Staff and Committee Members

Staff and Committee Members

Rear : Axel Schmidt, Don Mackay, Jonathan Larner, Timothy Mayes
Front : Bertie Campbell, Dorothy Saunderson, Philip Black

Robert Campbell

Chairman

Robert (Bertie) Campbell, following in the footsteps of our first and esteemed Chairman Sir William Wright C.B.E, now serves the Ulster Human Rights Watch in this capacity since 2022. He has been the Managing Director of the organisation since its inception in 2002 offering his experience and expertise in Marketing and Public Relations gained from his previous full-time employment with British Telecoms at Board level. He holds a Batchelors of Arts (Hons) degree in Business Studies from the Ulster University in Belfast. He has been a consultant to a number of Northern Ireland companies majoring in strategic and planning analyses and programmes.

Philip Black

Company Secretary

Philip Black has been Secretary of the organisation since its foundation in 2002. He has been involved in community work since 1973 when he was elected to Craigavon Borough Council, serving until 1989. He is Chairman and founding member of a successful Credit Union in Lurgan. Until his retirement he was a Senior Systems Analyst in the Computer Centre of Queen’s University Belfast. He holds degrees in Mathematics from Queen’s University, Belfast, and the University of York, England.

Axel Schmidt

Advocacy Support Manager

Axel graduated from Paris II (Assas) Law University with BA, LLM (Hons) and DSSSL. He became a training consultant for Francis Lefebvre Formation and other French companies, an assistant lecturer at Paris University and professor at the Institut Supérieur du Commerce de Paris. In 2001 he created Schmidt Consulting in Northern Ireland (UK), delivering advice in the field of human rights and providing assistance in legal proceedings, facilitation and training. Axel acted as Legal Consultant for Project MONNET (Mobilising Opposition Networks to Nationalistic European Terrorism) funded by the European Commission Directorate Justice, Freedom and Security. He was awarded the Bronze National Defence Medal (French Army).

Jonathan Larner

Advocacy Support Worker

Since graduating from Queen’s University Belfast in 1999, Jonathan has worked with victims of terrorism directly in support roles and indirectly in assisting in with the sustainability of organisations and in specific  project development. His experience includes working for FAIR in Markethill from 2000 – 2005. He brings capacity to the team in a development context and being firmly committed to the principles of UHRW, he is keen to see progress made in the pursuit of truth and justice.

Don Mackay

Advocacy Support Worker

Don is a former part-time member of the Ulster Defence Regiment (UDR) and served for nine years with the Regiment during the 1970s, where he lost many colleagues murdered by the IRA. He was a senior officer in the Northern Ireland Fire & Rescue Service, where he served for 31 years. He used to be a member of the Victims & Survivors Forum, a Board member of the Northern Ireland Community Relations Council and also has held two Public Appointments. Don holds a BA (Hons), BSc (Hons) in Psychological Trauma Studies, MSc, MA and has a CIPFA Certificate in Corporate Governance.

Timothy Mayes

Advocacy Support Worker

Timothy gained his law degree from Queen’s University Belfast in 1982 and qualified as a Solicitor in 1983. He has forty years experience of advising supporting and advocating for victims and survivors of terrorism and criminality. Timothy has the background and ability to support victims and survivors of terrorism who seek truth and justice in regard to those issues which continue to concern them in respect of the legacy of the past. He is heavily engaged in inter community work as well as evangelical outreach. Timothy has a particular interest in Education Law and has chaired post primary school admission tribunals for the past 12 years.

Dorothy Saunderson

Administration Officer

Dorothy joined Ulster Human Rights Watch in May 2022. She has many years of experience in administrative roles. Dorothy started her career in the office of a banking institution. Then she worked for twenty years in the administration of the National Health Service before spending a number of years working in Solicitor practices. Dorothy has a particular interest in victims of terrorism in Northern Ireland and is keen to dedicate herself to supporting them through the UHRW Advocacy Service.

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