IWD WOMEN SHAPING NARRATIVES LINE UP BIOS
You know us but here’s a bit more about our line up on Friday March 6 (1pm-5pm) at Belfast City Hall.
Tickets available here. All welcome.
Tracy Kelly
Lord Mayor of Belfast Tracy Kelly. The DUP Councillor was installed as Lord Mayor of Belfast on 2 June 2025. She represents the Botanic electoral area.
Fahima Mirzaie
Fahima is described as “Afghanistan's most famous sufi whirling dancer”. She was due to kick off her biggest tour around the country when the Taliban took over. Fahima now lives in France.
Anna Rüya Ayyildiz
Anna is a captivating whirling dancer, born in London to an Irish mother and an Anatolian Alevi father. Her diverse cultural background seamlessly weaves into the rich tapestry of her artistry. Her lifework is not just showcases of skill and technique but profound explorations of the whirling dance's spiritual essence.
Joanne Cassidy
Joanne is a traditional musician and singer songwriter from Belfast. She performs songs on harp and guitar and is also a flute and tin whistle player. Over the years she has performed as a solo musician and in various bands with album and EP releases resulting in radio airplay and international touring, including performances in Addis Ababa at the request of the Irish Embassy.
Elisa Schroth
Elisa founded Ekklesia School of Ballet and is the artistic director of Ekklesia Contemporary Ballet, a professional dance company based in Connecticut USA.. She has choreographed many works that align with the company’s mission to strengthen human connections while drawing attention to social injustices such as poverty, inequality and human suffering. In 2025 Elisa curated and choreographed UNCAGED, a Ballet celebrating the artistic expressions of Afghan women, particularly those who have worked in secret in Afghanistan. The music was inspired by the paintings of Afghan artists Shajia Azhir, Khadija Doorman, Alina Gawhary and Elaha.
Kate Nicholl
Kate is an Alliance MLA for Belfast South and a former Lord Mayor of Belfast. She serves on the Assembly Economy Committee and is the Alliance Party’s spokesperson on the economy. Born in Zimbabwe, Kate moved to Belfast at age twelve, later attending Methodist College Belfast and graduating from University College London with a BSc in Anthropology.
She is the founding Chair of the All-Party Group on Artificial Intelligence, Policy and Public Data and also chairs the APGs on Skills and International Development. Kate is a strong advocate for improved childcare provision, political reform and building a shared, inclusive future for all communities. Alongside her political work, Kate is committed to advancing evidence-based policy and supporting innovative approaches to economic and social development. She lives in Belfast with her husband and their three young children.
Cara Hunter
Cara is an SDLP Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for East Derry who sits on the Northern Ireland Education Committee. She is a passionate advocate for policy changes on digital safety, online harms, and the impact of emerging technologies on women and democracy. With a background in journalism and communications.
Cara has spoken about the risks posed by AI-generated content, including deepfakes, and the disproportionate harm these technologies cause to women in public life, sport and media.
Cheryl Brownlee
Cheryl is a Democratic Unionist Party Member of the Northern Ireland Assembly for East Antrim and a member of the Northern Ireland Policing Board. Her work focuses on policing accountability, access to justice, and improving confidence for victims engaging with the criminal justice system. She is a strong advocate for women and girls affected by violence, including those experiencing technology facilitated abuse.
Cheryl has consistently highlighted the need for better support for victims, improved awareness of emerging harms in digital spaces, and stronger protections against online stalking, harassment, and image based abuse. With a drive to ensure new technologies enhance, rather than undermine, trust, fairness, and protection for women and girls.
Sarah Rose McCann
Sarah Rose is a health journalist and endometriosis campaigner based in Belfast. After a decade of debilitating pain she discovered she had the symptoms of endometriosis on Instagram and has made it her mission to raise awareness and share the stories of others who are struggling to access a diagnosis or healthcare. In March 2025, her national award nominated Endo the Battle campaign led her to Westminster where she facilitated a discussion on the challenges patients faced throughout the UK with parliamentary ministers. Her passions include advocating for informed consent, debunking the myth that endometriosis is a menstrual disease and ensuring patients voices are at the heart of change.’
Laurene Agnew
Laurene is a campaigner. Her journey with endometriosis began at 13 years old. For a decade she lived with debilitating abdominal pain, seeing countless doctors, undergoing investigative surgery, and being told more than once that the pain was “in her head.” Aged 23 she was diagnosed with Stage IV endometriosis. Nine surgeries have followed. She is a mum to two beautiful children. She is currently fit, active, and wants to share her message of hope and healing.
Katie Watson
Katie is a women’s health advocate and educator dedicated to raising awareness of Premenstrual Dysphoric Disorder (PMDD). Through Instagram Katie shares candid insights into her mental health, aiming to reduce stigma and help others recognise symptoms that are so often misunderstood or missed.
Katie is an ambassador for the UK’s only PMDD charity ‘The PMDD Project’ and frequently speaks about the dangers of misdiagnosis. Alongside her campaigning work, Katie runs online support groups called The Monthlies, creating safe, supportive spaces for people with menstruation-related conditions. Katie also hosts a podcast, ‘The Monthly Truth’ where she has important, raw conversations around all things menstruation. As a teacher, she engages daily with young people about gaps in menstrual health education and is continually motivated by systemic failures to drive meaningful change.
Carleen Hughes
Carleen is VP of Marketing at Kainos, working globally to help drive growth for one of Northern Ireland’s leading technology companies. Based in Belfast, she brings extensive experience in senior leadership within the tech sector. Carleen is a co-founder of Kainos’ Employee Network for Women, established to support and champion women across the organisation. Passionate about inclusive leadership and career progression, she is a strong advocate for empowering women in business and creating cultures where everyone can thrive.
Nicole O’Connor
Nicole is a portfolio careerist, former educator, and "community villager" dedicated to reclaiming the human voice in a digital world. As the co-founder of Digi Know This, she works with schools and community groups to navigate the tech landscape with confidence and empathy. Nicole balances her corporate roles as Adobe’s Education Community Lead for Europe and an Apple Professional Learning Specialist with her grassroots leadership as Vice-Chair of East Belfast GAA and a Network Leader for WomenEd NI. Her work focuses on the "human rhythm" of technology - advocating that digital advancement matches a collective commitment to inclusion and safety.
Anne Hailes
Anne is an Irish News columnist and outgoing chair of NUJ Belfast & District Branch. She has been working in the media since joining Ulster Television aged 17. Since then she has produced and presented her own programmes on UTV, BBC Radio Ulster and the World Service. Anne began writing for newspapers in the late 70s beginning with a fruit and vegetable column in the Belfast Newsletter.
And a late but very welcome addition to our line up…
Joanne Dorrian
Joanne is a missing persons advocate whose work began after her sister, Lisa Dorrian, went missing in February 2005 in Northern Ireland. Lisa was quickly presumed murdered by police and a murder investigation was launched. To date, no one has been charged, and despite more than 400 searches, Lisa’s body has never been found. Joanne features in the documentary series Murder in the Badlands, available on Netflix, BBC iPlayer and Amazon Prime Video.A passionate campaigner for missing people, Joanne has developed particular expertise in ‘no-body’ murder cases and is currently one of two families working to create the world’s first ‘no-body’ murder legislation for Northern Ireland, known as Charlotte’s Law.
For over 20 years, Joanne has led a high-profile media campaign to keep Lisa’s case in the public eye, with the dual aim of finding her sister and securing justice. Joanne is Chairperson of K9 Search and Rescue Northern Ireland, championing the charity’s vital work in locating missing people and supporting families. She is currently completing an undergraduate degree in Psychological Trauma, with a particular focus on ambiguous loss — a subject deeply connected to her own life and experience.
Tickets are £10 and include lunch and Jawbox Gin reception and soft drinks.
Carleen Hughes
Kate Nicholl, Cara Hunter, Cheryl Brownlee
