Meet the Board
Mary Docherty
Chairperson
Mary joined the board in 2014 and is a graduate of the Parenting Matters course. Since joining the Board, she has been heavily involved in the recruitment of new staff for the existing and new services. Mary has enjoyed a varied career in education, teaching in early years, primary, and secondary schools. She found being a primary headteacher very rewarding, and prior to retirement had the great privilege of being Head of Service for North Ayrshire Council, with responsibility for Education for Children and Young People. As well as spending time with her family, Mary enjoys travelling, gardening, hill-walking, cooking, and reading.
Chairperson
Trustee
Many years ago Alan set up Heatwise Glasgow and the Wise Group, helping long-term unemployed people get into work. He was also the Senior Director for Skills and Learning in Scottish Enterprise. Through working with unemployed people and in compiling labour market information for Scotland, Alan became aware that the skills employers want are the same skills that you need to negotiate life. That is talking and listening, working with other people, and elementary problem solving - skills or attributes you get or do not get way before school. Alan has two teenage children and has written a book "Right from the Start".
What We Do
Kenneth Fee
Trustee
Ken has spent most of his career working for social enterprises, mainly in learning and development, and is currently an organisational development consultant for clients in the charity, social enterprise, and not for profit sectors. He has written several books about learning and development. He is a long-term supporter of children’s charities, and experienced as a parent, step-parent and grandparent, including involvement in the adoption process. Ken believes none of us are experts in parenting, and we all need to learn from one another, and help develop the next generation of great parent
Pauline McFadden
Trustee
Pauline graduated from Glasgow Caledonian University with an Honours degree in Communication and Mass Media. She then went on to study Contemporary Politics with the Open University.
Pauline has worked with the Scottish Association for Mental Health (SAMH) for nearly nine years as a Support Worker and is now a Family Wellbeing Worker with Stepping Stones for Families.
Due to raising her daughter who lives with Cerebral Palsy, Pauline has engaged with many organisations; she is a member of Alliance Health and Social Care and an ambassador for Nordoff Robbins Music Therapy and Bobath Scotland.
Veronica Radford
Trustee
Veronica RadfordVeronica has worked as a Call Handler for over six years and has completed voluntary work with Glasgow East Women's Aid over a course of two years. Veronica has been involved with Parent Network Scotland since 2015 when she completed their Parenting Matters course for teens. This course changed everything for Veronica and her relationship with her son. Three years later she's the proud mum of an 18 year old university student who has now flown the nest to start his own journey . After Parenting Matters she joined Parents Voices and became eager to learn more and more and therefore Veronica has continued training and personal development within PNS since.
William Clark
Trustee
William ClarkWilliam is the dad of two amazing children, Grace and Logan. They are the light of his life and when he's not working as a catering manager, and taking some time for his hobby (stand-up comedy), William likes to devote his time to his children. He was inspired to get involved with PNS through a dads' group. Everything William has learned has made him a better, more compassionate, dad and person! William really looks forward to being part of the PNS Board.
James Smith
Ambassador
We now have the fabulous James Smith as our Ambassador for Parent Network Scotland. James has a wealth of experience in the public sector and as an ambassador for other brilliant charities, alongside his job as radio presenter on Scene Radio with his show 'A Date with Mr Fabulous', and as a host and judge for many events. James enjoys being a panel member for the Scottish Children's Hearings system.
As if his diary isn't busy enough, James also works as a scout for talent for ITV, a TV personality on STV's "Live at Five", and he runs the beautiful Roebank Hotel in Beith!
James and his husband made Scottish history as they were the first same sex couple approved in Scotland for adoption in 2009, and first to be placed with a child. They have since adopted their son Samuel, which was the best thing they've ever done. They are now settled as a family, and since this process has given them great joy, they have therefore decided in 2016 to make it public knowledge, to encourage others to do likewise. Social Work Services asked James to be an Ambassador for Families for Children which he is very proud and happy to be. James worked alongside them and also The Sunday Herald in publicising their story to promote adoption, also interviewing with the BBC, STV etc., such as the Kaye Adams Show, Live at Five, Radio Shows etc and many more. James is also involved with Glasgow City Council's fostering & adoption campaigns.
