Justice Minister Naomi Long has today announced appointments to the
Probation Board for Northern Ireland. Glenn Houston has been
appointed as the Chair to the Board. He will be joined on the Board
by: Maureen Brunt, Brian Ingram, Jackie Johnston, Bria Mongan
and Eileen Patterson, who have been reappointed for a second term.
Also joining them will be new Board members: Kerry Anthony, David
Bowden, Ken Cameron, Denise Hunt, Claire Keatinge, Maynard
Mawhinney and Gemma...Request free
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Justice Minister has today announced appointments
to the Probation Board for Northern Ireland.
Houston has been appointed as the
Chair to the Board.
He will be joined on the Board by: Maureen Brunt, Brian Ingram,
Jackie Johnston, Bria Mongan and Eileen Patterson, who have
been reappointed for a second term. Also joining them will be new
Board members: Kerry Anthony, David Bowden, Ken Cameron, Denise
Hunt, Claire Keatinge, Maynard Mawhinney and Gemma McKeown.
The members were appointed following an open competition
regulated by the Commissioner for Public Appointments Northern
Ireland and they commenced their term of office
on 1 March for a three-year term.
Announcing the appointments, said: “I would like to
welcome the new appointees to the Probation Board for Northern
Ireland (PBNI) and I have no doubt that they will make an
important contribution supporting the PBNI in its crucial role in
helping make communities safer.
“The Probation Board for Northern Ireland is involved at
all stages of the criminal justice process working in courts, the
community, in prisons and directly with victims of crime.
Its contribution to reducing crime and re-offending along
with the rehabilitation and reintegration of individuals into the
community cannot be underestimated.
“The PBNI helps to deliver a number of key justice
priorities such as tackling domestic abuse and sexual and violent
offending and implementing a trauma informed approach among
others.”
Notes to editors:
- The Probation Board for Northern Ireland (PBNI) is an
executive non-departmental public body (NDPB) established by the
Probation Board (NI) Order 1982. The Board is tasked with
providing an adequate and efficient probation service and is
responsible for determining its policy within the broad
parameters set by Government and for monitoring the service's
performance against objectives.
- The main activities of PBNI are: the supply of information to
the courts through pre-sentence reports; the supervision of
offenders made subject to community disposals; and the provision
of social welfare services in prisons. The Board also funds
community initiatives aimed at supporting the statutory
supervision of offenders in the community.
- Appointments to the Board are made by the Minister of Justice
in accordance with Schedule 1 to the 1982
Order. Statutorily, the Board must consist of a Chair,
Deputy Chair and not less than 10 nor more than 18 other members.
These appointments are for a term of three years and take effect
from 1 March 2025. The remuneration for the post of Chair is
£33,010 per annum and for Board Member is £5,050 per annum.
- All appointments are made on merit and political activity
plays no part in the selection process, however, the Commissioner
for Public Appointments for Northern Ireland requires the
political activity of appointees to be published.
- A Deputy Chair will be appointed from within the Board in due
course.
- The details of the Probation Board membership, with effect
from 1 March 2025 is as follows:
• Chair: Houston
is a skilled senior executive with
over 40 years experience working in the integrated health and
social care system in Northern Ireland. He has more than 20
years experience working at Board level in large complex
organisations, having worked as a Director and as Chief
Executive in several Health and Social Care Trusts. Between
2009 and 2016 was Chief Executive of the
Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority, Northern
Ireland's independent health and social care regulator. In 2017
he was appointed by the Bailiwick of Jersey to lead the Board
of the newly formed Care Commission, a responsibility he
discharged continuously until December 2024. has held several other public
appointments in the UK and in Northern Ireland. He has served
previously as a Non-Executive Director with the Disclosure and
Barring Service and with the Human Tissue Authority. In
Northern Ireland served two terms as a Non-Executive
Director on the Board of the Northern Health and Social Care
Trust and the Public Prosecution Service. is a qualified social worker. He
was Executive Director of Social Work in the Northern Trust and
has previous experience as a Council member with Northern
Ireland Social Care Council. holds a Bachelors Degree in Social
Work from the Ulster University (Ulster Polytechnic), and a
Masters in Integrated Health and Social Care Management from
Queen's University. lives in Holywood, County Down.
Political Activity: none
- Members:
Kerry Anthony MBE
Kerry is currently the Chief Executive of Inspire, an
all-island charity and social enterprise working with people
living with mental ill health, addictions and intellectual
disability. She joined the organisation in August 2019
following 14 years with the Depaul an all-island and
international charity, supporting people experiencing
homelessness. She is a qualified social worker and holds a
Masters in Voluntary Sector Management. An expert in
organisational governance, structure and strategy, Kerry has
led on transformation projects in a number of large, complex
organisations both nationally and internationally. Kerry
is a Trustee of Tuath Housing Association, chairing the
Governance and People Committee. Political Activity:
none.
David Bowden
Dave Bowden dedicated 35 years to The Northern Ireland Prison
Service, fulfilling roles as both an Officer and Governor, with
a focus on operational rehabilitation for people in prison. His
extensive experience includes international exposure, notably
serving as Head of Prisons and Probation in a Caribbean nation.
Additionally, Dave holds a BSc Honours in Criminology and
volunteers as an operations manager for the RNLI. Political
Activity: none.
Maureen Brunt
Maureen Brunt started her career in finance and moved to the
voluntary sector where she has worked for over 25
years. Currently working as a business and well-being
consultant, Maureen brings extensive experience in community
development; strategy development; health and well-being; and
life-coaching. Maureen serves as Non-Executive Director with
the Drainage Council for NI (unremunerated), a governor with
South West College, an Equality Commissioner and manages her
husband's dairy farm and property interests. Maureen recently
completed BSc(Hons) Psychology, winning the Futures Award
Student of the Year 2021, and continues her research into
chronic pain. With a long history of voluntary work, Maureen
serves as a Trustee of Mallard Community Charitable Hub
(voluntary). Political Activity: none
Ken Cameron
Ken Cameron has spent his professional career working within
the criminal justice system, gaining experience locally,
nationally and internationally. Upon retiring as a senior
police officer after 33 years' service, Ken spent several years
as a short time expert assisting with the introduction of
police reform in the Western Balkans. Following that, he
was appointed as an Associate Inspector with His Majesty's
Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire and Rescue Services,
leading and taking part in inspections to assess the
effectiveness and efficiency of UK police services. He is
experienced in risk management and organisational change and is
a graduate of the University of Central Lancashire where he was
awarded an MSc. Political Activity: none
Denise Hunt
Denise Hunt is a qualified barrister with over 20 years post
qualification experience. In 2011 she assumed the
ownership and management of the Londonderry Arms Hotel,
Carnlough, until her retirement in 2024. She is a graduate
of Queen's University Belfast and obtained a Masters in Law
from the London School of Economics. In the 2021 Honours
List she was awarded the British Empire Medal for services to
the Hospitality Sector.
Brian Ingram
Brian Ingram was the Director of Woodlands Juvenile Justice
Centre within the Youth Justice Agency until his retirement in
July 2020. Prior to this, he was a Senior Manager in the
Northern Ireland Prison Service, working with vulnerable adults
preparing them for resettlement into the community and enabling
them to develop life skills and qualifications for
employment. Brian is highly experienced in organisational
development, corporate governance and leadership. He has an MSc
in Criminology and was awarded an Order of the British Empire
(OBE) in the 2018 Queen's New Year Honours. Brian is also
Chairperson of The Cithrah Foundation which is a charity
supporting women, men and children subjected to domestic
abuse. Brian has been a member of the Governing Body of
South West College since July 2022. Political Activity:
none
Jackie Johnston CBE
Jackie Johnston is a former senior civil servant with wide
experience of public administration including oversight of the
corporate governance requirements for statutory
bodies. During his career he has held senior policy
positions in the areas of economic development, constitutional
development, corporate regulation, urban regeneration and the
health service. He has served as a Non-Executive Director of
the Probation Board for Northern Ireland from 2022 to 2025,
chairing the Board's Corporate Resources Committee. In February
2024 he was appointed as a Non-Executive Director to the
Southern Health and Social Care Trust and currently chairs the
Trust Board's Governance Subcommittee. He has an MSc in
Executive Leadership from Ulster University and was awarded a
Commander of the Order of the British Empire (CBE) for services
to healthcare. Political Activity: none
Claire Keatinge
Claire brings knowledge and experience from across the
charitable and public sectors. As former Commissioner for Older
People for Northern Ireland, in leadership roles in Age NI
and Alzheimer's Society, Claire brings policy and
operational expertise, with a focus on equality and inclusion.
Having served as a Non-Executive Member of University Hospitals
Sussex NHS Foundation Trust, Northern Ireland Prison Service
and the Big Lottery as well as on the Board of a number of
charities, Claire brings substantial Board level expertise.
Political Activity: none
Maynard Mawhinney
Maynard Mawhinney was formerly Director of Food &
Commercial Tourism in InvestNI and is currently a non-executive
Director with the Business Services Organisation and the
Northern Ireland Fishery Harbour Authority where he chairs the
Audit & Risk Committee. He is chair of the College of
Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprises' College Advisory
Group. Maynard served with the South Eastern Health &
Social Care Trust and the Health & Safety Executive. In the
private sector he served as non-Executive Director with Newry
based Around Noon Ltd and was also a consultant with BDO.
Maynard is married to Hazel and they have two sons Ryan and
Simon. Political Activity: none
Gemma McKeown
Gemma McKeown is a solicitor with expertise in human rights and
public law, gained through work in the private, voluntary, and
public sectors. She has experience in governance and
organisational management and holds an LLM in Human Rights from
Queen's University Belfast. Political Activity: none
Bria Mongan OBE
Bria Mongan OBE has extensive experience working across the
Health and Social Care (HSC) sector in Northern Ireland,
serving as Executive Director of Social Work and Children's
services and previously as Director of Mental Health, Learning
Disability and Prisoner Healthcare, working closely with
justice agencies developing HSC services for people in
detention. Bria brings extensive experience of managing a
wide portfolio of HSC services across community and hospital
services, which includes extensive experience in corporate
governance, organisational development, professional leadership
and significant financial management gained as Executive
Director and Board member in a large complex Public Sector
organisation. Bria holds a Masters degree in Social Work
and held responsibility for all issues relating to Social Work
policy, workforce, professional standards and ensuring the
effective discharge of Delegated Statutory Functions as
Executive Director of Social Work and Director of Children's
services in an HSC Trust. Bria was awarded an OBE in
recognition for services to Social Work and healthcare for
prisoners. Bria is currently an Associate Consultant at the HSC
Leadership centre and is a trustee and non-executive director
of the Caring Breaks charity (Unremunerated). Political
Activity: none
Eileen Patterson
Eileen is an independent professional with over 35 years'
experience in all aspects of social and housing policy in
Northern Ireland. She is a Chartered Member of the Institute of
Housing and is committed to professionalism in the delivery of
social and support services through evidence based policies.
She has held senior management positions in the Housing
Executive, Fold and Radius Housing and has served on the Board
of Housing Associations. Eileen holds an MSc in Housing and is
a graduate of Queen's University Business Leaders' Programme.
Political Activity: none
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