Meet the Team

Please note that you can contact our Directors via our Chief Executive, David Maxwell, on david.maxwell@volunteerglasgow.org

• Jo Irvine

  Chair

  Volunteering has played an important role throughout my life. My first volunteering experience was with a Glasgow charity the year I graduated and this set me off on a fulfilling career path in the third and public sectors. While I pursued a Master in International Development Cooperation and European Policy in Spain, I also volunteered supporting labour insertion of refugees and an Ecuadorian diaspora organisation’s efforts to provide much needed health support back home. I became passionate about the positive impact migration and diversity can have in communities and for sustainable development more broadly and went on to become an international civil servant with the United Nations Development Programme and the International Organization for Migration (IOM).

  My various roles overseeing projects, fundraising, advocating and building capacities of government officials led to senior leadership roles as a Programme Manager and Head of the IOM Division for Migration and Sustainable Development.

  I love to learn new things and have just completed a further Master in Design Innovation and Citizenship at the Glasgow School of Art. Combining my experience in the third sector with my passion for participatory design and design-led research, I am now a freelance consultant providing services in strategic planning, knowledge exchange, evaluation and research.

  I have both benefited from volunteering and seen first-hand the benefits for people and communities. This is needed now more than ever at a time where civic participation and volunteering is in decline and the effects of austerity and a cost-of-living crisis are having grave consequences for people in Glasgow. It is therefore an honour to be Chair of Volunteer Glasgow who lead in making it possible for people to engage, volunteer and be part of the social change we need to thrive.

• Alison Andrew

  Treasurer

  A recently retired finance specialist with more than 40 years of experience spanning small companies and major multinational organisations. Brings deep expertise in financial governance, strategic oversight, and operational leadership. Known for a pragmatic, people-focused approach and a strong commitment to organisational integrity and sustainability.

  Core skills include:

  Financial governance & control, managing financial operations, compliance, budgeting, and reporting across diverse business environments.

  Cross-functional leadership with responsibility for key organisational functions, including: administration, Human Resources, supply chains, IT, and ensuring cohesive and efficient operations.

  Strategic decision-making as part of the local Management Team, as well as providing support to boards and senior leaders with clear analysis, risk awareness, and long-term planning.

  Recently retired, and now dedicating time to travel and family – while seeking meaningful opportunities to contribute skills and experience to charitable and community-focused organisations.

• Amy Loader

  Director

  I am the volunteering development manager for Alzheimer’s Society, leading the development of the new 5-year volunteering strategy, working on service design of new volunteer-involving products and services, and generally looking to the future of volunteering for the organisation.

  I’ve worked in volunteering for large organisations for over 12 years and really believe in the power of volunteering to bring out the best in communities and to make a difference to all individuals involved.

  Over the years I’ve volunteered in lots of roles supporting refugees and asylum seekers and am proud now to be using my skills to support the governance of Volunteer Glasgow. With the current decline in volunteering we are doing important work getting more people in Glasgow into volunteering, and ensuring they have a positive experience whilst doing so.

• Olivia Cornacchia

  Director
  With qualifications in Office Management, Administration, Accountancy and Communications, I began working in the voluntary sector in Johannesburg with a disabled people’s organisation, eventually becoming Assistant Director. In my spare time I volunteered for a local charity set up with the aim of helping to fight poverty.

  Following the decision to return to Scotland, I took up the job of Director of Strathclyde Youth Club Association where I took up the challenge of widening the programme and making it more attractive to girls and young women. Having paid my way through college as a theatre/cabaret performer and also as a teacher of dance exercise, I was able to combine these with my previous voluntary sector experience to write and develop training courses in health and fitness, as well as assertiveness and self-confidence. During this period, I was a Director of Youth Scotland with particular involvement in the development of a national dance project. I was also an Honorary Officer of Youth UK which provided the opportunity to exchange information with colleagues across the UK to develop best practice.

  I then moved to the NHS and spent 19 years as the Partnership Co-ordinator and Administrator/Assistant to the Area Partnership Forum for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

  Away from work I have acted as the Secretary of my local Community Council and, as a qualified Stress Manager and Clinical Hypnotherapist.

  I sincerely believe in the efficacy of the work of Volunteer Glasgow and am grateful to have the opportunity to contribute as a member of the Board.

• Aaron Fernandez

  Director

  I am a first year postgraduate medical student at the University of Dundee, a volunteer Event First Aider with St Andrew’s First Aid, and a Youth Volunteering Ambassador with Volunteer Glasgow.

  It is my utmost belief that volunteering can have a pivotal influence in a person’s life, the same way that it has opened up a wealth of opportunities contributing to my own personal development and career goals. I am excited to give back to the volunteering community as a director with Volunteer Glasgow where I am learning about the issues faced by volunteer-involving organisations, their staff and volunteers. With this knowledge, I hope to help guide the organisation and, indeed, volunteering activities in the city towards a flourishing and sustainable future.
  My interests lie in promoting youth volunteering, empowering young people to have a voice in decision-making, and breaking down barriers to access opportunities.

  In my spare time, I enjoy playing the guitar, singing, playing video games, and attempting new cooking recipes from YouTube.

• Carole Anderson

  Director

  I am an NHS Senior Manager, working as Associate Director leading on Performance, Planning and Programmes in a specialist NHS Board. Having started my career in the NHS as a Physiotherapist, I have also developed a keen interest in promoting equality, diversity and inclusion. This has led to me becoming a volunteer Schools Role Model for Stonewall Scotland, the LGBT charity, where I work with young people to build confidence in dealing with LGBT issues at school and in the workplace.

  I have been volunteering since attending University in Glasgow, and specifically have been a Volunteer Befriender with the Young Persons Befriending Service for around 13 years. I very much enjoy being part of work to make a real difference to a young person’s life. I’m proud to serve on the Board of Volunteer Glasgow to support the important services they deliver for so many in our great city of Glasgow.

  In my remaining spare time, I am a keen football fan, a samba drummer and Chair of SWAN, a charity which supports networking and inclusion for LGBT people in Scotland

• Sarah Burgess

  Director

  I’ve been involved in volunteering since I was a teenager, starting with the good old charity shop and have worked in volunteering, mainly in volunteering infrastructure for over 20 years now. Most of that time has been spent in two very different volunteer centres, one in Swindon, Wiltshire, the other in Dún Laoghaire, south county Dublin, doing everything from suggesting placements to potential volunteers to training volunteer managers in best practice. In between times I worked for Volunteering England in a regional role, supporting all the volunteer centres across the south west of England. Since moving to Glasgow in 2015 I’ve gained some experience managing volunteers and joined the VG board in 2017 to continue to get my volunteer centre fix.

  Currently I work as a green health volunteering development officer, supporting organisations that offer outdoor volunteering opportunities.

• David Maxwell
  Chief Executive

  I graduated from the University of Edinburgh in 1991 with an MA (Hons) in Social Policy and worked initially for Venture Scotland as Co-ordinator and Fundraiser before securing a permanent post the following year as Volunteer Organiser (Drumchapel) with Volunteer Glasgow. I have an Open University Professional Certificate in Management, and a number of out-of-date qualifications in outdoor activities from my Venture Scotland residential volunteering days. I have also been known to get lost in books, to undertake research projects volunteering for the Woodland Trust, and to set-up and help run the odd sports club.

  I was fortunate to be able to work very closely in Drumchapel on a wide range of initiatives and developments with local people and with a wide range of public, private and third sector colleagues such as Victim Support, the local Community Health initiatives, the COC, Law & Money Advice, Social Work Children & Families Teams, and the Social Inclusion Partnership.

  More recently, I have facilitated Volunteer Glasgow’s partnership work with the city’s Poverty Leadership Panel, Third Sector Interfaces’ work with the DWP, the refresh of Glasgow’s Volunteering Strategy with Community Planning Partners, and our contributions to the Legacy 2014/2018 Frameworks, the city’s Social Recovery Taskforce, and to the national Volunteering for All action plans.

  I’m currently co-vice-chair of the Scottish Volunteering Forum and chair of the steering group for the TSI Scotland Network Development Manager.

  E-mail: david.maxwell@volunteerglasgow.org