Veterinary / scientific career

Veterinary surgeon in progressive farm animal veterinary practice in W Scotland (2000-2002) and N Ireland (2002-2005).

Secretary General of Veterinary Northern Ireland (2005-2007).

Veterinary Research Officer in Virology Branch at Veterinary Sciences Division, Agri-Food & Biosciences Institute (AFBI) (2007-2014); managing Ruminant Virology Unit, Fish Diseases Unit and Animal Services Unit as well as having a role in Contingency Planning for Epizootic Disease (CPED) and as a Named Veterinary Surgeon.

Director (Operations & Business Development) at SiSaf Ltd (2014-2015).

Founder of Blackwater Consultancy Ltd (2015); Specialist (Animal Sciences & Aquaculture) for UK Trade & Investment (UKTI), now the Department for International Trade (DIT) (2015-2018).

Recently appointed as a Senior Lecturer (Education) in Animal Health at Queen's University Belfast (QUB) (2018).

Professional representation

President of the British Veterinary Association (BVA). Past-President of the North of Ireland Veterinary Association (NIVA) and of the Northern Ireland Branch of the BVA.

Chair of the Federation of Veterinarians in Europe (FVE) FishMedPlus Coalition.

Honorary Member of the Association of Veterinary Surgeons Practising in Northern Ireland (AVSPNI).

Ambassador for the livestock development charity, Send a Cow. Trustee of the BVA Animal Welfare Foundation (AWF).

Member of the Farm Animal Welfare Forum (FAWF) and the Animal Welfare Research Network (AWRN).

Life member of the Royal Ulster Agricultural Society (RUAS).