Our staff

Search our superb team of highly experienced, insightful staff.

Name	Title	Team	Get in touch	Bio
Aileen Nicol	Head of Improving Protection and Permanence	Permanence	0141 444 8314	Bio Aileen's role on the CELCIS senior management team sees her leading and managing the organisation's partnership work in child protection, permanence, health and children's hearing improvement programmes . Aileen's focus is on developing systems which offer both practical support on a child's legal journey through or into care, but also incorporate their physical, psychological and emotional needs. Working collaboratively to make change for the better is what makes Aileen happy, as does her eclectic range of interests ranging from punk rock and time with her own two children, to gardening and cats.
Ailsa Sharkey	Learning and Events Coordinator	Communications and Events	0141 444 8528	Bio After graduating in 2009, Ailsa has worked mainly in the Third Sector providing support and coordination to various projects with regards to the Girfec agenda. This ultimately led to an increase in conference and event planning and saw her make the transition to CELCIS as Learning & Events Coordinator in 2017. Working alongside her counterpart, Michelle, the two of them successfully coordinate and manage everything from lectures to workshops to events, and have a track record of delivering a high quality service on behalf of the organisation. In her free time, Ailsa enjoys spending time with family and friends and occasionally indulges in some extreme sports, just for that adrenaline boost!
Alexander McTier	Evidence and Evaluation Specialist	Child Protection and neglect	0141 444 8584	Bio With a background in local economic development consultancy, Alex plays a critical role gathering and analysing evidence for the Child Protection Improvement Programme and the CELCIS Neglect Programme. He's the person devising, developing and implementing effective and user-friendly recording systems to illustrate the scale and impact of neglect and child protection, and to provide a platform to build improvements on. An advocate for active living, Alex works towards a PhD in community stadiums when he's not cycling, running, playing football, or being kept on the move by his two young sons.
Amanda Lawler	Learning and Development Co-ordinator	Training and events	0141 444 8535	Bio Amanda is your first point of contact for any enquiry about professional development, training and consultancy at CELCIS. Give her a call to discuss bespoke training, learning and development opportunities, consultancy services or training in general. She's passionate about people and learning, and always goes that extra mile to find the right kind of professional development for you or your staff. When not being the learning go-to gal, she loves to spend time with her gorgeous young son, grow plants, knit, crochet and create.
Ben Farrugia	Head of Development and Innovation	SMT	0141 444 8532	Bio As a member of the Senior Management Team, Ben identifies and secures new opportunities for CELCIS to support work which improves the lives of disadvantaged and vulnerable children here in Scotland, and around the world. Ben has had a variety of roles in the third and public sectors and is a lifelong advocate for a just society, where every child has the chance to realise the potential they were born with. When not changing the world, Ben can often be found trying to better his baking skills.
Brian Donnelly	International Project Associate	International	0141 444 8500	Bio
Carol Wassell	Permanence and Care Team Lead	Permanence	0141 444 8538	Bio A 25-year career in Social Work Services and the Scottish Children's Reporter Administration, alongside being a working mum, has taught Carol the critical importance of settled and stable homes for all children. She and her team are pleased to have have helped raise the profile of permanence, and deepened an understanding that permanence is not just about bricks and mortar, but includes that all-important sense of security too. Away from CELCIS, Carol just loves the outdoors, counting open water swimming and star-gazing as favourite ways to spend her spare time.
Carolann Anderson	Permanence Data Analyst	Permanence	0141 444 8569	Bio Carolann has a truly analytical mind. She uses her logical, numerical skills to produce easily accessible data and visuals as baseline to improve systems supporting vulnerable children. Every point on one of her graphs represents a real child, on his or her journey towards a permanent home. Carolann applies her analytical mind and sense of order to everything, including the kitchen sink. Every item on her desk and in her wardrobe is lined up in perfect order, and she simply doesn't do crossed lines on her data charts.
Charlene Plunkett	Research Associate	Research	0141 444 8500	Bio Charlene is a clinical psychologist with extensive experience as a researcher and clinician committed to improving the lives of vulnerable children, young people and their families. Charlene is delighted to be a part of CELCIS working as a Research Associate within the Development and Innovation Hub, she is also a practicing clinician within the NHS. Out of work Charlene loves to spend time with friends and family. She also enjoys travel, yoga, barre, Pilates and lots of chocolate as part of maintaining a healthy work life balance.
Chrissie Gale	International Services Lead	International	0141 444 8522	Bio Chrissie has spent much of the last 22 years working on child protection programmes in different countries around the world. She leads on our international work which includes building partnerships with policy makers and practitioners across the globe working on the promotion and use of Moving Forward, a handbook to accompany the UN Guidelines on Alternative Care of Children. Although a world-wide traveller Chrissie loves her home among the rolling hills of the Yorkshire Dales.