Break The Silence is governed by an independent, voluntary Board of Trustees comprising of a diverse range of skills.
The Board of Trustees have overall responsibility for the management of the charity and its strategic direction. Details of Trustee responsibilities can be found in our Governance section.
The Board comprises of:-
Soph McCormack-Gow
TrusteeSoph (they/she) joins Break The Silence with over a decade of experience in the arts and cultural sector. They bring extensive strategic expertise and leadership skills to their role as a trustee. Their previous work with Scottish Ballet has given them a deep understanding of the unique challenges faced by charitable organisations, including funding pressures, stakeholder engagement, and operational sustainability. They are passionate about supporting Break The Silence’s vital mission, recognising the powerful impact that appropriate therapeutic support can have on the lives of survivors and their support network.
Currently working as a Solutions Strategist, they collaborate with arts and cultural clients worldwide. This global experience, combined with practical knowledge in the non-profit sector, enables them to offer valuable insights on strategic planning, digital transformation, and sustainable growth.
Scott McCurdy
TrusteeScott is a serving Police Officer with Police Scotland and serves as a DCI in Dumfries & Galloway and Ayrshire.
Scott has been a police officer for 20 years and his career has been dominated by roles as a Detective, specialising in Public Protection. Currently Scott leads on the Ayrshire and Dumfries & Galloway response to Violence Against Women and Girls where he aims to improve on processes to support the public and staff within his service.
In addition to his Detective roles, Scott has held roles in local policing, Corporate Services, where he supported a member of the force executive in the delivery of I.T and Change programmes & he was previously seconded to the COP26 planning team which prepared for one of the biggest policing operations in UK history.
Scott is passionate about supporting survivors and ensuring that services are shaped on the survivor voice.
Joyce Murray
TrusteeJoyce was once described as a “social disrupter”, a badge she owns with pride. She is passionate about using her skills, knowledge and experience to contribute to social change so when the opportunity to apply to become a Trustee of Break The Silence arose, she jumped at the chance.
Joyce is the founder and former CEO of Positive Changes (Scotland) CIC, a social enterprise supporting women who have touched the justice system to fulfill their potential. Before founding Positive Changes Joyce worked for many years in both the private and charity sector gaining knowledge and skills in business development, marketing and operations. She is a trained Restorative Justice practitioner.
Joyce speaks at events both at home and abroad and coaches social entrepreneurs and leaders in the social sector.
Gillian Dearie
TrusteeGillian is a qualified accountant with over 18 years experience, currently working on strategic data initiatives leading a global team in her role within the financial services industry. She is passionate about the support the charity offers in empowering individuals to acknowledge and overcome the emotional and physical aspects of trauma. Supporting individuals to recognise their unique perspectives and to develops ways to leverage that as a skillset is fundamental to her role as a leader.
Joanna Bain
TrusteeJoanna is a lawyer from Aberdeenshire, specialising in public law and government work, having spent the best part of ten years working in policy development and risk in central Whitehall departments, then as the Solicitor to the Scottish Covid-19 Inquiry. Outside of work, she co runs a project in Ireland focused on developing DIY musicians, and enjoys making art and music, volunteering locally and going to gigs whenever she can.
Noelle Maye
TrusteeNoelle is a Safeguarding Training Officer for the Church of Scotland. She delivers safeguarding training and deals directly with advising on child and adult protection referrals involving vulnerable people in congregations and Crossreach (one of the largest social care organisations in Scotland). Before working with the Church, Noelle worked as a Learning and Development manager for Children in Scotland, the national network for the children’s sector in Scotland and as a project worker in Craigmillar, Edinburgh working with at-risk young people.
Katie Ralston
TrusteeKatie is a Business/IT/Marketing College Lecturer at City of Glasgow College, with a background in Sales, Marketing, and Communications across a range of industries. Katie joined Break the Silence as a Trustee in 2022.