The Representative Church Body [RCB] of the Church of Ireland has announced the appointment of Janet Maxwell to the position of Director of Communications.

Janet, who comes from a Dungannon family background, read History in Trinity College, Dublin and subsequently received a Masters in Business Administration [MBA] from Trinity in 1987.

Since the early 1990s Janet has lived and worked in South Africa. She is currently Head of the School of Media & Performance, Head of Department: Journalism at Technikon Natal, Durban, a national tertiary institution. She represents the Technikon on the Journalism and Government Communications Standards Generating Bodies.

In addition to her academic career, Janet has experience in business journalism in Ireland, Australia and South Africa as well as practical experience in public relations, media management, publishing, training and administration.

Janet will take up this new position in late July or early August when she hopes to have relocated to Ireland together with her husband and two daughters. She will work from Church House in Rathmines where she will be a member of the senior management team with executive responsibility for the Church's communications strategy and for co-ordinating its public relations, media relations and publishing activities.

The position is an all-Ireland role working in close association with a Media Officer based in Belfast and the Church's Central Communications Board. (Pending the appointment of a Media Officer, Mr Brian Parker will continue as acting Press Officer based in Belfast on a contractual basis).

A spokesman for the Church said: 'We are delighted that Janet Maxwell has accepted the appointment and look forward to the development of the new role and position under her guidance and leadership.'