Trustees

Antoinette joined Aflac Northern Ireland at its inception in October 2019 and is responsible for the strategic success of the operational and ESG strands of the business. Aflac NI is a technology and cyber security hub and subsidiary of Aflac Inc. - a Fortune 500 company and one of the leading suppliers of supplemental health insurance in the US and Japan.
Previously Antoinette worked in Customer Success and Pre-Sales roles in the field-workforce-management market selling to and supporting the needs of Local Government, Healthcare and private sector clients. She has a wealth of digital transformation, process improvement, management, leadership, and ESG experience to bring to the role of External Trustee.

I am delighted as a past Graduate of the Ulster University to return as a trustee and Company Director, to work in partnership with the students today, to support the continued growth and success of the UUSU.
I moved back to NI in 2020 after 30 years working in England in the Retail and Healthcare sectors. Most of my career has been spent in values led organisations, namely Greggs Plc, the Co-operative Group and Well Pharmacy. In the last 12 years I operated at Board level in the roles of General Manager and Chief Operating Officer. In these roles I led large teams and was accountable for developing strategic plans, process and performance improvement and transformational change programs. I am passionate about developing talent and have championed the people agenda throughout my career.
In the role of trustee I am committed to using my skills and experience, to support the UUSU to effectively represent the student voice and to provide a world class range of services, functions and initiatives to enhance the student experience at the University of Ulster.

My name is Kellie O’Hare I’m a past Ulster University Students’ Union VP for Jordanstown 2015, I am delighted to contribute to the Students Union again as an external trustee.
I have a background in financial services and business change. I started my career with PwC as a Business Analyst in London, where I built a solid foundation in analysis and stakeholder engagement, before moving into project management, leading the delivery of complex initiatives and managing global project plans. I came back to Northern Ireland and worked as a Project Manager with Citi, managing a team contributing to their Consent Order strategy post COVID. I am currently a Principle Consultant with First Derivatives, fulfilling a Scrum Master role in Regulatory Compliance and Solutions, focusing on empowering teams to perform at their best ability. I identify interdependencies across projects, remove obstacles, and manage cross disciplinary teams to achieve results. I am able to apply resource management, budget allocation and governance skills to my role with UUSU.

Glenn Fitzpatrick is a Communications Specialist with over 17 years of experience across every level of the Irish student movement; from class rep to SU President, to USI Vice President, and now full time staff member working at the cross-section of strategy, communications, and union development. He currently leads on communications and strategic planning at Ireland’s largest university SU and has also chaired the student council and electoral commission across in DITSU/TUDSU. His campaigning, communications, and organising experience spans the corporate communications world to the trade union movement. His approach blends political instinct with practical experience and a clear-eyed focus on power, purpose, and member engagement.

I began my career in the University of Ulster Students Union as an elected officer and I continue to appreciate the skills and values instilled in me from my time there. I am excited to return to the movement to share the knowledge and experience I have acquired since, to improve the lives of students and help them fulfil their potential. Throughout my career in the third sector I have worked with multiple organisations at the highest levels of governance. I have been responsible for building and maintaining active, engaged and effective boards which exist to support the work of the organisation and help them achieve their purpose. I am Currently a Digital Technology Director and new media fundraiser, specialising in digital transformation with a focus on software development prioritising donor experience. I design digital solutions to enhance efficiency and improve performance. I am passionate about this member lead organisation and aim to support it and the students it serves in any way possible.

My name is Cohen Taylor, and I am currently a student trustee at Ulster University Students’ Union. I study Social Policy at Ulster and work as a part time Digital Communications Officer outside of university.
Over the past two years, I’ve been proud to serve on the UUSU Board of Trustees, helping to make decisions that support students and shape the direction of the union. I have also been elected as a Course Rep and School Rep, both roles have helped to strengthen my understanding of the challenges many students face.
I also chair the NI Youth Forum Executive Committee, where I advocate for young people’s voices to be heard and contribute to decision making in relation to governance, finance and risk. I care deeply about equality, inclusion, and making sure students feel supported and represented. I would love the opportunity to continue as a trustee, to keep working with the fantastic team at UUSU to make the organisation even stronger.

My name is Lauren McBurney, and I am a final-year Computer Science student at Ulster University. I currently serve as the Chair of Magee Women in STEM, where I work to promote gender equality and empower women pursuing careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics. I am also the co-host of the ISRC Podcast, where I engage in discussions around research, innovation, and the student experience at Ulster.
Throughout my time at university, I’ve been passionate about creating spaces that encourage collaboration, inclusion, and personal growth—especially for women in technology. My involvement in both leadership and communication roles has strengthened my commitment to advocating for equality, supporting student development, and highlighting the incredible work happening within our university community.
I’m driven by a desire to see more diverse voices represented in STEM and to continue contributing to initiatives that inspire and support Ulster University students.