Our Team
Homeless Connect relies on the dedication and commitment of its 27 staff and 70 volunteers to achieve its vision and deliver on its charitable purposes.
Our senior team is committed to ending homelessness. They work together to support staff and member organisations, representing the interests of the sector and leading on the delivery of direct services through key projects.
Nicola McCrudden
Chief Executive Officer
Nicola joined us in September 2020. She has over 25 years’ experience working in housing and homelessness and has particular expertise in social policy. Nicola strongly believes in collaboration, co-design and service user involvement.
Prior to this, Nicola was a Senior Associate with Campbell Tickell management consultancy working across the island of Ireland and led on governance reviews, strategic planning and research projects for government departments, charities, housing associations and local authorities.
Between 2014-18 Nicola was Director at the Chartered Institute of Housing with responsibility for strategy and business development in Northern Ireland and the Republic of Ireland. Formerly she headed up policy and communications at Housing Rights.
Mark Baillie
Policy and Public Affairs Manager
Mark joined us in 2021. He studied Law with Politics at Queens University Belfast before going on to work for a social policy charity in Belfast.
Mark leads on our policy and public affairs work. He provides the secretariat for the recently formed All Party on Homelessness at the Northern Ireland Assembly and regularly engages with policymakers and elected representatives across the political spectrum on issues related to homelessness.
Cheryl Gamble
Membership Support Officer
Cheryl joined us in November 2020 following 13 years experience in research and fundraising within the voluntary sector.
She is responsible for overseeing the membership offering to ensure that it continues to meet the needs of the sector.
Cheryl thrives on the impact that our member organisations are making in tackling homelessness, and ensuring that staff are supported through quality training programmes.
Declan McKillop
FareShare NI Operations Manager
Declan joined us in 2010 and brought with him international business experience in both Australia and America.
Passionate about food manufacturing and distribution, he was one of two people tasked with setting up the Fareshare Model in Northern Ireland.
He became Operations Manager in 2016.
Kathy Henry
Home Starter Pack Project Manager
Kathy has worked in the Homelessness Sector for over 21 years, volunteering with Homeplus Street Outreach and working within a family hostel.
She joined us in 2009 within the Substance Use Department, where she was responsible for the day-to-day administration of the project. She also delivered training and organised cross-sectoral placements between the homelessness sector and the addiction’s sector.
Kathy took up the position of PA to the CEO in 2015 and in the same year helped to set up the Home Starter Pack Project.
In 2019 Kathy was appointed Manager of the Starter Pack project and leads our staff and volunteer team.
