Meet our Board of Trustees who voluntarily provide their expertise to support the effective governance of Human Development Scotland (HDS).

Joe Lafferty: Chair

Joe brings to HDS over 35 years of experience as an executive, business founder, organisational consultant, and executive coach. He has served as a non-executive director across a range of organisations, including four years as Chair of Dundee Contemporary Arts. His approach is rooted in systems psychodynamic thinking: working with leaders and organisations to understand what is happening beneath the surface, and to develop the clarity, courage, and values-rooted vision needed to navigate real change.

Joe became Chair of Human Development Scotland in December 2025 and is committed to supporting and developing HDS's distinctive work in counselling and therapy training, delivered through a psychoanalytic lens to the highest level. He also wants to strengthen HDS's voice in the wider mental health landscape.

"HDS does work that matters. I came to this role because I believe in what this organisation stands for, and I want to help it build on its strengths while finding its fullest voice in shaping how Scotland thinks about human development and mental health"

You are welcome to contact the Chair of the Board of Trustees: [email protected] 

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Mhairi Rae: Treasurer

Mhairi is a Chartered Accountant who has worked for 15 years across practice and industry, as well as having previous experience as a charity trustee and independent examiner.

Her aim as treasurer is to ensure that HDS has a stable financial base from which to deliver and expand its valuable services.

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Pauline Brown

Pauline has practised as a Psychotherapist for over 30 years, working with statutory organisations, in private practice, and the NHS. She spent 30 years with Relationship Scotland as a Relationship Psychotherapist, trainer and Supervisor.

For 25 years, Pauline also worked as an Equality and Diversity Consultant with Police Scotland; The Scottish Government; the NHS; local authorities in Scotland; JP Morgan; Royal Bank of Scotland, and many other statutory and voluntary organisations.

Pauline also trained as an historian and her MA on Glasgow’s Slave Trade has been published in a variety of historical magazines.

She looks forward to contributing to HDS as a Trustee.

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Jonathan Delafield-Butt

Jonathan is Professor of Child Neurodevelopment and Autism and Director of the Laboratory for Innovation in Autism at the University of Strathclyde.  His research examines infant and child development for gains in care and education of children.  His scholarship examines the origins of conscious experience, with attention to the early development of intentionality and its contribution to the embodied foundations of mind.

Jonathan trained pre-clinically in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy, is a member of the World Association for Infant Mental Health, the International Society for Autism Research, the American Psychological Association, and the Gillberg Neuropsychiatry Centre.  He serves on University Court at Strathclyde, and is delighted to advance HDS aims for psychological health in Scotland. 

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Nikki Eriksen

Nikki is a Child Psychotherapist who completed her pre-clinical course and clinical training doctorate at HDS and now works at NHS Lanarkshire in the CAMHS Care Experienced Young People’s team and in Reach Out, a service for children affected by parental mental health difficulties.

Previously, Nikki worked as an English teacher, then a health promotion specialist, before a long career as a specialist teacher working with vulnerable children with additional support needs in local authority education settings and in the Third Sector.

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Michael Smith

Dr Michael Smith (MD, FRCPsych) is a Consultant Psychiatrist and Honorary Clinical Associate Professor at the Institute of Health & Wellbeing at the University of Glasgow. Until he retired from the NHS in June 2021, he was Associate Medical Director for Mental Health & Addiction Services in NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde.

His research interests are in depression, public mental health, and the influence of attachment and adverse childhood experiences. He was a founding member of the ‘see me’ antistigma campaign, the multi-agency Scottish Adverse Childhood Experiences Hub, and a member of the National Suicide Prevention Leadership Group until retirement. 

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If you are interested in a trustee role, please contact us at [email protected]