Stephen Black among four new appointments to CAFRE College Advisory Group

(L-R) Orlaith McLoughlin, Paul McHenry (Acting Director of CAFRE), Maynard Mawhinney (Chair of the CAFRE College Advisory Group), Cathal O’Donnell, Lawrence Whyte and Stephen Black.

Stephen Black, Principal of Ballymena Academy, has been appointed to the CAFRE College Advisory Group, as the Department for Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) confirmed four new members to the strategic body supporting agri-food and rural education in Northern Ireland.

The appointment sees Mr Black, a long-serving senior figure in secondary education, take on a three-year role advising the College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) at both strategic and operational level, alongside three other newly appointed members.

DAERA announced today that Orlaith McLaughlin, Lawrence Whyte, Stephen Black and Cathal McDonnell have been appointed to the College Advisory Group (CAG), which provides advice to CAFRE’s management team and reports to Acting College Director Paul McHenry.

Stephen Black brings decades of education leadership

Mr Black represents the Secondary Education Sector on the Advisory Group. He has worked in secondary education since 1988 and has served as a school principal for almost 19 years — initially at Antrim Grammar School, before taking up his current role as Principal of Ballymena Academy in 2014.

Alongside his leadership roles in schools, Mr Black has held several senior and advisory positions within education, including Principal Examiner for CCEA A Level Mathematics, President of the Association of School and College Leaders (NI), membership of Department of Education working groups, and service on the Executive Committee of the Governing Bodies Association.

Outside of education, he is also an Ulster Branch representative on the IRFU, where he sits on the Management Committee and serves as Chairman of its Rugby Committee.

His appointment brings direct school-level insight into the development of CAFRE programmes, which support learners, families and communities across Northern Ireland through education, skills development and industry engagement.

Minister welcomes new advisory appointments

DAERA Minister Andrew Muir welcomed the new appointments, highlighting the importance of the Advisory Group in supporting CAFRE’s work.

He said:

“I welcome the appointments of Ms McLaughlin, Mr Whyte, Mr Black and Mr McDonnell. The Advisory Group plays an important role in helping CAFRE deliver excellent services to the farming and agri-food sectors and I’m sure that the wealth of experience brought by the new members will enable CAFRE to continue to be recognised as a world leader in agri-food education provision.”

The Minister also paid tribute to outgoing members Esther Skelly-Smith, Malcolm Emery, Roy Little, and Deborah O’Hare, thanking them for their contribution and recognising the work of the group over recent years.

Diverse expertise across key sectors

The four new members bring experience from across education, sustainability, horticulture and the equine sector.

• Ms Orlaith McLaughlin, representing the Equine Sector, has lifelong experience in equine sport and industry, has worked in horse racing and equine development, and is currently completing a Masters in Equine Science.

• Mr Lawrence Whyte, representing Production Horticulture, has a background in organic farming and horticultural production and currently works as a Policy Assistant at the Ulster Farmers’ Union, supporting growers and sector policy engagement.

• Mr Cathal McDonnell, representing Sustainability in the Supply Chain, is Head of Business Transformation and Sustainability at Deli Lites Ireland and has led major renewable energy, waste reduction and sustainability initiatives, including achieving BCorp certification for the company.

Role of the College Advisory Grou

Established in January 2007, the CAFRE College Advisory Group plays a key role in shaping education and training provision that supports industry, participants and the wider community.

Its responsibilities include:

• Advising on the development and delivery of the College Strategic Business Plan

• Monitoring programme relevance and effectiveness

• Assessing performance, value for money and outcomes

• Advising on marketing and promotion to maximise industry and community involvement

The group operates in line with DAERA policies, strategic goals and statutory equality duties, with appointments made in accordance with Section 75 equality requirements.

Appointments are initially for three years, with payments made per meeting attended and expenses available for travel and childcare costs.