Lisa McManus - Chair
With long-standing family ties to Portaferry, Lisa made the permanent move to the area in 2020. She believes deeply in the power of arts and shared cultural experiences to bring people together, strengthen community spirit and support collective well‑being. Lisa joined the Board of Portico in February 2024 and stepped into the role of Chair in April 2026.
As Chair of the Board, Lisa is playing an active role in guiding Portico through this important period of transition and in supporting Neil McClure in his honorary role as Interim Manager to ensure the organisation continues to serve the community at its best in its second decade.
Lisa has spent most of her professional life overseas working in international development, holding leadership roles with the British Council, BBC Media Action, NI‑CO and the World Bank. She continues this work as a consultant, managing capacity‑building programmes with national ministries in Jordan, Somalia and Ethiopia. She also brings significant experience in media development and in supporting marginalised groups in conflict and post‑conflict settings.
Robin McClelland - Secretary
Robin joined the Board of Portico in 2021 and became Secretary in 2022. He was formerly a Non-Executive Director on the Board of the Health & Social Care Business Services Organisation, from 2009 to 2017. Since 2018 he has been a Trustee Board Member of Community Advice Ards and North Down (formerly Citizens Advice Ards and North Down), and was Vice Chair from 2019 to 2023. He is experienced in dealing with human resources, corporate governance, strategic planning and financial oversight.
Robin is retired trade union official with the Northern Ireland Public Services Alliance. He has a keen interest in music and theatre and is an amateur composer.
Duane Fitzsimons
Duane Fitzsimons joined the Board in 2022. Duane is a heritage tour guide and runs Legends of Lecale Peninsula. He shares his extensive local heritage knowledge in short videos across social media which explore the rich history of the Strangford Lough region. Duane works for Belfast City Council promoting outdoor activities.
Naomi McCallum
Naomi joined the board in February 2024. She is an established business owner, running an award-winning beauty salon in Portaferry since 2017. Naomi champions campaigns to “Support Local” and is passionately committed to social and economic development in the local area.
Naomi is also a dedicated fundraiser and each year creates events to support the Cancer Fund For Children and Angel Wishes.
Tory Kerley
Tory is currently a Head of People Performance & Culture in the Tech industry. She previously worked as a consultant specialising in HR and the UK Skills Agenda, was Manager for Northern Ireland for Skillsmart Retail and also worked in operational retail management for companies including Habitat and Laura Ashley. She also worked in the Charity sector for Cancer Research and served as Vice Chair of the Board of the Training for Women Network. She has been a primary school governor with responsibility for safeguarding. Tory has been involved with Portico in an occasional advisory capacity from the early days, and was delighted to join the Board in 2026.
Louise Togneri
Louise has had a professional career focusing on adult learning within the voluntary sector. She brings a strong commitment to community development, equality and social inclusion. Her experience has focused on widening access to learning, supporting individuals and communities and helping people understand and exercise their rights.
She has worked with the Housing Rights, the Law Centre and is currently Chair of the Board of Trustees of Community Advice, where she has contributed to organisational leadership, governance and strategic direction.
Living in Newtownards, and having been brought up in Bangor, she has strong local connections to the Ards and North Down area. Her experience has given her a valuable understanding of the challenges facing individuals and communities and she is committed to the value of the arts in enriching and bringing communities together.
Louise joined the Portico Board in 2026 and brings her experience, local knowledge and commitment to ensuring that the organisation continues to respond to the needs and aspirations of the whole community.
Nick Gray
Nick began his journey with Portico in 2023 as a volunteer, before joining the board in September 2026. After growing up in Co. Down, he retired to the Strangford area in 2022 after 35 years leading IT programmes and building software engineering solutions and capabilities across a range of industries including Oil Exploration, Pharmaceuticals and Insurance.
Along with his background in IT, Nick has extensive experience in business operations, team building and leadership, organisational transformation and customer engagement. He believes this background is important to help guide and support the continuing development of Portico.