Staff

Marguerite Hughes

Outgoing Chief Executive Officer

Marguerite is based in Ireland and has a doctorate in Social Science from University College Cork. Marguerite has held senior voluntary and paid positions in non-profit organisations in sectors including international development, patient support and advocacy, homelessness, and educational advocacy for more than 20 years. Marguerite’s first child was born in 2004 and diagnosed with PWS shortly after birth. Prior to becoming IPWSO CEO, Marguerite served on the IPWSO board for 6 years, most recently as IPWSO Vice President from 2016-2019.

Margaret Walker

Incoming Chief Executive Officer

Margaret Walker is a committed association management and public affairs professional with over 20 years’ experience in the field.  She has worked with scientific, medical, family and patient associations at the European and international level.  Most recently Margaret was Executive Director at the European Psychiatric Association (EPA). 

Margaret has a Postgraduate Certificate in Humanities, a BA (Hons) in Humanities, as well as a Diploma in Gender and Development. She is a Fellow of the UK’s Royal Society for Public Health (RSPH) and a member of the Chartered Institute of Fundraising and is co-chair of the European Society of Association Executives’ Leadership Circle. 

Shelly Cordner

Project Manager

Shelly has held roles in the UK charity sector encompassing relationship management, fundraising, project delivery and online and in-person events and training management. In health charities she has worked to support people with Parkinson’s and people with Arthritis. Shelly joined IPWSO at the start of 2021 and is responsible for managing IPWSO’s online event programme, as well as other online and in-person workshops, meetings and conferences. She also supports the work of several IPWSO Boards and Committees. 

Nora McNairney

Project and Operations Manager

Nora is based in Northern Ireland and has spent over 20 years working in membership-based organisations supporting various functions including operational, secretariat, policy, public engagement and continuous professional development. For 15 years Nora was Manager of the Royal College of Psychiatrists in Northern Ireland and was responsible for delivering local, national and international academic conferences. Nora joined IPWSO as Project and Operations Manager to develop our Project ECHO® programs, and managing our International Conferences is a central part of her current responsibilities.

Honorary President

Board of Trustees

Advisers

Clinical and Scientific Advisory Board

Professional Providers and Caregivers Board

Famcare Board