona Bennington

Director of Entrepreneurship and Scaling

Fiona is Director of Entrepreneurship and Scaling at Catalyst, designing support programme... read more
Fiona Bennington

Fiona Bennington

Director of Entrepreneurship and Scaling

Fiona is Director of Entrepreneurship and Scaling at Catalyst, designing support programmes and advice for new start-ups, innovators and entrepreneurs of all kinds who wish to make their innovative ideas reality.

She is a multi award-winning product design engineer and entrepreneur with a keen interest in the power of design to improve lives. Fiona designed products for NGOs such as Oxfam; for disaster relief, animal rescue, worked with Leckey to develop products to enhance the lives of kids with special needs, and Shnuggle to create lines of products for new parents. She is the Director of Heroshield Ltd; a not-for profit consortium of over 30 cross-border companies developed to rapidly and locally produce PPE in response to the early stages of the Pandemic (awarded the WISE award by HRH Princess Margaret), launched her own product, Hug wearable heat pack to help women with period pain and runs design consultancy Nuli Design, based in Belfast.

 

Gianna Kuhn

Gianna Kuhn

Digital Marketing Executive

Gianna is a Digital Marketing Executive at Catalyst. Her role involves collaborating with ... read more
Gianna Kuhn

Gianna Kuhn

Digital Marketing Executive

Gianna is a Digital Marketing Executive at Catalyst. Her role involves collaborating with the marketing team and the wider Catalyst community to effectively promote and market all aspects of Catalyst, including its diverse programmes and future workspaces.

In 2019, she graduated with a First Class Honours degree in Communication, Advertising, and Marketing from Ulster University. Building on her solid foundation, she furthered her education by completing a Postgraduate Degree in the Graduate Leadership Programme at Ulster University in 2020. She is passionate about the work she does at Catalyst and is inspired by the thriving entrepreneurial ecosystem of Northern Ireland.

Gosia Karbowiak

Gosia Karbowiak

Community Lead

Gosia Karbowiak is Community Lead at Catalyst based in Titanic Quarter. She plays a centra... read more
Gosia Karbowiak

Gosia Karbowiak

Community Lead

Gosia Karbowiak is Community Lead at Catalyst based in Titanic Quarter. She plays a central role in the Community Team to help create a collaborative community environment for the on-campus member tenants interacting with a wide variety of stakeholders.

By learning about Catalyst members’ products, teams and pain points she can tailor the experience to best serve their needs.

Prior to Catalyst, Gosia worked for Belfast’s largest membership organization – Belfast Chamber of Trade and Commerce – a far reaching membership organization in which she worked with the executive team delivering membership support and large-scale events including conferences and high-profile events with city’s stakeholders.

She is passionate about learning foreign languages and loves exploring the world, both the great outdoors and bustling cities.

Hannah Cummings

Hannah Cummings

Programme Manager - Co-Founders

Hannah Cummings is the Programme Manager for Co-Founders – a 12 week programme for p... read more
Hannah Cummings

Hannah Cummings

Programme Manager - Co-Founders

Hannah Cummings is the Programme Manager for Co-Founders – a 12 week programme for people who want to find co-founders and create world leading start-ups.

Hannah joined Catalyst in 2019, passionate about curating community, experiences, conversations and programmes of activity to facilitate the growth and ambition of start-ups in NI.

With a PhD in drama, you’ll also often encounter Hannah hosting company events, chairing panel discussions and supporting pitch scrubs.

Hannah Rooney

Hannah Rooney

Community Coordinator

Hannah is the community coordinator at Catalyst, she works with the wider community team t... read more
Hannah Rooney

Hannah Rooney

Community Coordinator

Hannah is the community coordinator at Catalyst, she works with the wider community team to support them with their goal of nurturing the power of community to create spaces for start-ups to grow together.

Before catalyst, Hannah worked in the early careers and student space at Ulster University and law firm Allen and Overy where she supported on the growth of solicitor apprenticeships. Hannah is also an alum of Ulster University recently completing her master’s in international Event Management.

Hannah spent some time working in Washington DC working for labour union Liuna in their strategic comms department, as part of the Washington Ireland class of 2018 which is a programme that focuses on leadership development of young people on the island of Ireland.

She has also just recently completed her CIPD Level 5 Diploma in People Management.

Holly Clawson

Holly Clawson

Programme Coordinator – Co-Founders

Holly is the Programme Coordinator for Co-Founders and supports event management, programm... read more
Holly Clawson

Holly Clawson

Programme Coordinator – Co-Founders

Holly is the Programme Coordinator for Co-Founders and supports event management, programme delivery and the development of our alumni community.

Prior to joining Catalyst, Holly worked at Imperial College London in several roles across Public and Community Engagement and Advancement. Holly was responsible for the organisation of capacity and skills building programmes and events with a commitment to empowering people through engagement with Imperial’s research. Holly also managed volunteers for the Great Exhibition Road Festival, an annual celebration of science and the arts in South Kensington.

Jamie Stinson

Jamie Stinson

Head of Brand and Marketing

Jamie is Catalyst’s Head of Brand and Marketing, where he leads on the company’... read more
Jamie Stinson

Jamie Stinson

Head of Brand and Marketing

Jamie is Catalyst’s Head of Brand and Marketing, where he leads on the company’s brand and marketing strategy for its property portfolio, community, innovation and entrepreneurial support programmes.

He is a senior marketing and communications professional with more than 15 years’ marketing and consultancy experience, delivering marketing strategy, operational expertise and building brands across the UK, Europe and the Middle East. He has worked in a range of sectors activating key segments in pharmaceutical, toys and games, luxury, national tourism, FMCG, functional fitness, Computer Vision technology and Machine Learning.

Jamie is passionate about the start-up world, human performance and the maker movement. He can also be found on a Brazilian Jiu Jitsu floor being folded like origami.

Jenna White

Jenna White

Financial Controller

Jenna White works in the finance team and is the Financial Controller at Catalyst. Jenna s... read more
Jenna White

Jenna White

Financial Controller

Jenna White works in the finance team and is the Financial Controller at Catalyst.

Jenna studied law at Queen’s University Belfast and is a chartered certified accountant and a fellow member of ACCA.

She is responsible for preparing the management accounts at Catalyst and is the lead on the external audit.

Jenna enjoys hiking in her free time.

Jen Hopkins

Jen Hopkins

Business Development Manager

Jen Hopkins is Catalyst’s Business Development Manager, supporting the Open Innovati... read more
Jen Hopkins

Jen Hopkins

Business Development Manager

Jen Hopkins is Catalyst’s Business Development Manager, supporting the Open Innovation Team to engage with its partners and client companies, to understand their innovation needs.  Jen has a history of developing successful partner eco-systems and is bringing this experience to bare for Catalyst and its clients and partners.

Jen is Passionate about building results-driven relationships through local innovation and global best practice, supporting the Catalyst vision of creating opportunity for all from world leading innovation.

Prior to joining Catalyst, Jen worked in Microsoft and BT and more recently for a local IT start up. Jen has an extensive background in business development, delivering for both Public and Private organisations and partners on their enterprise software solution needs.

 

Jenny Godfrey

Jenny Godfrey

Visual Designer

Jenny is a Visual Designer at Catalyst. Her role involves working closely with the Marketi... read more
Jenny Godfrey

Jenny Godfrey

Visual Designer

Jenny is a Visual Designer at Catalyst. Her role involves working closely with the Marketing team and supporting the wider Catalyst team with all things design related.

She graduated from Ulster University in 2016 with a First Class Honours in Graphic Design and Illustration and a Diploma in Industrial Studies. She has been very fortunate to have had a varied career which spans across many areas including interpretation, digital, event, exhibition and fit-out design.

Her love and passion for design and attention to detail is evident in her drive and ambition in her role. She is a strong believer that the best ideas come to life in the right culture and when working alongside other creatives to find the best solution for the brief. She is passionate about what Catalyst stands for as a company and it is for this reason alone that she strives to always deliver visually engaging designs.

Joe Wilson

Joe Wilson

Partnership Relationship Manager

Joe Wilson is the Partner Relationship Manager at Catalyst, looking after all corporate pa... read more
Joe Wilson

Joe Wilson

Partnership Relationship Manager

Joe Wilson is the Partner Relationship Manager at Catalyst, looking after all corporate partnerships and sponsorships in line with the Entrepreneurship & Scaling team.

Joe has been at Catalyst since 2022 and prior to joining worked for the Chartered Institution of Water & Environmental Management in London where he managed all of the Institutions academic and corporate partnerships. This involved relationships throughout the UK, Ireland and mainland Europe as well as in Hong Kong, Malaysia, China and Singapore.

Joe has a masters degree in Environmental Policy from Kings College London and is passionate about sustainability. He sits on Catalyst’s sustainability and diversity and inclusion groups and enjoys getting involved in all of Catalyst’s activities and sees his role as joining the dots between corporates, academia and entrepreneurs.

Judith Camblin

Judith Camblin

Programme Manager - Youth and Ambition

Judith is the programme manager for Youth and Ambition within Catalyst. She designs and de... read more
Judith Camblin

Judith Camblin

Programme Manager - Youth and Ambition

Judith is the programme manager for Youth and Ambition within Catalyst. She designs and delivers the Generation Innovation programme and our Inclusive Innovation Programme. Through these programmes Judith gets to inspire, equip and encourage young people across NI to gain the skills they need that will set them up for a successful future.

Judith has worked with young people in a variety of settings over the past 12 years and her passion is seeing young people thrive, grow in confidence and supporting them to make their best next step in life!

Kieran Dalton

Kieran Dalton

Head of Scaling

As the Head of Scaling Kieran focuses on supporting companies through their growth stages,... read more
Kieran Dalton

Kieran Dalton

Head of Scaling

As the Head of Scaling Kieran focuses on supporting companies through their growth stages, This covers a range of programs and possible interventions. These range from supporting Executive Development for CEOs; developing programs to support to access international markets; assisting companies seeking to access growth finance through capital markets; to providing a sounding board and a strong cup of tea.

Prior to Catalyst Kieran worked in senior roles in a range of companies, both local and international. He has experience in raising venture capital and in company acquisitions and disposals.

Linda Sloan

Linda Sloan

Visual Designer

Linda Sloan is a Visual Designer at Catalyst. She is a member of the marketing team and is... read more
Linda Sloan

Linda Sloan

Visual Designer

Linda Sloan is a Visual Designer at Catalyst. She is a member of the marketing team and is responsible for developing and executing creative design ideas and visual solutions across the company brand and the Catalyst programmes, which each have their own brand.

Linda earned a BDes in Graphic Design and Illustration from Ulster University. She is passionate about the work that Catalyst does and how it is visually communicated to audiences in a range of different and engaging ways.

Louise Cruickshank

Louise Cruickshank

Community Lead

Louise is Community Lead based at Catalyst’s Derry-Londonderry Campus. As a member o... read more
Louise Cruickshank

Louise Cruickshank

Community Lead

Louise is Community Lead based at Catalyst’s Derry-Londonderry Campus. As a member of the Community team, Louise has cross functional responsibilities that offer multi-faceted support to our on-campus members and the wider Catalyst community.

Before joining Catalyst, Louise was self employed in the hospitality sector. This was followed by a 15-year management role with Vodafone Retail across multiple locations in NI & England. Louise joined Catalyst in October 2018 as Innovation Centre Manager, before progressing into her current role of Community Lead.

Louise has an excellent customer experience skill set and is passionate about delivering high quality service that drives overall engagement with our tenant companies and partners. The community team are at the heart of the Catalyst experience. Louise and her colleagues are motivated by creating meaningful and mutually beneficial connections between members and the wider Catalyst community, so they can accelerate their businesses.

 

Mark McAleer

Mark McAleer

Quality Experience Manager

Mark McAleer is the Quality Experience Manager within the Open Innovation team at Catalyst... read more
Mark McAleer

Mark McAleer

Quality Experience Manager

Mark McAleer is the Quality Experience Manager within the Open Innovation team at Catalyst.

He develops the business systems on that we work with making improvements on how we can better serve our members and entrepreneurs. Within the Open Innovation team, he acts as a consultant to companies providing support on their business systems with focus on Innovation Management.

Prior to working with Catalyst Mark worked as a product designer and mechanical engineer in the Life and Physical Science industries developing products for universities and research institutions.

Outside of his main career he has held roles in youth work running youth clubs in his local area and worked as a consultant supporting start-ups and small business in various areas covering engineering, design, and strategy.

During Covid he freely gave his time on various projects, the most significant being designing face masks that were used throughout Northern Ireland supporting NHS staff and key workers.

Helping people is a huge motivator for what he does and who he wants to be throughout his career.

Mark Miskimmin

Mark Miskimmin

Project Coordinator - Generation Innovation

Mark is the Project Coordinator supporting the Generation Innovation team. He supports the... read more
Mark Miskimmin

Mark Miskimmin

Project Coordinator - Generation Innovation

Mark is the Project Coordinator supporting the Generation Innovation team. He supports the team in all of their events, mainly in its workshops, Impact Days and Work Experience events.

He also a member of  Catalyst’s Inclusive Innovation team supporting young people, youth workers and events.

Mark has over 10 years of working with young people. He has a degree in Youth Work and Practical Theology. Mark loves working along side young people and seeing them being released into their true potential.

Matthew McKeown

Matthew McKeown

Programme Manager – Entrepreneurship for All

Matthew is the Programme Manager for Entrepreneurship for all, a new pilot aimed at creati... read more
Matthew McKeown

Matthew McKeown

Programme Manager – Entrepreneurship for All

Matthew is the Programme Manager for Entrepreneurship for all, a new pilot aimed at creating more inclusive entrepreneurship opportunities locally.

Prior to joining Catalyst, Matthew was part of the Digital Inclusion team that delivered the ONSIDE (Outreach, Navigation, Social Inclusion and Digital Engagement) Project. ONSIDE was a cross-border project (2020-2022) aiming to improve the health and well-being and digital literacy of disabled people living in Northern Ireland and the border regions.

Matthew has over 7+ years experience in Project and Account Management in Marketing having worked with agencies serving clients in UK, Ireland, USA, Canada and Panama, as well as time spent in the third sector locally.

Meg Magill

Meg Magill

Programme Manager - INVENT

Meg Magill is the INVENT Programme Manager and works with the Entrepreneurship and Growth ... read more
Meg Magill

Meg Magill

Programme Manager - INVENT

Meg Magill is the INVENT Programme Manager and works with the Entrepreneurship and Growth team at Catalyst.

Before joining Catalyst in June 2022, she worked extensively in Northern Ireland’s arts sector, managing theatre productions for the likes of the Lyric Theatre, The MAC and NI Opera, as well as working in costume on films and tv shows such as Game of Thrones and Ordinary Love. In 2020, Meg earned an Msc in International Events Management at Ulster University.

Meg is passionate about organising events and programmes that have a transformative effect on participants. Through INVENT, she is able to combine her two favourite things – supporting people and showcasing the incredible talent that we have in Northern Ireland.

Beyond INVENT, Meg is a keen Gaelic Footballer, and plays for the recently formed team East Belfast. She is also currently learning Italian – ciao tutti!

Melanie Wilson

Melanie Wilson

Accounts Assistant

Melanie Wilson works in the finance team and is the accounts assistant at Catalyst. Melani... read more
Melanie Wilson

Melanie Wilson

Accounts Assistant

Melanie Wilson works in the finance team and is the accounts assistant at Catalyst. Melanie manages the accounts payable and receivable. In her spare time she enjoys travelling.

Melissa McLarnon

Melissa McLarnon

Facilities Assistant

Melissa is a Facilities Assistant for Catalyst. Working within the Property Team, Melissa ... read more
Melissa McLarnon

Melissa McLarnon

Facilities Assistant

Melissa is a Facilities Assistant for Catalyst. Working within the Property Team, Melissa works closely with the Community Team to deliver a world-class service for Catalyst’s members, partners, and visitors.

Melissa is currently completing a Degree in Building Surveying with the University of Ulster. In her spare time, Melissa enjoys spending time with family.

Mervyn Watley

Mervyn Watley

Director of Property and Community

Mervyn Watley is the Director of Property & Community at Catalyst. Mervyn has been in ... read more
Mervyn Watley

Mervyn Watley

Director of Property and Community

Mervyn Watley is the Director of Property & Community at Catalyst. Mervyn has been in this role since 2007 and over this period has overseen extensive capital development and tremendous growth in on-campus company numbers.

Prior to Catalyst Mervyn managed real estate and large capital programmes for Ulster University and Northern (now Danske) Bank. Mervyn is a graduate from Ulster University

Mervyn was previously a Non-Executive director of the UK Science Park Association

Mia Dixon

Mia Dixon

Visual Designer

Mia is a Visual Designer at Catalyst. She is a member of the marketing team where she work... read more
Mia Dixon

Mia Dixon

Visual Designer

Mia is a Visual Designer at Catalyst. She is a member of the marketing team where she works creatively and collaboratively on all things design-related.

In 2023, she graduated from Ulster University with a First Class Honours in Interactive Media and a Diploma in Professional Practice. She has worked on a number of local and international projects within the education and charity sectors.

Working alongside a creative team allows her to produce exciting work that aligns with Catalyst’s core values as she is passionate about the work that they do and their support for entrepreneurs in Northern Ireland.

Natasha O’Hea

Natasha O’Hea

Innovation Lead

Natasha O’Hea is Innovation Lead for the North West Region in the Open Innovation Team. ... read more
Natasha O’Hea

Natasha O’Hea

Innovation Lead

Natasha O’Hea is Innovation Lead for the North West Region in the Open Innovation Team. Her role is pivotal in driving innovation and fostering collaboration in the region.

In her role, Natasha leads the Corporate Innovation Services offered by the Open Innovation Team. She works closely with organisations to define their innovation goals and then collaborates with them to develop and implement the most effective strategies to achieving these goals. Her focus spans across 3 key areas: Innovation Culture, Innovation Practice, Innovation Strategy. Addressing these critical aspects, Natasha helps organisations foster a thriving innovation ecosystem.

Passionate about supporting the growth and economic development of the North West Region, Natasha is an advocate for collaboration and knowledge sharing. She actively promotes partnerships among businesses, public sector and academia to foster cross-pollination of ideas and drive collective progress in the North West Region.

Niamh Griffin

Niamh Griffin

Head of Community

Niamh Griffin is the Head of Community at Catalyst responsible for leading a team supporti... read more
Niamh Griffin

Niamh Griffin

Head of Community

Niamh Griffin is the Head of Community at Catalyst responsible for leading a team supporting and enabling the Catalyst on Campus Community of entrepreneurs and innovators, from start-ups to multi-nationals making it easier for them to flourish and thrive. Whereby being a part of Catalyst actively contributes to their business success.

Before joining Catalyst in April 2022, Niamh held senior roles in financial services in UK, NI and Republic of Ireland with responsibility for strategy, growth & development, technology migration, product design and management, marketing, and the design and implementation of customer, sector and market engagement strategies for business growth.

A passionate advocate for Diversity, Equality and Inclusion she is an active founder of a LeanIn Circle, fundraiser for NIPANC, Alzheimer’s and is a Mental Health First Aider.

Niamh is a graduate of Ulster University business school from the Digital Ready Leaders Programme, Technological University Dublin in Rural Tourism, Marketing & Management and UCD with a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and German.

Nicole McLaughlin

Nicole McLaughlin

Community Assistant

Nicole is the Community Assistant for Catalyst. Nicole plays a central role in our on-site... read more
Nicole McLaughlin

Nicole McLaughlin

Community Assistant

Nicole is the Community Assistant for Catalyst. Nicole plays a central role in our on-site Community team to help create a collaborative community environment at Catalyst’s Derry-Londonderry campus amongst our members and the wider stakeholders.

Before joining the Catalyst team, Nicole previously worked in retail and the hospitality sector as well as running her own fashion & textile design business. Based in The Fashion & Textile Design Centre Derry, a ‘not for profit’ social initiative, which supports newly graduated designers and start up brands, providing mentoring and facilities.

Nicole had the opportunity to receive mentoring from the likes of Eddie Shanahan; Irish based consultant who developed the CREATE Project with Brown Thomas, to identify Irish design talent with the potential to sell in Ireland’s premier store.

Her business was nominated for ‘Northwest Craft Industry of the Year’ at the NW Business Awards and won ‘Best Newcomer’ Award at the DCSDC Craft Awards and has taken part in several of Derry’s successful Fashion Fest’s.

Patrick McIlveen

Patrick McIlveen

Innovation Lead

Patrick McIlveen is Catalyst’s Innovation Lead for Belfast, focused on CR&D with... read more
Patrick McIlveen

Patrick McIlveen

Innovation Lead

Patrick McIlveen is Catalyst’s Innovation Lead for Belfast, focused on CR&D within the Open Innovation team.

His core responsibility is identifying and managing opportunities for the industrial and commercial exploitation of research focused on creating meaningful outputs and significant regional economic impact. This includes brokering relationships between industry and academic partners, devising new strategies and consortia, and identifying revenue opportunities.

Prior to joining the Open Innovation team Patrick was part of the Co-Founders team at Catalyst and was responsible for co-ordinating stakeholders, recruitment, coaching provision and assisting in delivery of the innovation programme.

Patrick’s background includes being a co-founder in a startup and a range of business development focused positions. He earned a BA in English with Creative Writing from Queen’s University Belfast.

Pauline Timoney

Pauline Timoney

Head of Entrepreneurship

Pauline is the Head of Entrepreneurship at Catalyst, responsible for the successful delive... read more
Pauline Timoney

Pauline Timoney

Head of Entrepreneurship

Pauline is the Head of Entrepreneurship at Catalyst, responsible for the successful delivery of programmes focused on creating opportunities for new entrepreneurs and supporting the growth and success of start-ups. Pauline is a champion of innovation, committed to providing opportunities for all, regardless of background.

As a seasoned COO with over 18 years’ experience in IT Operations and Leadership with a background in Quality Assurance Engineering, she excels in operational effectiveness and driving extensive, sustainable business growth.

Beyond her professional achievements, Pauline actively advocates for Women in STEM, mentoring through Women in Business, and earning ‘C-Level Woman of the Year’ shortlisting’s in 2022 and 2023. Her commitment to diversity and innovation aligns seamlessly with what Catalyst has set out to achieve.

As a passionate advocate for women in STEM, Pauline recognises the crucial role of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) in fostering true innovation. Her advocacy positions her perfectly to contribute to Catalyst’s vision of creating opportunity for all from world-leading innovation.

Roberta Osborne

Roberta Osborne

Community Assistant

Roberta is the Community Assistant for Catalyst. She plays a central role in our on-site C... read more
Roberta Osborne

Roberta Osborne

Community Assistant

Roberta is the Community Assistant for Catalyst. She plays a central role in our on-site Community team to help create a collaborative community environment at Catalyst’s Titanic Quarter.

Roberta has been part of the Catalyst team for over 16 years supporting with the changing community environment.

Roberta has a passion for helping others and is a welcome smile in the morning for all our community members.

Ruairi McAllister

Ruairi McAllister

Estates Officer

Ruairi assists in the management of Catalyst’s estate and facilities. He passionate ... read more
Ruairi McAllister

Ruairi McAllister

Estates Officer

Ruairi assists in the management of Catalyst’s estate and facilities. He passionate about enabling our wide range of onsite members to be innovative in their fields.

Ryan Rainey

Ryan Rainey

Building Officer

Shauna Collins

Shauna Collins

Director of People and Culture

Shauna Collins is the Director of People & Culture at Catalyst. A graduate of the Char... read more
Shauna Collins

Shauna Collins

Director of People and Culture

Shauna Collins is the Director of People & Culture at Catalyst. A graduate of the Chartered Institute of Professional Development, Shauna leads the People Strategy on company culture, talent acquisition, and performance management with a deep passion for enhancing the employee experience and developing positive workplace cultures. Shauna also provides strategic direction and operational oversight for the Marketing team at Catalyst.

Shauna is passionate about inclusivity and community initiatives that provide support for individuals to reach their full potential. Shauna currently serves as a Non-Executive Director for Work West Enterprise Agency.

Shauna Torbitt

Shauna Torbitt

Project Accountant

Steve Orr

Steve Orr

Chief Executive Officer

Steve Orr is Chief Executive Officer of Catalyst and serves on the Board of Directors. B... read more
Steve Orr

Steve Orr

Chief Executive Officer

Steve Orr is Chief Executive Officer of Catalyst and serves on the Board of Directors.

Before being named CEO in November 2018, Steve was Director and Co-founder of Connect, Catalyst’s not-for-profit network of experienced entrepreneurs, business professionals and top research talent dedicated to the creation and scaling of innovation companies in NI.

Prior to Connect, Steve co-founded Kineticom, Inc a California based technical talent firm in 2000. In 2006 Kineticom was ranked #33 on the Inc 500, the list of the fastest growing privately held companies in the US. Steve has also worked in Buckinghamshire, UK and San Diego and San Francisco, California for S.Com Ltd and S.Com Inc. Steve earned a BSc in Business Information Technology from University of Northumbria.

Steve is a Fellow of the Irish Academy of Engineering and was awarded an OBE in 2022 for services to innovation.

Tomas Bamford

Tomas Bamford

Programme Manager, Basecamp Boston

Tomas has centred his professional development on making the communities in which we live ... read more
Tomas Bamford

Tomas Bamford

Programme Manager, Basecamp Boston

Tomas has centred his professional development on making the communities in which we live and work more enjoyable, to inspire positive social, economic, and ecological change. He is passionate about taking this ethos to an international stage and before coming to Catalyst he worked on 9 events for the Dubai Expo covering a broad range of subjects with expert speakers from all over the world.

This included specialist programming on space exploration with multiple astronauts, TV presenter Dr Maggie Aderin-Pocock, and videos with the international space station. It also included wildlife conservation with Jane Goodall, climate scientists, and technology experts exploring how tech innovation is shaping our new normal in industry 4.0.

Tomas enjoys doing a deep dive into specialist subjects, finding experts who are world leaders in their field, and hosting programmes that share this knowledge with an audience who will benefit most from the content.

He brings 15 years’ worth of relevant expertise to Catalyst and oversees the Basecamp Boston programme which has been designed to connect NI companies with established experts and experienced executives in the US market – providing the insights they need to scale their business in America.

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