Meet The Board
All charities are governed by a Board of Trustees (BOT) and our charity is no different; our Board makes sure we are true to our mission and vision and to our Articles of Association. They lead us by ensuring that we guide and communicate the practical tools to enable many to experience a better way of life and recovery from mental illness.
Our Board members have a passion for what we do as an organisation however some of our trustees have been touched by mental illness, either through a personal experience of mental illness or through that of family members or friends. Our Board also includes people with professional experience in mental health provision, support services and within the nursing and teaching profession.
We also have a working committee which governs the work we do for our Uberheroes programme. We are always interested to hear from individuals who have a heart for our work, a passion for shaping a positive future of recognition and change and offer additional skills and experience – Are you interested to hear more? Would you like to be part of our board or our working committee? If so then please apply through our contact us page.
Please note this is not a paid role as we are governed by the Northern Ireland Charity Commission and in line with charitable law and our articles; no member of our governance committee can be paid.
Stephen Greyston
Chair
Stephen has been practising as a solicitor for 19 years, in England and in Northern Ireland. On qualifying as a solicitor in 2007, he specialised in criminal defence litigation and regularly represented clients charged in relation to a variety of criminal offences. It was clear to him that the majority of individuals labelled as criminals suffered from a range of mental health problems, including anxiety, depression and substance misuse. Since qualifying, Stephen spent a number of years working in private practice before commencing a role in the public sector in 2011. Stephen is a solicitor with the Crown Solicitor’s Office (CSO) in Belfast.
When Stephen joined the Hope 4 Life Board in 2019, he was very impressed with the energy and commitment which they showed in their mission and vision in delivering programmes emphasising prevention and early intervention concerning mental health.
Stephen became Chair of the Board in 2024 and is passionate about advancing the mission and vision of Hope 4 Life NI.
Michael Pratt
Secretary and Trustee
Michael joined the Board of Trustees at Hope 4 Life NI in late 2025, serving as Board Secretary. He brings experience from the youth sector alongside his professional work with CiviCode, where he supports charities and community organisations with digital technology and practical IT solutions.
Having seen the vital importance of early intervention, Michael is committed to supporting Hope 4 Life NI’s mission to strengthen emotional resilience and mental wellbeing across local communities. Alongside his administrative duties as secretary, he offers a helpful digital perspective to assist the team in delivering its programmes effectively across Northern Ireland.
Eddie
Treasurer
Eddie is a recently retired accountant (FCCA) with 30+ years’ financial management experience gained across public, private and not-for-profit sectors. In 2019 he founded Loughshore Consulting, following four years as Director of Finance with a leading local housing association. A former director with the Northern Ireland Hospice and member of the executive committee of NICVA, he has a good understanding of the issues and challenges faced by social enterprises operating in the Third Sector. He joined the Board as treasurer in 2026 and will focus on strengthening the financial sustainability of the charity while supporting the board in discharging its collective responsibility for financial governance and risk management.
Kate Doyle
Board Member
Kate has a long career in social work and education, working for many years in the field of social work training in a Health and Social Care Trust and as a tutor for The Open University. This tutoring role covered the areas of community care, social work and mental health. Many students undertaking these courses faced challenges with their own mental health and she was involved in specifically funded projects which supported these students in their return to education.
Kate has a particular interest in the human rights of individuals with mental health challenges and to enhance her knowledge, she completed a Masters in Law. Passionate about continuous professional development and how education can enhance mental health, she completed a teaching qualification, Masters in Education as well as academic and professional awards in social work.
David Nixon
Board Member
David has worked within both the private and public sectors, serving his time with Short Brothers as an Aircraft fitter and manager, then moved to work within a myriad of roles as a Northern Ireland Civil Servant.
Most recently he has spent a lot of time supporting those who are at risk of homelessness, addictions or being marginalised within our society; working with organisations such as Advice NI, The Housing Association, Extern, Barnardo’s, Pips as well as Hope 4 Life NI and has been an active member of our board since 2019.
Nathaniel Hamilton
Board Member
Nathaniel graduated from QUB with a BSc. in Computer Science. He is currently working in retail in Belfast. Growing up in Nigeria he has a breadth of cultural experience beyond Northern Ireland. He has been a fan of comic books since he was about 6 and has had an interest in Uberheroes since day one, reading each of the comics in draft form and giving his input from volume 1.
Nathaniel brings an interest in, and understanding of the online world, an understanding of youth culture, in at least some of its many guises, an interest in all things comic oriented and experience of working with children and young people.
Dr Michael Mawhinney
Board Member
Dr Michael Mawhinney is a Senior Nurse Manager within the Health and Social Care System in Northern Ireland. Michael has spent a lot of his career working in England in a variety of clinical roles in cancer care, critical care and in senior leadership positions. He attained an MSc in Global Health, alongside a PhD in cancer care and an Executive MBA. Michael is a passionate advocate for high quality governance processes, both within a healthcare setting and also the third sector having previously worked as a Head of Governance within a large third sector organisation in Northern Ireland.
As a Registered Stay Host with the Belfast Trust Fostering Services Michael has also provided support and accommodation to young people transitioning out of care services. Recognising the importance of proactive mental health support, Michael joined the Board last year, as a strong advocate for proactive and preventative mental health support because our mission and vision aligns with his passion for positive change.
Kyla McCracken
Board Member
Kyla McCracken is an experienced People & Culture Leader with extensive expertise across business strategy, organisational development, employee engagement, learning and development, and operational leadership. Throughout her career, Kyla has developed strong relationships with employees, trade unions, leadership teams, educational providers, charities, and community organisations, with a particular focus on creating positive workplace cultures and supporting both individual and organisational growth. Through her career she has been actively involved in supporting community and charitable initiatives, developing partnerships that promote employment opportunities, employee well-being and diversity, equity and inclusion.
Kyla is particularly passionate about mentoring and people development and has supported individuals at various stages of their careers through coaching, guidance, and encouragement, helping others build confidence, develop professionally, and reach their potential. Her work has included supporting apprentices, developing future leaders, and encouraging greater engagement between industry and the wider community.
Kyla is passionate about the prevention and education ethos that Hope 4 Life NI offers and aims to bring her people-focused leadership experience, strategic insight, and commitment to supporting others to help further the charity’s mission and impact within the community.