Our Team

Norman Houston

Director of the Northern Ireland Bureau

A native of Larne, Co. Antrim, Norman Houston started his civil service career in the old Department of Manpower Services where he worked in Gloucester House Jobmarket. As his career developed Norman moved to other positions where he dealt with a variety of issues including HR development, tourism development, trade and exports and public relations. This is Norman’s second posting to the Bureau; he was here from 1998 to 2002 as First Secretary.

Norman has been the Director of the Bureau since November 2007. He has a First Class Honors Degree in Modern History.

Stewart Matthews

First Secretary and Head of Administration

Stewart Matthews was appointed as First Secretary and Head of Administration at the Northern Ireland Bureau in October 2012. Stewart's primary role includes helping Northern Ireland Departments and Ministers by promoting NI interests in the US and Canada and building relationships of mutual benefit. He also monitors policy developments in the US and Canada and supports inward visits by Ministers and officials as well as visits to Northern Ireland by American and Canadian contacts. Stewart also has responsibility for heading up the Bureau’s administration arrangements, including business planning and corporate governance.

Before taking up post in Washington, Stewart worked in the Department for Regional Development (DRD) as Head of its Strategic Planning Branch, providing direct support to the Permanent Secretary and Departmental Board on business planning, performance management, corporate governance and risk management issues. Stewart previously worked in a range of other posts in DRD.

His prior responsibilities have included developing the primary legislation that established NI Water as a Government owned company, developing NI’s first Regional Transportation Strategy and serving as Private Secretary to three Minsters, including the current First Minister Rt Hon Peter Robinson MLA. Originally from Newtownards, Co Down, Stewart attended the University of Cambridge (Trinity Hall) where he earned MA and MEng Honors degrees in Chemical Engineering. He then worked in London within the Scientific Services Division of Sainsbury’s (one of the UK’s leading retailers). Subsequently he worked as a Research Assistant at the University of Ulster’s Engineering Composites Research Center before joining the NI Civil Service in 1999.

Stewart now lives in Chevy Chase, Maryland with his wife Suzanne, a medical doctor, and their two children.

Tony Silberfeld

Head of Press and Political Affairs

In October 2006, Tony Silberfeld joined the Northern Ireland Bureau (NIB) to serve as its Head of Press and Political Affairs. In this capacity, Tony is responsible for political outreach and public diplomacy initiatives in North and South America, along with the implementation of the Bureau’s communications strategy.

Prior to taking up the position with NIB, Tony directed the government affairs department at the Risk and Insurance Management Society (RIMS) in New York. As the Society’s chief political operative, Tony worked with members of Congress on both sides of the aisle in the House of Representatives and the Senate, to achieve tangible results for RIMS members in the areas of terrorism insurance coverage, tort reform and insurance industry modernization.

Tony began his career as a staffer on Capitol Hill in the office of Senator Dianne Feinstein. While working his way through the ranks, he was exposed to some of the most pressing foreign policy questions of the day. It was that foundation that gave rise to the opportunity for him to serve as the foreign policy advisor to Congressman Joseph Crowley. For several years, Tony was engaged in the key political issues of the Northern Ireland peace process, and worked closely with the State Department and the Friends of Ireland Committee in Washington to mobilize Congressional support for the efforts of the parties in Northern Ireland to find lasting peace.

Tony is a native of Los Angeles, California, but has called many other U.S. cities home, including San Francisco, New Orleans, New York and Denver. He received his B.A. in Political Science from Tulane University, and his M.A. in International Relations, with a concentration in Conflict Resolution, from the University of Denver’s Graduate School of International Studies.

Tony currently resides in suburban Washington, DC with his wife and two young daughters.

Lorraine Turner

Head of the New York Office

A native of Merseyside, England, Lorraine Turner currently heads up the Northern Ireland Bureau's New York office. Prior to joining the Northern Ireland Bureau, Lorraine played a vital role in the Northern Ireland Peace Process, working for the British Consulate in New York as the Northern Ireland Press and Public Affairs Officer. Her love affair with New York began as soon as she arrived in 1997 when she served as an Immigration Officer in the British Consulate.

During her career in New York, Lorraine has been a welcomed friend to both the British and Irish communities. Leading up to the establishment of the new Northern Ireland government, she was an ardent supporter of the Peace Process and played a pivotal role in making sure that both communities were given access to the highest levels of government and business leaders.

In her current position as the head of the Northern Ireland Bureau in New York, Lorraine has been tireless in her efforts to maintain and strengthen the relationships she had already developed while everyone’s focus was on the Peace Process. Drawing from her past experience as a Public Affairs Officer, she has reached out to both the Irish and British communities to make certain that their interest in Northern Ireland continued beyond the Peace Process. She has hosted both business leaders and political leaders when they arrive in New York in the hopes of finding support for the new Northern Ireland. Ms. Turner is a graduate of John Moores University in Liverpool, where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in media and culture studies. Continuing her education, Lorraine also spent time at the Institute of Irish Studies at the University of Liverpool. Lorraine was awarded an MBE in HM Queen's 2004 New Year's list for her services to the Northern Ireland Peace Process.

Tracy Blanton

Finance Manager & Executive Assistant to the Director

Tracy is originally from Glasgow, Scotland and joined the Northern Ireland Bureau in 2002. Before emigrating to the United States she was employed as a Human Resources Professional in a range of industries and businesses around the United Kingdom. Tracy is married and resides in Annapolis, Maryland.

Bronagh Finnegan

Administration and Public Affairs Officer

Originally from Belfast, Bronagh is a recent graduate of the University of Ulster, where she gained her LLB Honors Degree in Law with Politics. Prior to joining the Northern Ireland Bureau, Bronagh was selected to join the Washington Ireland Program Class of 2011, which is a sixth month program of personal and professional development that brings outstanding university students from NI and the Republic of Ireland to Washington D.C for internships and leadership training.

Bronagh interned at the Northern Ireland Bureau while on the Washington Ireland Program and returned to take up a full time position as Administration and Public Affairs Officer in September 2011.

Her responsibilities include developing and executing a comprehensive program of focused events to increase Northern Ireland’s profile and visibility throughout North America, which includes managing the communications and outreach strategy for the Bureau.

Ray Atkinson

Business Development Executive for North America, Agri-Food and Bioscience Institute (AFBI)

Ray joined the NIB team in July 2012, working exclusively on behalf of Agri-Food and Bioscience Institute (AFBI), Northern Ireland’s largest, world class Scientific Research organization, as their Business Development Executive for North America. A Londoner, educated at Pinner County Grammar School and Reading University, where he attained an Upper Second Class Honors Degree in Political Science, Ray went on to forge a career in Sales and Marketing Management in the UK Electronics Sector , working variously for American Microprocessor manufacturers and Semiconductor Distributors from their London Offices, and ultimately for a UK Electronic Component and Contract manufacturing Company with both UK and China facilities. He was in turn Sales Manager, Sales Director and then International Sales Director for the Components Division, becoming Sales Director for the Group and traveling extensively before resigning in 2011 to accompany his wife when she took up a post at the British Embassy in Washington DC.

Ray’s brief with AFBI is to raise their profile throughout North America, build enduring relationships and create opportunities for Scientific collaboration of strategic importance with Governmental agencies, Universities and the Private sector, sell their analytical and diagnostic services, and create marketing channels into North America for AFBI’s patented IP.

Ray enjoys traveling extensively, continues to support Chelsea FC with passion from afar, attends Washington Nationals’ Baseball, Redskins Football and Capitals Ice Hockey games when possible, and visits Civil War Battlefields throughout the USA. Ray and Fiona have fully embraced the American lifestyle, taking regular holiday “road trips” across different States, visiting Civil War battlefields, historic towns and sites and attending DC theatre and art galleries.