Governance

Role: Board Member 

Background: Director in KPMG Restructuring

John is a professional Advisor and a Director in KPMG Restructuring

Since July 2017, John has primarily been involved in the wind down of a financial institution. The Operations unit, which John manages, deals with a range of matters for both internal and external stakeholders. The duties include arranging for the releases of charges on property, dealing with a variety of queries and information requests from relevant State and regulatory Bodies.

Prior to that, from February 2011-July 2017, John specialised in solvent liquidations.

John was also involved in a number of special restructuring client projects outside the scope of his main workload.

Prior to transferring to Restructuring John worked for many years as a Director in KPMG’s Corporate Legal Advisory Services /Company Secretarial Department.

The main client base John worked with was in the Financial services sector, especially aircraft leasing.

John also managed a large number of staff and contributed technical articles to newspapers and professional journals as well as presenting company law and company secretarial courses to professional bodies.

John joined KPMG having trained as a company secretary with Deloitte.

Professional Qualifications

Fellow of the Chartered Governance Institute (FCG)

Certified Diploma in Accounting and Finance (C.DIP. AF) awarded by the Association of Certified Chartered Accountants

Role:  Board Member

Background: GAL (Guardian Ad Litem) with TIGALA

Val Kerr is a professionally Qualified Social Worker working with children and families since 2005, with particular expertise in the area of child protection, child welfare, neglect and abuse.

Over nine years experience working within the public sector in social work front line and management positions and almost five years working as an Independent Social Worker and Guardian ad Litem.

Independently represents children’s best interests and wishes in the context of public law child care proceedings initiated by the state, directly appointed by the Court. Has represented children’s interests in the District, High, Supreme and European Courts. Has also been appointed to advise the Court in relation to the welfare of children subject to Criminal Proceedings.

Has completed expert training with An Garda Siochana in forensic interviewing skills with children and people with learning difficulties who have been victim of violent or sexual crimes.

Trained in Dyadic Developmental Practice: Parenting and Psychotherapy, a trauma and attachment focused intervention for caregivers of children who have experienced developmental trauma and attachment difficulties.

Has completed the Diploma in Mediator training with The Law society of Ireland and is an Accredited Mediator with the Mediator’s Institute of Ireland.

Role:  Board Member, Company Secretary, and Chair of Fundraising Committee

Background: Deirdre is a member of the National Fundraising team at St. Vincent
de Paul, where her role is to support over 1,250 branches of St. Vincent de Paul in
their fundraising, work with corporate partners and support the St. Vincent de Paul annual appeal.

Deirdre has worked in fundraising in Ireland and Australia, both for charities and fundraising agencies. Her background also includes working in sales and account
management, and local radio journalism. A short feature she produced for the Radio
Kerry series ‘Moments that Shaped Kerry’ won Gold at the 2011 PPI radio awards.

Deirdre recently completed a Diploma in Fundraising Management from Charities
Institute Ireland and holds a B.A. (Hons) in Film and Television Studies from the
University of Wales, Aberystwyth.

Role:  Chair

Background: Financial Services, People Management, Leadership, Governance, Risk and Compliance

Barry O’Sullivan is the Chief Executive Officer of Acorn Insurance, part of the Acorn Life Group based in Galway City. With over 20 year experience in Financial Services, People Management and Leadership, Barry is responsible for the growth and development of this organisation.

Having studied Counselling and Psychotherapy, he has a good understanding of the value that positive mental health can bring to a person’s life. Barry worked as a volunteer Group Therapy Facilitator in Tabor Lodge Addiction Treatment Centre in Cork for a number of years and is an advocate of the power behind Group Therapy and Person Centred Therapy.

In 2012, Barry moved into a Senior Management Role and since then has gained extensive experience in Governance, Risk, Compliance and driving Strategic Change within organisations with a view to ensuring long term sustainability.

From an education point of view, he has completed Diplomas in Leadership, Strategy & Innovation and Management and is in the process of completing a Master’s Degree in Business Practice.

Role: Vice-Chair

Background: HR Manager

Role: Board Member

Background: Principal at Michelle O’Connell Solicitors & State Solicitor

Michelle was entered onto the Roll of Solicitors in June 2009. She holds a Batchelor of Commerce (Hons) from UCD and a Post Graduate Diploma in Legal Studies (Hons) from TU Dublin (formerly Dublin Institute of Technology). In 2012 Michelle obtained a Diploma in Family Law from the Law Society of Ireland. Michelle became Principal of Michelle O’Connell Solicitors in January 2017 and has held the position of State Solicitor for North Tipperary since March 2015.  In addition to her role as State Solicitor, Michelle has been involved in childcare proceedings acting predominately for Guardian Ad Litems advocating for the voice of the child to be heard in these proceedings.  Michelle also has experience and expertise in Family Law, and general practice. 

Role: Board Member

Background: Commercial Director at Irish Wheelchair Association

Aidan Stacey is Commercial Director for Irish Wheelchair Association. He is responsible for public fundraising, retail, advocacy, customer care and communications.

In 2006, Aidan joined the NFP sector firstly with Dublin Simon Community and then with the Irish Heart Foundation. He was Global Head of Fundraising for GOAL, the international aid agency. He has raised over €30M in fundraising income and has a strong interest in direct marketing and corporate fundraising.

Aidan is also a Board member of Médecins Sans Frontières (Ireland) and the Volunteer Stroke Scheme (Ireland). He is past Chair and Board member of Fundraising Ireland (now Charities Institute Ireland). Prior to joining the not-for-profit sector, Aidan spent 15 years working in the commercial sector in marketing and sales organisations on both the client and agency side including PepsiCo International and the National Safety Council.

Aidan holds a BA in Economics from UCD, is a graduate member of the Marketing Institute of Ireland, a Member of the Institute of Directors of Ireland and has completed his Master’s in Business Science with IMI/UCC this year.

Role: Board Member

Background: Managing Director Strategic Communications at Teneo

Conor Brophy is a Managing Director with Teneo. Conor heads the strategic communications team in the Dublin office.

He advises clients across a range of sectors. His clients include some of the most high profile and successful indigenous and multinational corporations with operations in Ireland as well as semi state companies and non-profits.

He helps organisations and their senior leaders to tell their stories in an accessible, memorable and impactful way. His work with Teneo encompasses all aspects of communications strategy including stakeholder engagement, public affairs, narrative development, media relations, crisis/issue management and executive coaching/media training.

Prior to joining Teneo, Conor was a financial journalist and radio presenter with Ireland’s state broadcaster RTÉ and a weekly columnist with the Sunday Business Post. Before joining RTÉ his media career brought him from local radio and newspapers in Dublin to The Sunday Tribune, Newstalk and TV3 (now Virgin Media).

He reported on news, current affairs, business and economics on radio, television and online. He presented The Media Show on RTÉ Radio 1 and was a regular presenter across the primetime radio schedule including Morning Ireland News at One, Drivetime, The Business and This Week.

Conor is called upon frequently as a contributor by various media outlets. 

He also has extensive experience as facilitator and MC. He has hosted events and chaired panel discussions for organisations including Vodafone, Bord Gáis Energy, Oxfam Ireland, Knowledge Transfer Ireland and the Irish Hotels Federation.

Education

MA (Journalism) DCU

Bachelor of Business and Law UCD