The Young Women's Network Committee are here to help raise the voices of the network and grow together.
If you would like to join the committee please email: membership@womeninbusinessni.com for more info
Rebecca Reid
Global Marketing and Communications at Synechron
Rebecca graduated from Ulster University in 2018 with a degree in Communication Management and Public Relations, soon after she moved to Dubai for her Global Marketing and Communications role at Synechron – a global financial services company. Whilst relocating to North America and London throughout her time, Rebecca is now working from home in Northern Ireland and is also the Head of Marketing for a Northern Irish start-up business – Caram. Working in parallel at an established global corporation and watching a start-up grow from an idea to a successful business has been a fantastic learning experience for Rebecca and she knows from personal experience, the importance of having great mentors for professional growth and development. “This is one of the main reasons I joined YWN, to be a part of a community that provides a platform for young women to network with successful leaders who have paved the way” says Rebecca, as she hopes to encourage others to be unafraid to go after their goals by campaigning for mentorship and championing women in business.
Catherine Devine ACA
Advisory Senior at BDO Northern Ireland
Catherine has recently qualified as a Chartered Accountant. However, the path that she took to her position today isn’t exactly the conventional route of most! Catherine joined BDO’s audit department in 2014, fresh out of school at the age of 18 and completed the Higher-Level Apprenticeship with Accounting Technicians Ireland. During this time, Catherine deservedly achieved Apprentice of the year NI and GQ’s Apprentice of the year UK, (while also taking part in an advertising campaign with Direct NI to promote apprenticeships!) In 2016, Catherine passed the IATI exams and continued on her path with Chartered Accountants Ireland and BDO. Fast forward six years and she has gained numerous new experiences, including a period of work in London and Mauritius, “I am so excited to start my role as a Young Women’s Network committee member. It is a privilege for me to be a part of this great network of support for young women”.
Maeve Kelly
Trinity College, Psychology Student
Maeve is a passionate Psychology student, with experience in innovation and leadership, as she was first introduced to the importance of good leadership while participating in the Ulster Project NI, and the Washington Ireland Projects forums. Maeve also recently completed several innovation projects as part of a level 7 certificate in Innovation & Entrepreneurship at Trinity. Since then, Maeve has completed a consultancy internship and taken part in different forums and innovation day workshops to develop her professional skills and interest in business - “One of the key things I learned was the importance of networking, mentorship, and support in achieving success”, says Maeve. Being from Belfast and working in the hospitality sector for several years, Maeve loves to meet new people; so, she joined Women in Business to build relationships, and to learn more about how to succeed in the world of business! “I’m really excited to get more involved and join the young women’s committee, working with other ambitious and entrepreneurial young women to help grow the network, support each other and develop our professional profiles together”.
Francesca Morelli
Young Women's Network Representative and Director & Co-Founder at VAVA Influence
Francesca is the Director & Co-Founder at VAVA Influence - Northern Ireland’s first agency dedicated exclusively to Influencer Marketing. Francesca also support students at Queen’s University Belfast in their entrepreneurial endeavours. She became a member of Women in Business as a final year student, studying International Business with French at QUB., while developing a tech start-up alongside 4 other business partners. Francesca is the dedicated representative of the Young Women’s Network, “Women in Business really helped me to grow my network and learn from other amazing businesswomen locally. I was really happy to be asked to represent the Young Women’s Network, as I believe this group has a really valuable place within the Belfast Business eco-system”. While anything supporting women in their careers is positive, she also believes that there is a unique opportunity to support women just starting out in their careers and seeking guidance; Francesca assures that “The Young Women’s network aims to provide this much needed support, removing any intimidation or fear associated with networking among older and more experienced than yourself”. Excited to be involved in the Young Women’s Network, Francesca encourages others to also avail of the useful resources and connections to be made with local, amazing females in business.