Norma explores how her own experiences led her to join the organisation and support its vital work.

“I left school with few qualifications, and worked my way up: undertaking exams at night, obtaining a Degree, Post-Grad Diploma, Masters and now an LLM. Drawing on these experiences I became CEO of TWN in 2002, to support women in similar positions, allowing them to use TWN resources to overcome their challenges.”

“Since obtaining my position as CEO, my work has revolved around community and community education. TWN cares about people and offers a hand up not a hand out. Meeting the needs of clients is a priority for both TWN and I. Teamwork is a key aspect of my leadership, and as such I rely on my staff, drawing on the expertise of my Board and colleagues, and sound research in everything I do.”

This supportive, collaborative approach is a central pillar of Norma’s leadership, she highlights:

“As part of my commitment to teamwork, I proudly operate an ‘open door policy’ with my staff and truly value their views and opinions. We meet regularly to plan and set targets for the future and constantly monitor our performance. This helps us to ensure that we are always meeting the needs of our stakeholders and pooling our resources effectively.”

Having achieved phenomenal success supporting women across Northern Ireland, looking ahead Norma and her team have ambitious plans to expand globally, as she is proud to conclude:

“Despite having faced funding struggles over the last few years, with planning and commitment from staff and Board, TWN is moving forward. Ultimately, my future aspiration is that any woman who needs education, training and developing will see TWN as their first stop for services, even across the world. Our expansion plans will pave the way for a new generation of woman leaders, and we look forward to driving these exciting changes over the years to come.”