Board
Our Board members are expected to commit approximately 8 days of their time per annum and the Chair commits approximately 20 days per annum. The length of each term of appointment for all Board members is from 3-5 years. Our Board currently consists of the following members:
Sir David Sterling KCB – Chairperson (February 2022 to 2027)
David spent his career in the Northern Ireland Civil Service (NICS) working in a variety of roles. He was Permanent Secretary in the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment (DETI) from 2009 to 2014 and was responsible for the full range of DETI’s functions including policy on economic and business development, tourism, telecommunications, energy, business regulation, geological survey, trading standards and the Insolvency Service.
He was Permanent Secretary in the Department of Finance from 2014 to 2017 when he was promoted to be Head of the NICS, a role from which he retired in August 2020. The devolved institutions were in suspension from the time of his appointment until the resumption of devolved government in early January 2020. His main challenges during his time as Head of the NICS were maintaining public services in the absence of ministers, preparing for Brexit, facilitating the resumption of the Executive in January 2020 and dealing with the first wave of the Covid-19 Pandemic.
He is currently the Chair of the Chief Executives’ Forum in Northern Ireland, an EY Associate and a board member of a number of charities including Ulster Wildlife, the Cancer Fund for Children, the Centre for Cross Border Studies and Women in Business NI.
Dr Murat Akser (July 2025- June 2030)
Murat Akser has 28 years of teaching screen and media production across Northern Ireland, Canada and Europe. He has trained thousands of students who work in film, television, games and screen industries winning awards at major film festivals.
As a Senior Lecturer in Screen Production at Ulster University, he has led the creation of the island of Ireland’s first university level degree granting film production program, BSc Cinematic Arts at University of Ulster, Magee Campus. Later he led the efforts to create a unique international MA program in Film and Television Production program as part of Ulster Screen Academy.
Dr. Akser has worked as a member of the organizing teams across Robarts Centre for Canadian Studies, Canadian Film Center and Toronto International Film Festival. He has significant experience working with students and filmmaking communities including Berlinale, Antalya Golden Orange Film Festival, 48 Hrs Film Festival, Nerve Centre and BAME Film Festival.
He previously served as course director of BSc Cinematic Arts and MA Film and Television Production at Ulster University as well as serving as founding department chair of New Media BA and MA programs in Turkey.
Murat is the founding editor of the scholarly international cinema and media studies journal CINEJ Cinema Journal published by the University of Pittsburgh Press. He also published many books and academic and popular journal articles on world cinemas. He has appeared in CBC, BBC, TRT and many other international TV outlets to comment on screen industries.
He was previously awarded Payback Award by Canadian Film Center for his contribution to Canadian film productions. He has been a member of IATSE 667 International Cinematographers Guild, IFTA and BAFTA Connect as well as working as part of BBC Writersroom. As a practicing filmmaker he has worked extensively on different film and television formats since 2005.
He has a BA (Hons.) in English, MA in Film and Video, MA in Screenwriting for FiIm and Television, PhD in Communication and Culture as well as being a Senior Fellow of Higher Education Academy (UKHEA).
Murat holds no other public appointments.
Dr Ciara Chambers (March 2025 to February 2030)
Dr Ciara Chambers is Senior Lecturer in Film & Screen Media at University College Cork and author of Ireland in the Newsreels (Irish Academic Press) and Outsider Cinema: Amateur and Independent Filmmaking in Northern Ireland, 1929-1989 (Edinburgh University Press).
She is an elected member of the Council of the International Association for Media and History and an advisor to Atticus Education, the digital education company established by Oscar-winning film producer Lord David Puttnam. She was scriptwriter and associate producer of Ireland in the Newsreels, a six-part BAI-funded television series broadcast on TG4 and producer of the historical play Souls, Shadows and Secrets. She has previously been a board member of Irish Screen Studies and is currently working on several archive-driven initiatives, including Make Film History and Reuters’ Newsfilm for Education.
She holds a BA (Hons) in English Literature (QUB), M.Phil in Psychoanalytic Studies (Trinity College) and PhD in Film (Ulster University) as well as a Licentiate Teaching Diploma in Speech and Drama (New Era Academy). She has extensive outreach experience in educational settings from primary level through to lifelong learning as well as leadership experience in the community and voluntary sector both sides of the border over the past two decades.
Ciara holds no other public appointments.
Fionnuala Deane (July 2019- June 2027)
Fionnuala is a founding director of Dog Ears children’s media company set up in 2010, based in Derry. Prior to Dog Ears, she ran an independent publishing company for twelve years. She has managed large-scale projects and budgets working with a mixture of public and private sources.
Fionnuala was an executive producer on series 1 and 2 of the multi-award-winning animated pre-school TV series Puffin Rock. Puffin Rock, which has been acquired internationally by leading broadcasters including Netflix and available in over 25 languages. She was also an executive producer on recently launched Puffin Rock And The New Friends movie (the first animated feature to be made in Northern Ireland) and an executive producer on Saturday Club. Fionnuala is currently an executive producer working on a large scale 2D animated series with a large American Streamer due for release late in 2023.
Aaron ‘Noxy’ Donaghey (March 2025 to February 2030)
With 17 years of experience in the games industry, Aaron ‘Noxy’ Donaghey has made a lasting impact through various roles. He began his career at Dark Water Studios, releasing two indie games, before organizing major games festivals across England and Europe, including Minecon and the Insomnia Games Festival.
Aaron joined Hypixel, the world’s largest Minecraft third-party server network, as Chief Operating Officer. Hypixel transitioned from a modding team to a game development studio, culminating in the sale of Hypixel Studios to Riot Games, the developer behind League of Legends, Valorant and Arcane in 2020.
Today, Aaron serves as CEO of Hypixel Studios, overseeing the development of their upcoming game Hytale, and is on secondment as Special Advisor on product and strategy to Riot Games in Los Angeles.
A keynote speaker for the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences, Aaron also serves on the board of The Independent Game Developers Association (TIGA). He is a distinguished speaker at the University of Southern California and a graduate of Northwest Regional College.
Previously, Aaron was a non-remunerated director of Foyle Friends of Ukraine CIC and coordinated the drone team for Foyle Search and Rescue.
Aaron holds no other public appointments.
Meg Earls (March 2025 to February 2030)
Meg Earls is an award-winning animation director and graduate of the National Film and Television School. She holds a BA in Animation from the University for the Creative Arts (UCA), Farnham. In 2020 her graduation film Border/Line won a British Animation Award, Best Student Film at the Manchester Animation Festival and was nominated for the CILECT Prize.
She has worked with Dame Mary Beard on her short film Women & Power and has been an animator on BAFTA nominated In Her Boots (2019) and BAFTA winning Crab Day (2024). During her time at the NFTS (2022-24) she received mentorship from Joanna Quinn.
In 2021 Meg returned to UCA to teach animation. Providing insight into the industry and supporting new talent is something that she strongly values. Meg is currently writing her next film whilst doing the 24/25 festival circuit with her most recent film It All Comes Down.
Meg holds no other public appointments.
Dr Frank Ferguson (March 2025 to February 2030)
Dr Ferguson is the Research Director for English Language and Literature at Ulster University as well as a researcher and lecturer in Ulster and Scottish writing, literary diaspora studies and Irish and British book history.
He has published extensively on the Ulster Scots tradition and has worked with local authorities, councils and community groups to develop a range of exhibitions and literary projects.
In addition to his academic pursuits, Dr Ferguson has been involved in broadcasting for many years, working as a consultant for a number of companies to develop television, radio and digital productions. He is a Governor of the Linen Hall Library and is the Chair of the John Hewitt Society.
Dr Ferguson holds a PhD, MA and BA from Queen’s University, Belfast.
Dr Ferguson holds no other public appointments.
Michael Fanning (July 2022 to June 2025)
Michael is an award winning producer and director who has produced a range of current affairs and factual programmes for broadcasters across the UK and Ireland. He is Managing Director of Below The Radar, a Belfast based TV production company. He joined Below The Radar in 2006 having spent five years working in news and current affairs at UTV.
Michael is also a member of Northern Ireland Screen’s Strategic Resources Committee.
Tom Gray (June 2019- May 2026)
Tom is a 30-year tech veteran and is the driving force behind many of Kainos PLC most imaginative and successful customer and staff initiatives, including HealthHackEU, Kainos AICamp and Code4Derry.
Tom joined Kainos in 1988 as a Software Engineer and, subsequently took on roles in Support, Pre-Sales and Solution Architecture before being appointed CTO in 2005 and Director of Innovation in 2016.
Tom is also Chairman of Ulster University’s Industrial Liaison Board, founder and curator of the annual BelTech and AI Con conferences and is investor in, and Director of, a number of startups. Tom is a member of the Engineering Policy Group of IET NI, the CBI Tech Committee, and a member of the MATRIX Science Panel, having chaired the Turing AI Capability retort and co-chaired the MATRIX ICT report. Previously, Tom has been Director of Digital Catapult NI, Chairman of IET in NI, Industry Liaison for Manchester Connected Health Ecosystem.
Tom graduated from Queen’s University Belfast and holds a BSc. in Computer Science.
Mark Huffam (July 2019- June 2027)
Mark started his career in film and television on a Northern Ireland produced film, The End of the World Man, released in 1986, working his way through the Locations and Production departments. He became an Associate Producer and Production Manager on the Steven Spielberg film, Saving Private Ryan, released in 1998. In 2011, he was a Producer on the first season of the popular HBO series Game of Thrones that brought much ongoing business to Northern Ireland. In 2015, he was a Producer on the science fiction film. The Martian starring Matt Damon, which Ridley Scott directed. He received an Academy Award nomination for the film and won a Golden Globe.
Bringing new opportunities and support to communities, businesses and individuals is something he prides himself on and gives much of his time and expertise to support new entrants to the industry.
He was awarded a CBE in the 2011 Queen’s Birthday Honours List for his services to the film and television industries.
Mark continues to produce and support a range of projects across the UK and internationally.
Dermot Lavery (July 2025- June 2030)
Dermot Lavery is an award-winning director, producer and executive producer with DoubleBand Films, the Belfast-based independent production company he co-founded over 30 years ago.
He is responsible for a wide range of highly regarded documentaries and dramas for broadcasters such as the BBC, Channel 4, RTE and TG4, many of which have enjoyed international distribution including on Netflix, Amazon Prime and Disney+.
Dermot’s credits include the award-winning feature documentary Road narrated by Liam Neeson, Lost Lives, a landmark film on the Troubles in Northern Ireland featuring an ensemble cast of Irish actors including Kenneth Branagh, Brendan Gleeson and Ciaran Hinds and was lead Producer on FRÉWAKA, a Cine4 feature film currently in wide distribution.
Dermot has previously served as the Northern Ireland representative on the Council of UK industry trade body PACT.
Dermot holds no other public appointments.
Tommy Martin (March 2025 to February 2030)
Tommy has over 30 years’ experience in a variety of financial and leadership roles across several industries including education and training (South Eastern Regional College), broadcasting (BBC Northern Ireland) and communications (Nortel).
Tommy was interim Principal & Chief Executive of South Eastern Regional College from August 2024 before being appointed permanently to the position on 13 December 2024, having been a member of the College’s Management Team since 2009. Over the last 15 years he has played a key role in the strategic and financial management of the College, first as Head of Finance, then as Chief Finance Officer and more recently as Deputy Chief Executive.
Tommy graduated from Ulster University with First Class Honours in Business Studies. He holds a Post Graduate Certificate in Collaborative Transformation and is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland.
Róise Ní Bhaoill (July 2022 to June 2025)
Róise worked for the Irish-language charity, the ULTACH Trust until 2019. She served on a range of committees and boards including Iontaobhas na Gaelscolaíochta (The Trust for Irish-medium Education, of which she was Chair), Colmcille (promoting Irish and Scottish Gaelic links), The European Bureau for Lesser Used Languages, the Raidió na Gaeltachta Commission and various panels and subcommittees of the Community Relations Council, the Human Rights Commission and the Arts Council.
She is the author of Ulster Gaelic Voices: Bailiúchán Doegen 1931, a collection of recordings of some of the last native speakers of Irish in Ulster. She also authored Taisce Focal, Scéalta beaga do dhaoine móra for adult learners of Irish and Ceol Leat! for the Irish-medium preschool sector. She has edited the MERCATOR Dossier on the Irish language in education in Northern Ireland and was joint-editor of Gaelic-medium education provision: Northern Ireland, the Republic of Ireland, Scotland and the Isle of Man and the bilingual short story collection Bás in Éirinn | May You Die in Ireland. She edited Our Tangled Speech, a collection of essays on language and politics, by her late colleague Aodán Mac Póilin. Her first short story collection was published recently.
Bríd Ní Fhachtna (July 2025 to June 2030)
Bríd Ní Fhachtna has extensive and proven experience working within various Irish language sectors, including education, broadcasting and creative translation.
She has worked in the Irish language education sector at local, national and international levels and has been involved with the Ireland Canada University Foundation programme since 2012.
Bríd previously held the position of Acting Head of the ILBF with NI Screen and also served as a non-executive director on the board of the Irish language broadcaster TG4 from 2015 to 2023.
She has a BA in Early and Modern Irish, as well as a Higher Diploma in Education from the University of Dublin, Trinity College, an MA in Irish Language Translation Studies from Queen’s University Belfast and has also undertaken studies in animation.
Brid holds no other public appointments.
Eimhear O’Neill (March 2025 to February 2030)
Eimhear O’Neill is a Critics Choice Award-winning producer, director and founder of Chapterhouse Films, an independent film and television production company based in Belfast, Northern Ireland.
She produced “The Go-Go’s” which premiered at the Sundance Film Festival and was directed by Alison Ellwood, co-produced Emmy-nominated “No Stone Unturned” directed by Academy Award winner Alex Gibney as well as Emmy, Peabody and IFTA-winning feature documentary “Mea Maxima Culpa: Silence in the House of God” for HBO.
Eimhear also served as a producer on Paramount+ feature documentary “Let the Canary Sing” about activist and artist Cyndi Lauper, as well as co-producing Netflix’s “Mercury 13”.
She executive produced “Murder of a GAA Chairman”, “Nicola: Taking Back Control” and “Michael Lynn: The Fugitive” for RTÉ, as well as a forthcoming feature about Boy George and Culture Club which will premiere at the Tribeca Film Festival in June 2025.
As a director, Eimhear wrote the Northern Ireland Women’s Coalition story back into history via Celtic Media Award-nominee “Wave Goodbye to Dinosaurs” for PBS and BBC Northern Ireland as well as co-directing the Galway Film Fleadh award-winning short “Inez: A Challenging Woman” about trade unionist Inez McCormick.
Alongside production, Eimhear was formerly Head of Development at BAFTA-winning studio, Fine Point Films. She was also a recipient of the BFI Flare Filmmakers’ Mentorship Programme and a former Fast Track/Ones To Watch.
Susan Picken (July 2022 to June 2025)
Most recently, Susan was Director of the Cathedral Quarter Trust, a cultural regeneration agency working in and around Belfast’s historic city centre Cathedral Quarter. Amongst the projects the trust delivers is Belfast’s yearly Culture Night event, the city’s largest free arts event with annual audiences of over 90,000.
Between 2008 and 2017 Susan was head of the Queen’s Film Theatre (QFT). Part of Queen’s University, the two-screen QFT is Northern Ireland’s only dedicated cultural cinema delivering a world-class, year-round programme of feature films, documentary, archive and specialised films and event. During Susan’s time at the QFT, she managed all aspects of programming and operations, building audiences of around 100,000 each year and overseeing the cinema’s full conversion to digital technology.
In 2012, Susan oversaw the introduction and set-up of Film Hub NI, part of the British Film Institute’s (BFI) Film Audience Network, a major UK wide audience development project based around a series of regional and national film hubs. Film Hub NI delivers a range of audience development and screening based support across NI and has had a significant positive impact upon film culture in the region.
Prior to this, Susan had many years’ experience working in cultural cinema in London. Roles included running events at London’s National Film Theatre (now BFI Southbank) and running the film programme at the Hospital Club, the members’ club for the creative industries.
Susan canvassed on behalf of the Alliance Party in the 2017 General Election.
Susan is also a member of Northern Ireland Screen’s Audit and Risk Committee and Investment Committees.
