Maureen McGhee
BA Hons 3D Design
Graduating in 1986 with a First-Class Honours Degree, Maureen is still passionate about her craft, continuously exploring new techniques and materials. Her dedication to the art of jewellery making has led her to experiment with innovative approaches, ensuring her designs stay both contemporary and timeless.
In the intervening years she completed a PGCE in Technology and Design, teaching Product Design at secondary level. Maureen is an Artist, and a jewellery designer with her own distinctive style, incorporating finely crafted skills learnt over a period of four decades.
In her personalised silver jewellery commissions, she listens to your story and uses symbolism and simplicity of line to transform your thoughts and feelings into a wearable keepsake. Each piece is thoughtfully created, reflecting the emotions and narratives shared by her clients.
Her work has been exhibited in London, Montenegro, Belfast, Wicklow, Cork, and her hometown of Derry. Inspired by a workshop completed with Adi Toch, Maureen uses the technique of patination with base metals, usually copper or brass, to create colours and surface patterning by drawing out natural colours from metals.
Living and working in Derry, Maureen is a Director of Number 19 Craft and Design C.I.C. and retails her jewellery as part of a thriving collective of talented artists and designers from across the Northwest of Ireland.
Two excellent examples of her architectural commission work include “Spirits of Our Souls” in St Cecilia’s College Derry, and “A Space in Time for Us” in The North West Cancer Centre, Derry.
Scott Montford
BSc Hons Business Studies
Originally from Portstewart, Northern Ireland, Scott Montford is a marketing strategist and self-taught developer now based in Stevenage. With a degree in Business & Marketing from Ulster University and a coding pedigree dating back to his childhood, Scott bridges the gap between technical execution and community-led growth.
After relocating for work, Scott found that the "perfect pint" was becoming increasingly elusive. Tired of inconsistent pours and lack of transparent pricing, he utilised his background in web development to create Stoutly. What began as a tool for his London colleagues is now a rapidly growing social network dedicated to the craft, community, and culture of Guinness.
What is Stoutly?
Stoutly is the ultimate social hub for the global Guinness community. Designed for those who take their stout seriously, the app allows users to rate, share, and review pints while connecting with a feed of fellow enthusiasts.
At the heart of the app is the "Stoutly Pub Score" - a unique algorithm that balances quality and price with a "confidence score" based on review volume. This ensures users find pubs that offer genuine value, not just hype. Whether you’re searching for the nearest Guinness 0.0, hunting for the cheapest pint in the city, or climbing the ranks whilst earning in-app "trophies", Stoutly is the definitive map for the modern Guinness lover.
From Dublin to Tokyo, Stoutly works fully world-wide. It supports ratings in 27 different currencies from across the world.
Eileen McLaughlin
BA Hons Visual Communication
Eileen McLaughlin, a First Class Honours graduate from Ulster University's Belfast School of Art, spent an exchange year in the historic town of Urbino, Italy, and has since spent over three decades pushing the boundaries of art, design, and creativity.
Her diverse journey has taken her from corporate design and illustrating children’s educational products to developing brand identities, high street packaging, and exploring the intersection of art and functionality in fashion and interior decor.
A multifaceted creative, Eileen also paints and exhibits her art internationally – with paintings exhibited in Ireland, Europe, and Montenegro.
For her, art is the colour of life.
She's now the force behind Georgian Townhouse Derry, bringing a unique creative vision to life, with the house itself becoming a vibrant portfolio piece.
Recent highlights include designing a vibrant mural for the Peter Cunnah D:ream project. Eileen's approach is all about collaboration, innovation, and inspiring design that resonates across positive platforms. She has illustrated games and books designed to help children and families manage anxiety and worries, showcasing her ability to engage diverse audiences through creativity.
Eileen’s experience in character design and illustration brings memorable projects and life journeys to life through her art.
Driven by a passion for visual interpretation and a commitment to creativity, she works across design, art direction, and photography. Eileen embodies the spirit of a designer unafraid to explore new horizons and push boundaries.
Gemma Roberts
BSc Hons Human Resource Management
MSc Hons Human Resource Management
A two-time graduate of Ulster University, Gemma is currently a Business Manager and Client Engagement Leader at global recruitment company, Hays, specialising in the Technology Recruitment.
During her time at university, Gemma began building her career in the Retail industry and quickly accelerated from sales positions to store manager, to overseeing all-island operations of a major cosmetics brand.
Gemma’s career pivoted in 2008 following her decision to refocus on values that were important to her, bringing her back to her HR roots and key motivation of wanting to use her skills and expertise to help people and affect organisational change.
Alongside Gemma’s recruitment career, she is also a Business Owner, Mentor and Mindset Coach. Gemma Co-Founded The Mind Hack, a wellness hub providing hot yoga, hot Pilates and counselling services. Supporting people’s mental and physical wellbeing is a deep passion of Gemma’s who has seen first-hand the transformative impact positive wellbeing can contribute to a stronger performance at work and more resilient organisations.
