Joan McAlpine MSP

Convener for Culture, Tourism, Europe and External Relations Committee
Scottish Government
UK

Joan McAlpine MSP is a Scottish journalist and Scottish National Party Member of the Scottish Parliament for the South of Scotland. Joan was born in Gourock, Renfrewshire and grew up in Greenock. She has an MA (Hons) in Scottish History and Economic History from University of Glasgow. She also has a Postgraduate Diploma in newspaper journalism from City University in London. Joan began her career at the Greenock Telegraph in 1987. She went on to work for The Scotsman and The Sunday Times, where she won the Scottish Journalist of the Year award in 1999. In 2000 she was appointed editor of The Sunday Times Scotland and the following year became deputy editor of The Herald; the first woman to hold the Herald post. In 1994 Joan co-authored A Time to Rage with the political activist Tommy Sheridan. Joan was elected as a list MSP for the South of Scotland region in the 2011 Scottish parliamentary election and again in 2016. She currently is currently the Convener of the Culture, Europe and External Affairs Committee in the Scottish Parliament. She is also the Convener of the Cross-Party Group on Culture and Deputy Convener of the Cross-Party Group on Learning Disability.

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Joining as a Trustee is Mona Siddiqui, Professor of Islamic and Interreligious Studies and Assistant Principal for Religion and Society at the University of Edinburgh. She is known internationally as a public intellectual and is a regular commentator in the media.

Dan Mulhall will be joining the board as a Trustee. Dan is a retired Irish diplomat, academic and published author. He is the current Parnell Fellow at Magdalene College, University of Cambridge and is a consultant with the global law firm DLA Piper.

Also joining as a Trustee is Professor Gayle McPherson, Professor of Events and Cultural Policy and Director of the Centre for Culture, Sport and Events at the University of the West of Scotland (UWS). She is also a member of the European Cultural Parliament.

Joining us as a Trustee is Stephen Gethins, Professor of International Affairs at the University of St Andrews. Prior to that, Stephen was MP for North East Fife, the SNP International affairs spokesperson and was twice selected to sit on the Foreign Affairs Select Committee.

Joining in the role of Chair is Shonaig Macpherson CBE, an experienced Chair and non-executive director used to working at the most senior levels of government, private, public and third sectors.

If you're interested in attending Edinburgh International Culture Summit 2022 as media, interviews with contributors and ministers, or photo opportunities, please contact Susie Gray at susie@thecornershoppr.com or 07834 073795.

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