Board of Directors
Professor David Walsh - Chair
Prior to his retirement, Professor Walsh was dean of the Faculty of Health at Caledonian University; he also chaired the National Refugee Forum, and sat on the board of the British Refugee Council. He has a long standing interest in, and commitment to, refugees and anti-racist work and has published research in these areas.
Mahamad Al-Shagra
During his student years in Baghdad and London, Mahamad Al Shagra was active in the political and social life. He continued so after graduation from university, and held a number of responsible jobs and posts in radio, T.V., and then in the diplomatic corps. Following a number of ordeal years, he had to flee Iraq, and employed his experience and knowledge in an underground radio broadcast against Saddam's rule.
Since arriving in Glasgow as an asylum seeker in 2002, he has kept himself occupied with voluntary work, mainly involved with asylum seekers, refugees and media affairs; and became a member of about ten of such associations and networks (as a management committee member of three of them).
Bridgid Corr
Bridgid Corr has a great deal of experience of working with refugees and asylum seekers within the support and community development fields. She currently works as a capacity building officer for GCVS and her job includes working with and for a variety of voluntary and community groups, helping them strengthen and develop their capacity and knowledge.
Sarah Craig
Sarah Craig is a lecturer in public law at Glasgow University. She is a non-practising solicitor and previously worked at Castlemilk and Ethnic Minorities Law Centres in Glasgow and in private practice. She is a member of the Immigration Law Practitioners Association (ILPA).
David Fraser
David Fraser has extensive experience of corporate management, governance and financial affairs. He has a background as a chief executive in health services and an active interest in the well-being of refugees and asylum seekers. He is a Director of Castle Rock Edinvar Housing Association and Board Member of the UK Air Users Council.
Mile Gazic
Mile Gazic is a refugee from Bosnia. He was a member of the Bosnian Parliament, a Mayor of the city of Banja Luka and President of the Trade Union of the city of Banja Luka. Mile was also a Director of Distribution of electrical energy for the region of North Bosnia, where he worked for 25 years as a Master of Electrical Engineering. He is currently involved in activities with Scottish Refugee Council and Adult Learning Project in Edinburgh.
Dr Lewis Howit
Dr Howitt is a professionally qualified psychologist and teacher with chartered status in clinical, educational and forensic specialisms. Dr Howitt has experience in the assessment and treatment of individual asylum seekers with psychological disorders and in community development.
Michael A. Menlowe
Michael Menlowe is a philosopher with interests in moral and political philosophy, and with a degree in law. What binds these interests together is his concern with humanitarian issues and with justice. He was Head of the School of Philosophy, Psychology and Language Sciences in the University of Edinburgh. He is an Associate of the General Medical Council, a member of the Scottish Committee of the Administrative Justice and Tribunals Council, a member of the National DNA Database Ethics Group and a Lay Member of the Royal College of Pathologists.
Judith Robertson
Judith Robertson is the Head of Oxfam in Scotland. Judith was formerly the Programme Manager for Oxfam’s UK Poverty Programme in Scotland and Campaign Manager. She has a long-standing interest in international issues and developed Oxfam’s asylum programme in Scotland. Judith is also a member of the board of the Poverty Alliance.
Dr Ann Rosengard
Dr Rosengard manages a research consultancy that focuses on homelessness, community care and equalities issues. She also lectures part-time at Glasgow University, where she has been an Honorary Research Fellow. Dr Rosengard is a board member of Apna Ghar HA and has worked with housing associations/ voluntary organisations for several years.
Désiré Ruragaragaza
Désiré Ruragaragaza was an employment advisor at the Gorbals Initiative and previously worked as a property register administrator at West of Scotland Housing Association; an immigration law trainee at Hamilton Burns & Company Solicitors: Legal Executive at LSA and as a caseworker assistant at Positive Action in Housing (Voluntary Work). Prior to arriving in the UK, he was a criminal, human rights, employment and family Advocate in the Burundian Association Bar.
Ed Smith
Ed Smith is currently chair of a Board of Trustees and brings extensive knowledge of the voluntary sector. As a retired individual he is committed to voluntary work. Ed’s career was in education; latterly he was in Lothian then Edinburgh Education Departments and was also a Fellow at Edinburgh University Education Department. Early in Ed’s career he worked in Uganda and Kenya which gave him a first hand understanding of the problems that refugees can face.