The Board
Natalie Gilbert (Chair)
Natalie Gilbert has been teaching Drama for 27 years and is currently Head of Performing Arts at Antrim Grammar, where she coordinates GCSE Drama and A-level Performing Arts classes.
Carolyn Stewart (Vice Chair)
Carolyn Stewart, originally from North Belfast, is one of Northern Ireland’s most popular and well-known radio presenters and club DJs.
Carolyn started her DJ career in Belfast’s very first disco bar back in 1985. In the years that followed, her crowd-pulling powers and larger than life personality ensured that she would become one of Northern Ireland’s most popular and in-demand club jocks. The success of her club nights would take her right across Ireland and beyond, including a mammoth 12 week (nightly) stint at some of Europe’s hottest nightclubs of the time. She also went on to win Northern Ireland DJ of the year in 1988.
On her return from Europe, Carolyn undertook her first radio presenting job at Cool FM, the newly formed sister station of Northern Ireland’s largest commercial radio station Downtown Radio. Her nighttime show was hugely popular right from inception (including the much loved feature “Cool Goes Quiet”) and drew unprecedented audience figures for a nighttime programme, even out-stripping the station’s breakfast show.
From 1990 until 2005, Carolyn would be synonymous with Cool FM and it would be synonymous with her. Throughout these years she was to become the station’s most high profile and successful presenter. She also chose to interview unknown acts of the time and helped to raise the profile of fledgling artists such as Amy Winehouse, Alicia Keys, Anastacia, Usher, Destiny’s Child and Beverley Knight. On the back of her RnB-music-loving roots, she also went on to present and produce a specialist RnB Sunday night show on Cool which pulled in thousands of listeners, again contradicting traditional radio industry listening figures for the time of day.
In the mid-nineties and on the back of her radio success, Carolyn also worked as a co-presenter, alongside Patrick Kielty, on UTV’s Saturday morning programme SUS. The show was hugely popular and ran for two summer seasons. Carolyn also presented on the popular UTV/RTE joint travel production Bon Voyage and the BBC’s Petrolheads programme in 2008. Carolyn also presented UTV Life’s weekly entertainment guide for the best part of the noughties.
Carolyn left Cool FM in 2005 to join UTV’s new radio station U105. She initially presented U105-late (also known as “the Night Birds show”), Monday to Thursday 9pm to 12pm and the hugely successful Saturday Night House Party, Saturdays 6pm to 10pm. After just over a year on air, she presented and single-handedly produced a one-of-a-kind and never-been-done-before “Night Birds Night Out” live show from the television studios of UTV with a live audience as well as live music and guests – the show went on to be nominated for a best show gong at Ireland’s PPI Awards in 2007. Carolyn now presents the U105 Lunchtime show 12-3pm, the hugely popular Lunchtime Bistro and the upbeat and lively Saturday Night House Party from 6pm -10pm.
Sarah Clarke (Board Member)
Broadcaster Sarah Clarke is a law and French graduate of Queen’s University and was a member of the Lyric Drama studio, the Tyrone Guthrie and Queen’s drama societies during that time.
She then went on to complete a postgraduate diploma in Journalism from Ulster University and has worked for BBC Radio Ulster, the Irish News, the Q Network and U105.
Currently an award winning journalist for UTV Sarah is a main presenter for UTV Live at 6 – the UK’s most watched regional news programme – and also reports for the ITV/ITN network news.
Career highlights include live anchoring major news events including most recently the Pope’s death, the Queen’s death, the Pope’s visit to Ireland, health specials and the Balmoral show as well as producing current affairs programmes for Up Close.
Outside of work Sarah is a mum of three, mini soccer ‘coach’ and occasional park runner who enjoys yoga, reading and cooking.
Sarah Cochrane, Partner – Carson McDowell LLP (Board Member)
Sarah qualified as a solicitor in 2009 having trained at a national firm in England. She returned home to Northern Ireland in 2013 when she joined Carson McDowell LLP’s employment team.
As a dual qualified solicitor (in England & Wales and Northern Ireland), Sarah specialises in all aspects of employment and equality law. She advises many leading employer clients across the UK on matters including discrimination, grievances, disciplinaries and the employment aspects of mergers and acquisitions.
Sarah is Secretary of the Employment Lawyers Group (NI) and a member of the Employment Lawyers Association (England and Wales). She is regularly asked to speak at employment law conferences and updates and is ranked by Chambers and Partners, the industry guide for lawyers.
A keen music and theatre fan, Sarah’s free time will often be spent at shows and concerts with her family. She is very much looking forward to supporting Youth Lyric and to seeing its continued success.
Roy Creelman (Treasurer and Board Member)
Roy has a BSSc in Economics and Business and is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Ireland. He has many years of experience in auditing, business and tax planning. He is a member of the IOD Education Committee and past chair of governors at Down High School. He enjoys music, especially Van Morrison, and is a keen Arsenal fan.
Kate Nicholl MLA (Board Member)
Kate Nicholl is a Northern Irish politician who is an MLA for Belfast South and who served as the 79th Lord Mayor of Belfast from June 2021 until her election as an MLA in May 2022. She is a member of the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland. A former pupil of Youth Lyric Kate joined the Board in November 2022 and is delighted to be supporting Youth Lyric in this way.
Orry Robinson (Board Member)
Orry holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Queen’s University Belfast and a master’s degree in communication, advertising and public relations from Ulster University. Now an account director at JComms, one of Northern Ireland’s leading communications agencies, he has over a decade of experience working in public relations. Orry became a Chartered PR Practitioner in 2023, the gold standard for strategic thinking, leadership, and ethical practice in public relations. This professional accreditation is held by less than 10% of Chartered Institute of Public Relations (CIPR) members. Orry was the inaugural Young PR, Marketing and Media Professional of the Year at the first-ever Insider Northern Ireland Young Professionals Awards in 2024.
Orry is a highly experienced communications professional who has worked extensively with consumer and corporate brands in the UK and Ireland, as well as charitable organisations, including three of Northern Ireland’s cultural flagbearers: Belfast International Arts Festival, Belfast Photo Festival, and NI Science Festival. An expert storyteller and creative problem solver, Orry provides strategic counsel to a range of market-leading organisations in the public, private, and voluntary sectors.
William Scott (Board Member)
William has been a keen supporter of Youth Lyric for over twenty years,
and was delighted to accept an invitation to join the board of trustees in 2016.
William is a Television Director at UTV.
He joined Ulster Television in 1974 and has worked on a huge variety of programmes, including seventeen years of The Gerry Kelly Show.
Retiring in the summer of 2018 he is looking forward to having more time to dedicate to working for Youth Lyric.
William is a member of The British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA).
Alison Young (Staff Representative)
Alison joined Youth Lyric as a volunteer in September 2021. Her love of drama is longstanding and Alison is a past student of the Youth Lyric herself. She has had many years working as a volunteer with young people of all ages. Alison has worked in both the health and education sectors for the past 20 years. In June 2024 Alison successfully completed her teaching Diploma in Speech and Drama making her an Associate of Trinity College London.
In her spare time, Alison loves to read both fiction and non – fiction genres. Alison is an active member of Holywood Players and regularly participates in play readings with the group.
Hannah Makinson (Staff Representitive)
Hannah graduated from Queen’s University Belfast in 2012 and Liverpool Hope University in 2014.
Hannah is a primary school teacher and loves performance having completed HND in performing arts alongside her degree in Drama and PGCE. Now a teacher in Strandtown Primary School, Hannah enjoys singing, attending theatre and enjoying time with family.