Board of Directors

Mr Danny Galvin

Danny brings extensive management experience to Adopt NI. As a qualified construction engineer he lived in Zambia for ten years working as manager of the Copper Mines.

He has been involved with Adopt NI on a casual basis since the organisation was established in 1989; he finally succumbed to the pressure and joined the committee in 2010 when he was appointed Chair.

Mr Sam McClelland RMN, SRN, RNMH, MBE

On leaving school at sixteen years with the school-leaving certificate, Sam took up a position as an apprentice tenter. After two years, he was appointed Student Nurse in Botley’s Park Hospital, Chertsey Surrey. After completing the first year with distinction, Sam returned to Belfast and completed a three-year psychiatric training in Purdysburn Hospital, gaining several awards along the way. In 1960, he completed a postgraduate General Nurse Training in Hackney Hospital, East London. He then attended South Ockendon Hospital, Essex to complete a postgraduate training in Learning Disability Nursing. Sam returned to Belfast to take up a senior post in the professional psychiatric unit in the Belfast City Hospital. In 1970, he was appointed and involved in commissioning the first and only child psychiatric unit in Lissue Hospital, Lisburn. He was then appointed Senior Nursing Officer for the four hospitals, including Lagan Valley Hospital in Lisburn and then as Director of Nursing in the Eastern Health and Social Services Board. In 1972, Sam was awarded a council of Europe Fellowship, one of twelve awarded to the UK, his fellowship took him to Norway, Sweden and Finland. In 1982, he was awarded the Florence Nightingale Scholarship visiting several states in the USA. In 1990, he was awarded membership of the most excellent order of the British Empire (MBE) for services to Nurses and Nursing. Sam has been a member of the Royal College of Nursing since 1962. He was chairman of the Northern Ireland Board and council member for twelve years; he is now a retired member.

Since his retirement from the health service, Sam worked as contract officer and co-ordinator of Volunteer Stroke Schemes in the Northern Ireland, Chest, Heart and Stroke Association for nine years.

Since his retirement from NICHSA, Sam has devoted his time as a volunteer in the NICHSA. He is a member and treasurer of Reconnect NI, chairman and board member of Sense NI and board member and treasurer of Adopt NI.

Ms Karen Scott Harrison BSc (Hon) Estate Management

Karen was born in London in 1968. She was adopted by a couple in Belfast and spent the first four years there. The Family then moved to Majorca Spain where they lived for four years before returning to London for a further two and then finally settling back in Northern Ireland in 1979.

Karen was principally educated at Rockport Preparatory School and Princess Gardens and then went on to Roberta Mechan College of beauty where she obtained her International Beauty Therapy examinations. She worked for six years in a salon in Belfast before starting her own beauty business for a further six years. In 1998 she gave up the beauty business to go into full time education and did a four year bachelor of honours degree in Surveying at Jordanstown University.

Three days after graduating she got married and the following year had a daughter. The family then moved to Bahrain in the Middle East where they lived for three years before returning in 2007. In 2001 Karen made contact with her birth family and was introduced to the Adopt charity, subsequently on her return from Bahrain she joined the Management Committee of Adopt in 2008.

Ms Sally McCorkell DipSW

Sally works as a social worker in the Carrickfergus Family Placement Team, specialising in post adoption work. She has extensive experience in the area of adoption and fostering. Sally joined Adopt NI’s Board of Directors on 8th July 2010, although she has been involved with the organisation for many years, attending support groups and using our other services.

Ms Laura Coleman