Celebrating International Women’s Day across the HECA higher education community!

Amanda has been working in Higher Education over the last 10 years and is particularly delighted to part of a sector going through an exciting period of development currently, as we work to align the ever changing global landscape with the traditional values of education. Witnessing the life cycle of a student from induction right through to graduation is Amanda's favourite part of her role, highlighting that it is a privilege to watch students grow in confidence and ability during their time in college.

Gemma is an award winning lecturer with over 12 years lecturing experience in accounting and finance in professional, undergraduate and postgraduate accounting modules. Gemma has many years of industry experience which spans from Irish firms to multi-national organisations including running her own accounting consultancy business which provided services to industry, both locally in Ireland and in the Caribbean. Gemma is a fellow of the Certified Public Accountants Ireland (CPA).

Gemma is a life long Liverpool fan and spends her free time watching the footie when she can. That free time is between preparing lecturers, minding three children, three dogs and cleaning up after the cat ‘Crunchie’!

As the College Librarian at CCT College Dublin, Debora is responsible for strategically developing and efficiently managing the College's Library Service, ensuring that it meets the diverse needs of students and staff. With over a decade of experience in the field and a Master's degree in Information and Library Management from Dublin Business School, Debora is dedicated to delivering high-quality library services.

Her previous positions include Reader Services Manager at DBS Library and Lecturer in Research Methods at Dublin Business School.
In her free time, she has a soft spot for dystopian novels, as they allow her to explore imagined worlds while also highlighting the importance of making positive changes in our society.

She also happens to be a huge fan of pizza – because who doesn't love a good slice?"

Kathleen is our Head of Student Services at CCT College Dublin, and a dedicated driver of the student-centred culture of the College. With 25 years experience in higher ed management, student counselling, services and care across US universities and Irish colleges, Kathleen is the embodiment of keeping the student at the core of everything we do. Passionate about international education, holistic development, and providing opportunities for student engagement, Kathleen is also known to enjoy baking, crafting, and traveling when not in the College!

Zulaine has made a wonderful contribution to faculty admin and management for CCT’s Business Faculty over the last seven years at CCT College Dublin. With a background steeped in education as a Primary School Teacher and graduated with a Bachelor’s Degree in Pedagogy, Zulaine loves working in education, providing daily support and care for students and the satisfaction that comes from helping students. Zulaine is also qualified with an Honours degree in Business Administration.
In her spare time, Zu is a keen traveller and enjoys the different places and situations an imagination can bring through a good book Zulaine also enjoys comedy and claims laughing is her best therapy!

Lizy is a Business graduate of CCT, having progressed from an education background in Graphic Design and Media. Working at the College almost 5 years now, Lizy provides daily guidance to prospective and registered students of all backgrounds on CCT programmes, navigating the admissions process, student services, and the student experience. While essentially responsible for reviewing, administering, and evaluating applications from potential learners, Lizy is renowned for her passion caring for students and enjoys helping others to reach their full unique and individual potential. In her free time, Lizy likes to dance as well as cook, (but she is still not sure if she loves more the process of trying out new recipes or eating the result). Lizy is in love with music as long as she can remember and her memory and is passionate about learning and creating. Lizy is particularly interested in neuroscience and critical thinking, and could spend hours reflecting on human behaviour, self-reflection and random thinking, which she finds very inspiring when it comes to fostering creativity.

Deidre is an award-winning accounting lecturer with over 15 years’ experience teaching on undergrad, post grad and professional courses. Deirdre has a passion for all things start up and has been involved in a number of startup ventures. When not imparting accounting knowledge, Deirdre can be seen working hard out on the family farm, or trying to maneuver a horsebox around the country for her little darlings!!

Marina is another very dedicated teacher at CCT. With postgrad qualifications in a number of areas including Marketing, Business Administration, Data Analytics for Business and currently working on an MSc thesis in Artificial Intelligence, Marina is no stranger to Lifelong Learning. Her first love is Statistics and Data, while Machine Learning and Artificial Intelligence represent other areas of great passion for teaching and learning. Marina feels blessed to do what she loves in education and claims there is no better reward than to contribute and witness student progression and development. When she is not doing data analysis, Marina enjoys travelling and analysing the world!

A graduate of CCT, Aldana has been teaching at the College for a number of years. With a background in IT and currently studying (again) Data Science, Aldana is a passionate Maths Higher Education Teacher. Aldana is passionate about education, her students and football (And hailing from Argentina, she is currently a World Cup Winner!). Aldana is fluent in several languages including Spanish, Java, and Python and sometimes English!! She is always available to discuss Maths or Data Science, but first coffee!

With nineteen years experience working in marketing, business development and student recruitment for the Higher Education sector, Marie is a strong advocate of lifelong learning and encouraging individuals and organisations to obtain and harness new skills and technologies which will enable them to thrive.

A proud Mayo woman (is there any other kind?!), Marie, her husband. and four year old son, recently moved from Dublin to the countryside of Co Carlow which has allowed her to explore another passion, interior design.

In her down time Marie likes to listen to an eclectic mix of musical genres ranging from rock to folk and everything in between. She also really enjoys time spent in nature, particularly by the sea, to recharge and 'fill her cup'.

Martha has been teaching at CCT on various Business modules and programmes over the last 3 years. Martha is deeply passionate about teaching and student care, and in particular gets adores the opportunity to contribute to student's personal development. Her educational and work background has been focussed around teaching Business, English as a Second Language, and other passions such as fashion and dance. On a typical day, Martha can be found running from a swimming lesson to a business lecture to a dance class, and all in heels!

Celestine Rowland's passion for education and learning has led to the establishment of Galway Cultural Institute (GCI) in 1989 as an English language school. Over the past 30 years, Galway Cultural Institute has evolved into a thriving institution, offering year-round adult courses with over 4,000 students and 70+ employees. In 2000, Celestine founded Galway Business School (GBS), which provides higher education programmes validated by Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI). This initiative aims to empower students from diverse backgrounds and ethnicities by providing them with inclusive and high-quality education programmes that upskill and prepare them for the workforce. With a focus on language and intercultural learning, Celestine's impact on the study abroad scene in Ireland is remarkable, having educated over 75,000 students in GBS and GCI.

Dr Jane Alexander was appointed Director of Undergraduate Studies in 2010. Prior to that she held academic posts at lecturer and senior lecturer level at Trinity College Dublin, Derby University, UK, Lincoln University, UK and City University, London. Her PhD in Mental Health Studies, funded by the Trustees of St Bartholomew’s Hospital, London is a qualitative sociologically based study investigating the experiences of acutely ill patients and staff in two acute mental health hospitals in London. Parts of her studies were completed at the University of Maastricht in the Netherlands.
Her MA in Counselling Psychology is in psychodynamic psychotherapy and her thesis investigated the close relationships of depressed men. Her main research interests are in acute mental health care and in the relationship between severe life events and depression. She has worked on several major research projects at City University, London.

Additionally, her research career included work on NHS funded projects as a Senior Research Fellow at the Centre for Academic and Workforce Innovation (CCAWI) at Lincoln University. Her external links include an adjunct Professorship at Walden University in Baltimore, US and research involvement with Trinity College, Dublin. She has published widely internationally.
Dr Alexander held several clinical and managerial posts in the UK. He main experience, prior to academia, was in Primary Mental Health Care, working directly with GP’S and liaising with Community Mental Health Teams. She completed major research projects whilst working in this field including an investigation of counselling provision in GP Practices and an evaluation of the placement of community mental health staff in GP Practices. She began her academic career in 1998 when she obtained funding for full-time PhD studies. Until then her primary degree a BA (Hons) in Social Dimensions of Health, Sheffield University and MA in Counselling Psychology, Brighton University were obtained whilst working full-time and caring for a family. Consequently, in common with many students, she has a great appreciation of what it means to be a mature student, and of the sacrifices entailed in gaining further qualifications.

Cliona O’Beirne is Chief Commercial Officer at DBS with over 25 years’ experience in Higher Education and Partner Relations. Cliona has overall responsibility for the student recruitment function of the College including domestic, european and international student recruitment and business development.

Cliona has sat on numerous boards/groups over the years in relation to International Student Recruitment/ HEA Advisory Group for Springboard etc. She is also a member of the Admissions Officers Association of Ireland and a member of FIE’s Academic Advisory Council (ACC).

Her educational background includes a BA (Hons) in Economics from University College Dublin (UCD), a Graduate Higher Diploma in Business and a Masters of Business Studies (MBS) from Dublin Business School.

Cliona has extensive experience in relationship management with corporate and education partners over the years including HEA, Microsoft Ireland and most recently Tusla and Harvey Norman. She oversees over 100 Institutional Partners globally on both new programme development and study abroad programmes at DBS and ensures all their needs and requirements are met.

Emma Balfe has over 23 years’ experience in the education sector. She is the Head of Teaching Delivery and Content Production at DBS and has been with the College for 15 years. Emma leads a large team and is responsible for all teaching delivery across the College, ensuring all classes are staffed with high-quality teaching staff. Her priority is to ensure that the team of Faculty delivers the best possible student experience with the best academic outcomes. Emma is passionate about supporting her team so that they can deliver the best possible service to our students.

With over 20 years’ experience in private and public higher education institutions in Ireland and the UK, Lori Johnston is the Registrar at DBS since 2017. Lori is a member of the Senior Leadership Team at DBS and has extensive experience in online and distance education, content creation and academic journal publishing. Her educational background includes a BA (Hons) Natural Sciences, PGDip Development Management and MSc Advanced Education Studies.

Dr. Marcella Finnerty is the founder and College President at IICP College, Dublin. Marcella holds a Doctorate in Psychotherapy from the Metanoia Institute and Middlesex University. She is a founding member of both IICP College and The Village Counselling Service (VCS). Marcella sits on the Higher Education and Colleges Association Board. Marcella has been appointed to the Counsellors and Psychotherapists Registration Board of CORU, the multi-profession health regulator.


Marcella also holds an M.Sc. in Educational Guidance and Counselling, a Postgraduate Diploma in Clinical Supervision (Psychology), a Teaching and Learning Postgraduate Diploma in Educational Studies (Higher Ed), and a B.A. (Hons) Psychology. She is an IACP accredited therapist and supervisor and holds the European Certificate of Psychotherapy. She was Chair of the Local Hosting Committee for the International Society for the Exploration of Psychotherapy Integration (SEPI) Conference which was held in Trinity College Dublin June 16-18th, 2016. Marcella currently sits on the Local Hosting Committee for the 54th Annual Meeting of the Society for Psychotherapy Research (SPR), Dublin 2023. She is also a module lecturer and a senior faculty member at the College. Special areas of interest are programme research and academic development, pluralism, integration, choice theory/reality therapy/lead management, multicultural counselling and therapy, skills training and personal development. She has presented at national and international conferences on a variety of topics and has also written book chapters and several articles for peer reviewed journals. Along with our Female External Chairperson, our Vice President, Caitriona Kearns, Our Senior Manager in QA, Dr. Aine O’Reilly, and our General Manager, Marcella sits on the five person Executive Management Team at IICP College.

Caitríona Kearns is the Vice President & Registrar at IICP College. She holds an MA in Pluralistic Counselling & Psychotherapy, a P.G. Cert, Training & Education, a B.Sc. Counselling and Psychotherapy and Diplomas in Addiction Counselling and Addiction Studies. She is currently undertaking a Level 9 Certificate in Technology Enabled Teaching & Learning. Caitríona is a former full time therapist with the HSE and is an accredited member of IACP. Prior to commencing full time in IICP in 2012, she worked in the field of Substance Misuse and adolescent therapy since 2001. She is an accredited member of IACP, and has practiced in statutory, residential and community based settings. Caitríona also has extensive experience in working therapeutically with younger clients.


Lecturing at IICP since 2006, her teaching experience also includes presenting on the M.Sc. and Diploma in Rehabilitation Studies at UCD and the Diploma in Drug and Alcohol studies with UL. She commenced in her full time role in IICP College in 2012, and is now the Vice President and Registrar. She is the co-author of the Radcliffe book, Adolescents and Substance Use: The Handbook for Professionals Working with Young People, which was shortlisted and Highly Commended in the Paediatric category for the 2014 British Medical Association Book of the Year Awards. As Vice President and Registrar, Caitriona leads out on matters of programme design, development and management, collaborating with an excellent team of staff and faculty who work together to deliver a first class education. Along with our Female External Chairperson, our President, Dr. Marcella Finnerty, Our Senior Manager in QA, Dr. Aine O’Reilly, and our General Manager, Tríona sits on the five person Executive Management Team at IICP College.

Dr Aine O’Reilly is Senior Manager in Quality Assurance and Enhancement at IICP College.
Aine holds a Doctorate in Education from Maynooth University, a Masters in Psychology from Bolton University and a BSc in Psychology from University College Dublin. Aine also holds professional qualifications: as a solicitor, received from the Law Society of Ireland and as a Family Therapist, received from the Clanwilliam Institute, Dublin. She is a registered Family Therapist with the Family Therapy Association of Ireland and Psychotherapist with the European Association of Psychotherapy.

Aine has a particular interest in regulatory discourses in education and the professions. Her higher research degrees (Masters in Psychology and Doctorate in Education) focused on practice frameworks that promote ethical, high quality professional service delivery. Throughout her career her principle engagements have been in policy, regulatory, quality and evaluation fields within the professional and education sectors. Aine has worked simultaneously in practice and policy fields, which has given her considerable insight into how policies operate in the practice arena. Aine is also an experienced tutor and lecturer in diverse areas including professional ethics, psychotherapeutic theory and practice, family therapy, academic writing and research. Along with our Female External Chairperson, our President, Dr. Marcella Finnerty, our Vice President, Caitriona Kearns, and our General Manager, Aine sits on the five person Executive Management Team at IICP College.

Ciara Kearns leads out on the academic technology management in IICP College. She holds a Level 8 Diploma in Digital Learning Design, as well as Certificates in Videography and the use of Articulate Storyline. She holds the National Forum Digital Badge in UDL and is currently undertaking a Level 9 Certificate in Technology Enabled Teaching & Learning as well as a Certificate in Digital Marketing.

Ciara is responsible for the management of our VLE, Moodle, as well as our Vimeo and YouTube channels. She works with faculty to create content for our blended learning programmes using Articulate Storyline and Rise, as well as the use of other tools such as Flip, Padlet and quizzes. We have a full suite of professional recording equipment, which Ciara puts to good use, working with the team to create engaging and interactive online teaching content. She leads out on our social media strategy, as well as operation of our digital timetabling system. Ciara is an international athlete, who won Gold in long jump at the European Masters Athletics Championships in Braga, Portugal, in March 2022, as well as Silver at the World Masters Athletics Championships in Finland in July 2022.

Marisa Finnerty is General Counsel and Company Secretary of IICP and joined the company in September 2016. Marisa manages the legal function within IICP and provides senior management with advice on legal matters. Marisa also obtains and oversees the work of outside counsel. Prior to joining IICP, Marisa held the position of Senior Associate at Hadef & Partners, a leading independent law firm in the UAE, advising UAE and international clients on a range of corporate matters. Marisa originally trained as a solicitor with Dublin law firm Eugene F. Collins and was admitted to the Roll of Solicitors in Ireland in 2009. Marisa holds a Bachelor of Commerce International (with Italian) from University College Dublin and a Diploma in Commercial Litigation from the Law Society of Ireland

As the Dean of Academic and Student Affairs in IICP College, Pam supports faculty and students in the delivery and completion of the programmes, as well as the registry and academic administrative teams. Pam is a Programme Leader within the BSc and lectures on several modules across the BSc and MSc. She holds an MA in Pluralistic Counselling & Psychotherapy, BA (Hons) Degree in Integrative Counselling & Psychotherapy, and is an accredited member of IACP. Pam is responsible for learner support and placement coordination in the college. Pam is currently completing a Qualification in Supervision and a Level 9 Certificate in Technology Enabled Teaching & Learning.

Dena was appointed in the Registry department in 2018. Dena holds a Doctorate in Educational Psychology and Master of Arts in Education. Her role at IICP College centres on the management of administration associated with the registry department. In particular, she is involved in processing student results, dealing with student queries, and providing course information. Dena looks after the library system and coordinates the awards function in the college.

Amanda worked in IICP College from 2013 to 2016, before taking on the role of Operations Manager in Village Counselling Service, where she worked for 8 years coordinating all counselling services for the largest community-based counselling service in Ireland. In 2022, she returned to a full-time role in IICP College as the Manager to the President’s Office. She holds a Diploma in First Line Management and a Diploma in Integrative Supervision. Amanda looks after admissions in the college, and supports the President and Vice President in their day-to-day administration.

Sultana joined the IICP team in 2022 as the Account Administrator. She engages in the day-to-day processing of student payments, direct debits, payment plans and fee statements. She reports directly to the financial controller and supports the finance function in the college. Sultana has a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Management from IT Tallaght.

Sabrina joined the team in 2021 and she looks after the admissions administration process, including processing applications, arranging interviews, learner allocation, course enquiries and records. She is the primary point of contact for prospective students. She holds an MA in Human Resources and a Bachelor’s in Business Administration.

Deirdre, a seasoned educator in Third Level Design Education Management, has been working at Griffith College since 2004, and is an integral member of the management board. With her impressive credentials, including a BTEC Diploma in Art and Design, a BA (Hons) from NCAD, an MSc in Multimedia from DCU, and a Postgrad Cert in Third Level Teaching and Learning from DIT,
and Postgrad Cert in Creative Thinking, Innovation & Entrepreneurship from Tangent, Trinity’s Business school. Deirdre is currently pursuing a Professional Doctorate in Art and Design with the University of Dundee.

Throughout her career, Deirdre has focused on Multimedia design, specifically in the realm of e- Learning. As a member of various professional organizations, including the Institute of Designers in Ireland, Cumulus, Interior Educators, LEO Dublin City Women in Business Network, and secretary for Design Educators Ireland, Deirdre is committed to promoting equality and diversity in the workplace. She is an active member of the Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion group at Griffith College, working to address the underrepresentation of women in senior roles in the Design sector.
As a female designer, Deirdre offers advice to other women in the field, encouraging them to be ambitious and confident in their abilities.

She recognises the importance of female voices in every boardroom and the positive impact they can have on society, emphasising the value of making one's work visible to ensure proper credit is given.

“I would advise any young female designer to be ambitious for yourself and have the self-belief that you are just as able and equal to your male colleagues. We need more female voices in every board room to increase the possible ways to change society positively. Women make a difference to the productivity, creativity, and profitability of businesses. Always make your work visible as others have no problem taking credit for it.”

Karen is the Head of the Faculty of Law and Professional Law School at Griffith College. Karen started her career in a financial institution where she gained both financial and legal experience. Karen then went on to work for a number of legal practices having qualified as a solicitor and subsequently a professional education centre before moving onto teaching and management at third-level education. Karen is currently a member of the Management Board at Griffith College and also on a number of the College’s committees including the Academic and Professional Council.

Karen has lectured in Griffith College since 2011 on modules including Introduction to the Irish Legal System, Law of Torts, Conveyancing, Professional and Career Development, Employment Law and most recently Medical Law. Having completed an MSc in Healthcare, Ethics and Law Karen commenced her Doctorate in Law, with a research focus on capacity of minors and the right to assisted dying.

“It is important for women to celebrate not only their own successes but also other women’s successes and provide encouragement and support in all of our endeavours. While the saying ‘a rising tide lifts all boats’ is normally associated with economic policy, in terms of gender equality I would hope that through the advancement of women in their careers and into positions of power, new opportunities arise for more women to follow and that an upsurge in equality is a positive step for all.”

“While advances have been made in Ireland and the European Union over the past number of decades with the introduction of legislation and protocols to encourage gender equality in employment and education, there is still much to do. However, we must remember that among other countries we are fortunate, as for many gender inequality is a significant issue.”

“I’m Head of Faculty for the Visual Arts and Screen Media in Griffith College Dublin and a member of the management board. At our weekly Head of Faculty meeting, I look around the room and I see the majority of people there are women. In my faculty, we’re proud to have industry practitioners delivering our modules and teaching our learners. Unfortunately, only one-third of my teaching team are women. This reflects the absence of women in the Film & Screen industry and that’s where we have to focus our desire to make progress.”

“Within the creative industries, the most challenging barriers for me are the lack of value we as a society place on culture. This means that those in the cultural sector are forced to work many more hours than they are remunerated for. These challenging work schedules are even more difficult for women who have home and family commitments. I overcame these challenges by setting up my own independent production company Marmalade Films. This gives me control over my career while allowing me to work with like-minded people and pursue projects I’m interested in.”

“There is a fantastic community of filmmakers in Ireland. Inspirational women are working at every stage of the production process from editors such as Cara Holmes and Iseult Howlett, Cinematographers like Eleanor Bowman and Katie McCullagh, Directors like Kim Bartley and Dearbhla Walsh and Producers such as Niamh Fagan and Katie Holly who, alongside newly emerging graduates and students all inspire me as they are all contribute to the structure and nature of our creative industries.”

“My advice to women would be not to undervalue yourself, your voice, and your creative abilities. Hone the skills and knowledge that enable you to compete at the highest level possible within the creative industries. Join organisations such as Women in Film & Television Ireland or X-Pollinator to develop a cross-disciplinary network.”

Becks worked for Claas Ltd, before launching her Agricultural start-up Uisce Bia where she was awarded Ireland's Best Young Entrepreneur (IBYE). She developed her expertise in entrepreneurship through various boot camps awarded by Google and Enterprise Ireland. In (2015) Becks was a
spotlight guest speaker for Accenture’s International Women’s Day at the Convention Centre
Dublin. Becks is still involved in farming and currently manages 250 acres of tillage.

Becks has a successful career in visual arts and curatorial practice. Her works have been purchased by the Royal Irish Academy, the OPW state collection and various private collectors both in Ireland and internationally. Within her commercial practice, Becks has worked on design projects for clients such as Guinness, REPEAL Campaign and Style Club and her editorials have been published by The Guardian Uk, Quartz NYC, Over Journal, and The Irish Times.

Becks Butler is a Lecturer at Griffith College Dublin where she also chairs the EDI Committee and sits on the Academic and Professional Council. Becks is proud partner and co-founder at New Wave Innovation Agency. New Wave helps businesses and organisations create innovative solutions and achieve growth. New Wave has a portfolio of clients including Kerry Group, ICON, DPP Skillnet, Cosentino.

Madeleine is a Chartered Certified Accountant and has lectured for 26 years, both in Ireland and overseas. Prior to joining Griffith College, she held management roles in domestic and international companies. She has delivered modules on academic and professional programmes in the areas of financial accounting, management accounting and taxation in Ireland, Russia and China Madeleine is programme director for the BA (Hons) in Accounting and Finance. She is also responsible for the development and maintenance of strategic partnerships with colleges and universities in France, China, Ghana and Malaysia.

Working closely with professional accountancy bodies, such as Association of Chartered Certified Accountants (of which she is a Fellow), Certified Public Accountants (Ireland), Chartered Accountants (Ireland) is also one of her responsibilities, to ensure the Accounting and Finance programmes are appropriate to secure maximum professional accountancy examination exemptions for graduates of these programmes.

Madeleine has a keen interest in e-Learning and is a member of the college’s e-Learning committee. During her time at Griffith College, Madeleine has been instrumental in reshaping how programmes are delivered and has been a driving force in the introduction of the BA (Hons) in Business Studies (Blended). She is a member of the Management Board of Griffith College.

“We have many heads of faculties who are women here in Griffith College and have seen more and more women take on the role as president of colleges around the country, something perhaps not seen in the past. When we form panels and committees, of course we want to make sure the best representatives are on them and that includes women being represented and having a voice. It is something we are very conscious of.”

“I have never felt prohibited in my educator role as a lecturer or programme director. I’m very much of the thinking that if you do the work, you will be recognised, gender shouldn’t be an obstacle in most careers, there may be a few exceptions but not in my field. Photography was once a male- dominated industry, that changed a long time ago. I can lift a c-stand, a boom and carry any equipment necessary for a shoot just like any of my colleagues. I did have an issue when I was assisting in a studio years ago, I was asked to observe more than actually assist, it was thought that as a young woman, I wasn’t as capable as the full-time assistant who was a man. I found this very frustrating. One day, the assistant called in sick, so I just went about to set up the studio for the shoot as necessary. The photographer arrived and was taken aback at first and then relented when he realised that I knew what I was doing, plus he had no choice. It was a case of don’t ask, can I help?
Just get on with it, prove yourself and show what you can do. Too often, we ask for permission or apologise, I have learned that initiative is more important, it goes without saying that no matter what you are be polite and respectful. Respect is a two-way street.”

“There have been many women in the college I have looked up to over the years, they have the right mix of a good working ethic and empathy, they work hard but are very human and approachable and supportive. I am also a huge fan of Tanya Kiang, the CEO and director of the Gallery of Photography, along with Trish Lambe the co-director of the gallery. They are a tour de force and have been running the gallery for decades, it started out in a much smaller space, I recall a visit to it when I was doing art for my leaving cert. They did a talk and tour for us and I was in awe. The gallery was the first of its kind in the country for photography. They had a vision and have worked incredibly hard to achieve what we now know as the Gallery of Photography, they helped put Ireland on the map in the visual arts and have been an incredible support to Irish photographers and especially our up-and-coming photographers here in Griffith.”

“You get out of life what you put into it, if you put the work in, you will progress and opportunities will land for you, no one should expect to have anything handed to them. Be there, be seen, be polite and most importantly believe in yourself. I would also say that there is more to life than your career, making time for your physical and mental health, your family and friends and putting the effort into your life balance is as if not more important.”

Lorraine Halpin is the Director of Quality and Academic Affairs at SQT Training, with an extensive background in Higher Education. She began her career as a Lecturer before moving on to Quality Assurance and Education Management in 2009. In 2014, Lorraine joined the HECA Board and has been an active member of the HECA Academic Quality Enhancement Council since its inception in 2016, which later became the HECA Academic Quality Enhancement Forum (HAQEF). As a facilitator of the forum, Lorraine helps to create a fantastic community of practice for HAQEF members with the goal of providing high-quality programmes and continuously enhancing academic quality and standards across HECA providers.

Dee Roche is the Chief Financial Officer in DBS with over 20 years experience in financial roles.
She proactively drives strategic objectives, identifying risks and developing pragmatic risk mitigation solutions to the company. She manages a team of finance professionals to meet reporting timelines Her strength is in driving systems improvements, streamlining processes to enhance efficiency and accuracy of financial reporting and delivering operational efficiencies ensuring strong financial discipline and controls.

Julie Sharp joined Dublin Business School in 2020 as the Head of Strategy, Corporate Development and People. Julie is an experienced C-level international Chief People Officer with over 30 years of demonstrated ability across Europe, Middle East, Asia Pacific and the US to effectively lead, support and enable large scale business change whilst ensuring focus on anticipating and developing future HR and commercial strategies for the organisation. She has deep expertise across all aspects of strategic HR management, including mergers and acquisitions through wholly owned subsidiaries and joint ventures; and culture transformation / organisational development work to move organizations from transactional to transformational ecosystem. In addition, Julie has extensive regulatory and Board exposure and is an experienced Non-Executive Director. Prior to joining DBS, she was the Head of Group HR in Bank of Ireland for 8 years and Regional Head of HR for ING Asia Pacific based in Hong Kong for 10 years.

Dr Mulwa is passionate about analytics education. She has over 12 years of experience teaching on a variety of computer science programmes in third-level institutions in Ireland and 14 years of research experience. She is very enthusiastic about bringing more people into the world of analytics and increasing the number of women working in this industry.

Ann has nearly 20 years' experience working in academic libraries across the public and private sectors. She previously held positions at TU Dublin, UCD and IICP. She has particular expertise in the online library environment, information literacy, open access, and academic writing and referencing. Ann is passionate about building connections and sharing knowledge across the sector. She is an active member of the HECA Library Committee.

Maggie was taught early that education isn't a heavy burden to carry and, as such, she is a lifelong learner with a passion for research. She strongly believes in the value of research to bring change, no matter how small that change might be. Inclusion is an area of special interest for her, and she has particular expertise in the areas of neuro-affirmative practice, autism and gender diversity.

Dr Mary Kelly is Academic Dean of Hibernia College and has been a driving force in the strategic direction of research initiatives and innovation in academic development. She is a strong believer in mentoring and developing women in leadership positions in education.

Elva has worked for over 12 years as a qualified primary school teacher. She has extensive experience teaching at all class levels. She also has significant experience working in special needs education and in early childhood classrooms. Elva worked on the Primary (PME) programme as a lecturer and Programme Director before moving into the Registrar role. She co-chairs HAQEF and is a member of several internal and external academic, ethics and quality assurance committees. She is currently undertaking doctoral studies on professional partnerships and school placement in Trinity College. Elva is an advocate for equality for women in education, employment and politics and strives to promote this in the workplace.

Michelle is extremely passionate about primary education and meeting pupils' individual learning needs. She loves helping others, which is intrinsically linked to her role with Hibernia College — she supports student teachers and helps them to achieve their full potential. Finally, she is a great advocate for self-care. One of her favourite quotes is by Eleanor Roosevelt: 'Comparison is the thief of joy.'

Having initially qualified as a Registered General Nurse (RGN) in the Adelaide Hospital, Dublin, Naomi went on to specialise in coronary care nursing before changing her focus to education.
Her area of expertise is in the design and implementation of innovative educational programmes. She believes that using a blended learning approach provides unique opportunities for widening access to nurse education at all levels.

Patricia worked as a post-primary teacher of Mathematics and French for 20 years, the majority of which were in an all-girls school. Throughout her work and in recent years as a voluntary board member of Midlands Science, Patricia worked consistently to promote women in STEM and to highlight to her students the opportunities for women in STEM-related careers. Now in her role in initial teacher education, she continues to promote and highlight opportunities for women in education and, furthermore, to act as a role model for women in leadership roles in education.

Emma Tynan is a dual-qualified general and paediatric nurse. She graduated with a Bachelor of Nursing Science (General) from the University of Galway in 2014. She later completed a Higher Diploma in Children’s Nursing through Trinity College Dublin. She has held posts in Children's Health Ireland (CHI) at Temple Street, Tallaght University Hospital and Portiuncula University Hospital. In Portiuncula University Hospital, she worked as part of the Nurse Practice Development Team and spent time as a clinical placement coordinator supporting nursing students in practice. She completed her Master's in Nurse Education with the University of Galway. As part of her master’s degree, she completed a primary research study examining nursing students' experiences of online learning during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results of her study have been presented at both national and international conferences in nurse education. She is passionate about the professional and academic development of nursing staff and students and, thus, the provision of safe care to patients.

As a Learning Designer at Hibernia College, Ana aims to build quality online content for students. Originally from Spain, it took her almost a decade to work back in the field that she loves, but the trip has been more than worth it for her.