Hilary Copeland joined Fighting Words Northern Ireland, the creative writing network for children and young people, as the inaugural Director in March 2021. Hilary has worked across business management, strategic planning, creative programming and event delivery for festivals, arts and theatre companies and non-profits in Edinburgh, Belfast and Dublin since 2008. She is a founding member and former Chair of the Board of Integrated AlumNI, a group of advocates and campaigners for Integrated Education, a movement which tackles religious segregation in schools in Northern Ireland and contributes towards a more peaceful and inclusive society.