Meet the Team

Norma Curran has been with VIAS since 2009 and is Chief Executive Officer. She is responsible for the operations and development of the organisation. In her free time Norma loves to do yoga and to spend time playing hide-and-seek with her grandchildren Kayson and Kal. 

Email: norma.curran@viascotland.org.uk

In my current post I coordinate ‘The Life I Want’ public social partnership for people with learning disabilities living in the Greater Glasgow and Clyde area. This project creates opportunities for people with learning disabilities to make practical differences to their own lives and to development of services.

My role is to support the development of the workstreams and the people taking part, helping to identify and develop new opportunities for the partnership to increase its influence both at local and strategic levels

Email: donna-marie.speir@viascotland.org.uk

I support customers to gain and sustain employment by supporting them to learn skills to gain a job. Once job is gained, I support the customer to learn all the tasks of the job and coaching them along the way.

-What you like to do in your free time?
I love vespa scooters and drive all over Scotland on it with a local scooter club. I have 2 whippets, so I spend time racing them.

Email: david.macdonald@viascotland.org.uk

My job is to head up The Scottish Assembly, which is a growing group of people from all over Scotland who meet as a large group every week and in smaller regional groups every month.

 The Assembly makes politics accessible for people with learning disability and/or autism so that they can be more equally involved. We do this through games, workshops, quizzes, easy read information, hustings events and meeting with decision makers about things that members are passionate about.

 When I have spare time, I prefer to be outside – walking, climbing, playing sports, camping and paddling in my kayak. My favourite things are my family, my two working cocker spaniels, gardening (especially my herb garden), cooking, football and Montepulciano.

Email: sonya@theassembly.scot

What my role involves: I am part of the Communications Sub-Committee which develops and oversees VIAS’s social media, website, and marketing. I am also part of The Life I Want.

What I do in my spare time: When I’m not busy working I pursue a wide variety of interests from history to mixology and all points in between!

Email: coire.blackwood@viascotland.org.uk

I am on the evaluation team mostly which involves speaking with individuals who receive support and their families to see what they feel and think about the support. I also co deliver Learning Disability Awareness, Safe guarding along with Systematic Instruction.
As for free time I don’t really have much but I do enjoy being around people I love and care about whether it is with friends or family

Email: david.ross@viascotland.org.uk

I am Senior Lead Consultant (Job Coach) assisting people with Autism, learning disabilities and difficulties into employment and or further education.

I am a devoted family man and the proud owner of a German Shepherd called Rio.

Email: joe.scott@viascotland.org.uk

I am a Lead Consultant committed to encouraging and supporting individuals with Autism, learning disabilities and difficulties reach their full potential whether that be into employment, education or further training. My role allows me encourage clients to take on new challenges and unlock their potential and finding the destination that’s right for them.

I am a dedicated dog mum to Charlie the Patterdale and show affection to my loved ones by cooking up new food or cooking their favourite dishes.

Email: courtney.norris@viascotland.org.uk

Hi I am jack Bromly I am the new lead of the southeast assembly. The job that I do gives me a sense of purpose in the morning to get up for and I am just loving it, having my independence back again. In my job I will be helping people with learning disabilities and autistic people to get there views heard in parliament.

In my spare time I like going to the football to watch the mighty Hibs play at Easter Road and going out with friends and family.

Kerry McQuillan is a lead consultant job coach for VIAS’s Triple E program dedicated to helping both disabled job hunters and employers.

When not working, Kerry is the proud mum of 2 children and has 2 chihuahuas. She enjoys spending time at the gym, swimming and with family.

I am Clare, Lead Consultant (Administration) for Project SEARCH in Aberdeen, an employability programme for those aged 16-24 with learning disabilities and/or autism.

I am responsible for providing administrative/secretarial support to contribute to the smooth running of the day-to-day operations of the DFN Project SEARCH programme in Aberdeen.

In my spare time I enjoy trips away to attend music concerts and I am a member of national choir, Rock Choir, taking part in weekly rehearsals and performances across the North East.

As a Lead Consultant (Job Coaching) at VIAS, I specialize in helping individuals enhance their job skills and achieve greater positive outcomes when applying for work. Working closely with clients and employers, I develop individualized employment plans, provide tailored on-the-job support, and ensure that each client’s unique strengths are matched with suitable employment opportunities. I’m passionate about creating inclusive work environments, where meaningful employment is accessible to everyone.

In my spare time, I’m on my last year of my studies for Postgraduate Diploma in Career Guidance and Development from Napier University and a qualification with the Career Development Institute UK. Outside of academics, I enjoy listening to podcasts on well-being and philosophy, Discord and Clan lead for community of 60 people focused around Bungie games – Destiny, Marathon, Halo. Attending music festivals – TinTP, Rockness, Afterlife ect and exploring tech like AR, VR, and AI. I also love spending quality time with my partner Eilidh, son Lachlann, my dachshund Layla, and driving scenic Highland roads on sunny evenings.

I have been in VIAS since 2022. I am part of the quality improvement team, and my focus is on evaluations, the development of new training courses and developing our links to the private sector. I am passionate about creating a more equal society and the environment. In my spare time I write and read. I also love repairing, making and learning new crafts.

I am a job coach who supports individuals with learning disabilities, additional support needs and neurodivergent conditions to reach their full potential. My role allows me to support clients to gain the skills required to successfully obtain employment.

When not at work I enjoy spending time with my family, swimming and watching a good tv series!

My role as Development Lead in Grampian is to develop our Triple E service in Aberdeen and support the development in Aberdeenshire, whilst providing strategic support to the team delivering DFN Project SEARCH.

In my free time I enjoy spending time with my young family, I have two boys who keep me busy, as well as running – when I have time!

Hi, I’m JoJo the office mascot!

Everybody at VIAS works really hard so my job is to make everyone who visits our head office happy. If my TikTok numbers are anything to go by, I’m pretty good at this!

What you do in the role: I am a supporter of development work in Aberdeen/ Aberdeenshire; a finance committee member and a supporter of looking into feasibility of asset transfer for a permanent home for VIAS.

What you like to do in your free time. Catching up on things I have missed on tv and watching funny videos on YouTube. The funniest one I have watched now is of Ted from Line of Duty with all of his best lines.

Kirsty Gilchrist is founder of Soloco, an organisation that specialises in strategy development and implementation.

She is delighted to have been invited to become a board member having supported VIAS since 2017, while fund manager for the Learning Disability portfolio at Inspiring Scotland.  She deeply supports the ethos of VIAS, in its removing barriers to people with additional support needs in employment, housing and relationships while also driving forward a sustainable organisation with diverse income streams.

Hi, I am Derek.

As a board member I am there to make sure things are done right, to improve and make sure things are in place for all the projects, to help and support the staff.

Joining the VIAS board has been the best thing I have done.

I do lawn bowls and watching football and having a joke with people.

I’m currently the Branch Leader (Area Manager) for Glasgow & East Dunbartonshire at Cornerstone. Prior to that, I have held many management and strategic roles and I’m very passionate about Quality in the Health & Social Care sector and ensuring people who use services are at the centre of everything we do and have choices and opportunities!

I love nothing more than going on long walks with my dog Rufus, reading crime novels and I do enjoy a bit of TV Drama!

John Oluseun Oyelakin has diverse career spanning more than two decades in engineering, project management, logistics, business management, governance, and management consultancy.  He held roles ranging from automobile engineer to facilities engineer, to business manager. He specialized in subsea engineering and marine operations in the oil and gas industry, and notably made significant contributions to Chevron Nigeria Limited across onshore and offshore operations over a period of 20 years.

John holds an engineering Masters degree from the University of Illinois (2010) and another Masters degree in Business Analytics and Consultancy from Heriot-Watt University (2023) with dissertation on the data needs of reuse businesses in the circular economy. He is currently performing research on circular economy businesses towards the PhD Management at Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh.

Alongside his professional pursuits, John actively volunteers to support charitable endeavours. He is an excellent teacher, a skilful manager of resources and a team player.

I am the Deputy CEO at Advice Direct Scotland, working in close partnership with the Chief Executive since 2012, transforming the organisations into customer obsessed, technologically innovative and highly accredited professional entities.

Our success is a combination of rigorous financial culture and talent management together with innovation and enthusiasm

We are an experienced Salesforce house, with innovative websites and portals. As an omni-channel contact centre, we engage with customers on their channel of choice, increasing engagement, sales, satisfaction and performance.

Heather has been working in social care for over 20 years. She is acknowledged internationally for her approach to facilitating learning to create change, she has worked with people and organisations concerned with providing support in Aged Care, Mental Health and Intellectual and Physical disabilities. A Lanarkshire woman at heart, Heather lived in Perth Western Australia for 9 years and returned to Scotland in 2017. She is committed to finding ways to support families to be informed and strengthened by good information and ideas and is driven to contribute to creating a work force that is intentional, principled and person centred; able to understand what good looks like in their work and to translate their values into practical, meaningful action.