Meet the Board

Brian Chaplin - Chairman of the Board

Brian Chaplin is a retired Health Service Manager and former lecturer at Lews Castle College. Since retirement he has retained an interest in health-related and educational issues by undertaking consultancy work in sociology and health, using qualitative methods.
He is also interested in politics, regeneration and housing issues.
Brian became a member of the Board of Management in  February 2007 and also serves on the Finance & General Purposes Committee of the Board.

Graham Morrison - Vice Chair

Educated at The Nicolson Institute and Glasgow University, I joined Dunbartonshire Education Service in 1972 serving as a Physics teacher at Hermitage Academy and then Bearsden Academy. I was invited back to my native Isle in 1982 to take up post in The Nicolson Institute teaching Physics, and serving on the Guidance and Counselling team. I retired in 2007 from the post of Depute Rector. My interests at present include keeping 100+ hens for egg production, and milling meal. I enjoyed working with my students, and now enjoy my membership of the College Board of Management.

Iain Macmillan

Statement to follow.

Catherine M McDiarmid

I was born and brought up in Lanarkshire, although both my parents were from the Western Isles.  After graduation from St Andrews University with a degree in English Language and Literature, I qualified as a teacher and taught in secondary schools, before enjoying a career break as the full-time mother of four children. 

On returning to work, I entered Further Education as a lecturer in Edinburgh’s Telford College.  I delivered courses from National Certificate to Higher National Diploma, including writing and delivering Open Learning and commercial courses.

I then moved into college management at Edinburgh’s Telford College with responsibility for managing college Guidance.  I then became Student Services Manager, with responsibility also for Learner Support and Customer Services.

Since re-locating to the Western Isles in 2006,  I have been employed in Community Education and have also worked as a researcher in the voluntary sector.  I became a member of the Board of Management of Lews Castle College in 2008, and I am Chair of the Quality, Learning and Teaching Committee.

I have a lifelong interest and involvement in education.  I am interested in how the college might provide excellent, relevant education and training opportunities to communities throughout the Western Isles, in particular aiming to meet the needs of those who cannot travel far from their local area to access further education. 

Donald Martin

Donald Martin, a native of Harris, is a former Chief Executive of Comunn na Gaidhlig and prior to that worked with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar as Depute Director of Administration for over 20 years. He has also worked in the Scottish Office, the Ministry of Defence and Highlands & Islands Enterprise.

Over the years he has served on numerous national, local and voluntary organisations in a number of capacities. He is Chairman of the Stornoway Hospital and Residential Homes League of Friends, a long-standing volunteer on Radio Ranol, the hospital radio, since its inception in 1982, a former Trustee of the Sabhal Mor Ostaig and a former member of the Gaelic Broadcasting Committee.

Donald served for several years as Secretary of the UK Committee of the European Bureau of Lesser Used Languages. During his employment at CnAG he was also Secretary of the Scottish Parliament’s Cross-Party Group on Gaelic. He has been a member of the Harris Tweed Authority since 1997, was appointed Vice-Chairman in 20001 and took over as the Authority’s Chairman in October 2007. He has been Clerk to the Lord Lieutenancy in the Western Isles since 1997 and was appointed a Deputy Lieutenant for the Western Isles in 2002. In February 2008 he became a member of the Board of Management of Lews Castle College and is also a member of the Audit Committee.  

Andrew Mackenzie

Andrew Mackenzie has a degree in Electrical and Electronics Engineering and a PGCE (FE) and started his career as a Field Seismologist in the oil business undertaking research in many countries around the world - both on land and at sea.  He was then a senior computer engineer working in the early days of seismic data processing and latterly in Training but relocated from Kent to start up Comhairle nan Eilean Siar’s Training function.  He became Depute Director of Corporate Services with Comhairle nan Eilean Siar and then worked with the Chief Executive as Head of Strategy – having responsibility for Performance Management, Risk Management, Best Value and Internal and External Audit.

He is currently retired but is actively involved in the Western Isles’ ESTEEM partnership (to promote Science, Technology, Engineering and Maths in schools), is a Director of the Point Power and Energy Trust and Hon Secretary for IET Scotland North Local Network – as well as being an active crofter in Point.  He is CEng, MIET, a Chartered Fellow of the IPD and a registered Prince2™ practitioner.

Sheila Maclennan

Sheila MacLennan is the Academic Staff Representative on the Board of Management. She is the Head of Section: Health Education and Social Studies at Lews Castle College. This Section delivers courses over a very wide range of levels including Access 2/3, Health and Social Studies, Hairdressing and Cosmetology at Further Education level to HNC Early Education and Childcare, and degree and post graduate level programmes in Child and Youth Studies, Health Studies/Rural Health/Health and Welfare which are taught across the UHI network.

After graduating from Glasgow University with a degree in Geography and Social Administration Sheila trained as a nurse at the Glasgow Royal Infirmary. She has lectured in Further and Higher education at Lews Castle College for nearly 20 years. Sheila is a member of the Quality Learning and Teaching committee.

Fiona Hamilton

I was born and brought up in Stornoway and after leaving the Nicolson Institute I attended Lews Castle College. I graduated with an HND Business Administration and was fortunate enough to secure a job in the College Administration Office.

Since commencing my employment in 1993, I have seen the many changing faces of Lews Castle College, not just people and buildings, but the way it is managed and the strengthening collaboration with UHI and other partner colleges. Lews Castle College UHI has enabled me to upgrade my qualification to degree level and I hope to graduate in 2011.

As Support Staff Representative on the Board of Management I aim to ensure that the interests of support staff are brought to the attention of  Board members as appropriate, and to offer my opinion and experience as a long-serving member of support staff. 

DJ Macdonald

Donald John MacDonald is from Leurbost, Lochs, Isle of Lewis. He is a retired Business Banking Manager who worked for The Royal Bank of Scotland and worked mainly in the Highlands and Islands. He is involved in other voluntary work, being Chairman of Bayhead Bridge Centre Company, a Board Member of Family Mediation, Trustee and Treasurer of The Islands Book Trust, Treasurer of St Columba’s Old Parish Church and is also Business Administrator with Lighting Electrical Limited.
He became a Member of the Board of Management in June 2010 and also serves on the Finance and General Purposes Committee. He is strongly committed to supporting the continued success of the College.

Chris Macdonald

Statement to follow.

Annie Macleod

Statement to follow.

Kirsty Macdonald

I graduated from Edinburgh University with a BA in Celtic Studies. Some years later, after achieving my PGCE , I promptly left for The Sudan, to spend two years as a volunteer teacher of English! 

I then found myself in Wales, where I lived for 15 years. For 8 of those years I was seriously ill, and as part of my recovery plan, I studied part time and attained my City and Guilds in Amenity Horticulture. This gave me great joy and satisfaction, and taught me the value of doing what you really love in life, whether it lead to employment or personal development.

I later began working for a national charity in Wales, as a volunteer manager. After a couple of years, I finally returned home to Lewis, where as well as crofting with my Welsh husband, I jointly manage the Volunteer Centre Western Isles. I am an active volunteer and have a deep commitment to lifelong learning. I chaired the local Learning Association for 7 years and have run workshops on growing your own.

Alyson Macaskill

Statement to follow.