Cathy Sexton – CEO/Director

Cathy is a seasoned project manager & communications professional with over 20 years experience. From multi-million pound construction projects, internationally award-winning charity campaigns, blockbuster exhibitions and inspiring events she has led teams in the delivery of creative, intelligent, innovative projects that deliver lasting impact.

Gwen Rowland - Fundraising Manager

Gwen believes that our world is on a journey towards ever-greater compassion. In her nine years of development experience and six years of front-line charity work, she has seen that strategically focussing energy on key points in society transforms lives and communities for the better. Themes of her work include equality, good food, regenerative systems and integrity. Her proudest achievement is being one of the founders of Earth in Common which is a charity/social enterprise with a whole systems approach to tackling a broken food system, social inequality and climate change. 

Gwen has always worked and volunteered with small charities and community groups, usually with an holistic response to a complex issue, as is the case with Fathers Network Scotland. While the nurturing involvement of all parental figures is crucial for a child's healthy development all too often people who are not the birth mother are not supported in their roles, to the detriment of the whole family and their communities.  Gwen is a member of the Chartered Institute of Fundraising, with a distinction in their Diploma in Fundraising.

Conor McKinlay - Communications Officer

Conor fuses backgrounds of psychology, communication, research, and technology, to help bring awareness to important societal issues in engaging ways. With two years of rich experience working in the third sector, he has led a successful website redesign, utilised analytics and key performance indicators to inform marketing strategies, developed engaging content, and managed the day-to-day operations across multiple platforms. 

Having graduated from the University of Strathclyde, with a distinction in MSc Clinical Psychology, the entirety of his academic journey has been underpinned by an interest in the study of masculinities. By conducting qualitative research into the shifting perspectives of masculine ideals across a lifespan, and quantitative research into the gender paradox of suicidality, he has developed a robust background in research principles as well as a deep understanding of the challenges that men navigate.

David Drysdale - Founder

David was the founder of Fathers Network Scotland, who nurtured it from inception. He died on 4th July 2016 from a rare form of cancer. For more on his remarkable life and achievements, read his obituary.

Gender equality is central to our work at Fathers Network Scotland. Our board and leadership team reflect this commitment through mixed-gender representation, and we aim to lead by example by offering flexible, family-friendly working arrangements. We hope these practices become the norm across workplaces throughout Scotland.