Chief Executive
Lynda began her career as a social worker in 1971 with the Country Antrim Welfare in the Family & Child Care Team based in Lisburn.
In 1986, having been a Senior Social Work Team Leader in both Lisburn and South Belfast, she moved to Barnardo’s NI as a Project Leader to establish Northern Ireland’s first professional foster care service for ‘hard to place’ young people.
In 1987 she became Director of Barnardo’s Northern Ireland, a position she held until 2019.
Key milestones included becoming a founding member of Focus on Children, a member of the Washington Peace for Children delegation and addressing the Forum for Peace and Reconciliation in 1996.
In 1997 Lynda was nominated as the Chair of the Victims Education Bursary by the Northern Ireland Office.
Lynda also acquired £7million inward investment for Barnardo’s NI from Atlantic Philanthropies to adapt, license and implement a number of evidence-based programmes to scale in the UK.
In 2006, Lynda was awarded the CBE for services to families and children in Northern Ireland.
Memberships have included the Safeguarding Board for Northern Ireland, the Children and Young People’s Strategic Partnership, the Atlantic Grantee Network (All Ireland) and various inter-departmental groupings.
What do you like to do in your free time? Nothing too adventurous, travel, reading, cooking and eating.
All time favourite TV show? This Is Us – of course about adoption and family history.
