Board of Trustees
Belfast Pride is the biggest LGBTQIA+ Festival on the island of Ireland and packs in over 150 events across ten days. Belfast Pride is a major community effort – thousands of volunteer hours go in to making Pride happen. Team Pride brings together a diverse team to manage and deliver the festival. The Board and Festival Committee are supported by a larger volunteer team alongside contractors and artists who all come together to give the LGBTQIA+ community in Belfast the biggest platform of the year to make a stand for equality and celebrate our lives and culture.
To find out how you can play your part and join Team Pride, go to our Team Pride page to see current opportunities.
Neil Millar-McDonagh (He/Him)
Co-Chair
Lynn Millar (She/Her)
Interim Co-Chair
Trustee/Volunteer Coordinator
“Hi I’m Lynn, a wife, mother of 2 and a grandmother. My work background was in Social Care, but having had to step down, I found myself with time to fill and having been an LGBTQIA+ ally my whole adult life, when I saw an opportunity to get involved with Belfast Pride I grasped it. I’ve been a Volunteer with Pride for quite a while. This is my 8th year and 1st year as Volunteer Coordinator and Trustee. Becoming involved was one of the best decisions I’ve made. It’s challenging, fulfilling and a little crazy at times, but I wouldn’t change it for the world”.
John O’Doherty (He/Him)
Treasurer
Originally from Maghera, Co. Derry, but has been living in Belfast for most of his adult life. John joined the Board of Belfast Pride in 2021 and has a keen interest in finance, governance and community engagement. John has been an LGBTQIA+ activist for two decades.
E: john.odoherty@belfastpride.com
Craig Kirkwood (He/Him)
Co-Vice Chair
Gerard McAtamney (He/Him)
Parade Manager
Gerard has been involved with Belfast Pride for over a decade now. Whether it be waving at the crowds off a float dressed in some guise or other in the actual Parade itself in the early years, or more recently from 2015 actually managing it along with the Team. At this stage there is very little he does not know about the organisation and what makes its heartbeat.
Gerard has worked tirelessly over the years to grow and expand Belfast Pride and is looking forward to seeing it reach its full potential.
E: gerard.mcatamney@belfastpride.com
Adam Murray (He/Him)
Trustee
Adam brings 14 years of experience working for the LGBTQIA+ community, having held diverse administrative, financial, and project delivery roles over the years. Adam currently works in Cara-Friend as their Community Development Manager. Adam is looking forward to playing a role in making Belfast Pride the best it can be.
Elaine McIvor (She/Her)
Trustee
Elaine is a Counsellor at The Rainbow Project and Associate Counsellor for several Mental Health agencies. Her passion is in helping others heal and grow through difficult times. She brings with her 15 years of experience in HR and Training and currently teaches Counselling qualifications. When she’s not at home with her children, you will find her in the sea, benefitting from cold water therapy. Elaine has said that joining Belfast Pride has always been an ambition of hers and now she gets to experience it for real which she is very excited about.
Annette Whelan (She/Her)
Secretary
Annette has over 16 years’ information security experience in the global finance sector. She has led LGBTQIA+ Employee Resource Groups (ERGs) both locally and globally and is committed to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) within the workplace. Outside of her day job, Annette is co-chair of the Working With Pride (WWP) network – a network of Corporate Pride workplace resource groups in the north of Ireland. Having taken up the position of Belfast Pride Trustee she said, ”I am so proud to be given an opportunity to be part of the biggest LGBTQ+ festival on the island of Ireland. I am whole-heartedly looking forward to working with this team and watching Belfast Pride as it continues to grow and thrive”.
E: annette.whelan@belfastpride.com
Gráinne Gibson (She/Her)
Trustee
Gráinne has enjoyed working with children and young people since she was 17. She lives in Belfast with her partner, children and dog. Gráinne joined HERe NI in 2015, through her role she continues to advocate for children and young people as well as providing fun meet ups and helpful workshops for them and their LGBTQIA+ parents and carers.
