Meet our team and board

CEO

An independent consultant for over 20 years, Sheena has worked with a broad range of not-for-profit, governmental and commercial organisations in both Ireland and the UK, including Failte Ireland, Insolvency Services Ireland, Dept. of Transport, Aldi and more recently the Camogie Association where she was responsible for the #GoTogether campaign and commercial partnerships.

Sheena founded and ran the top 100 UK PR agency Eulogy! In London, and on returning to Ireland established her CSR and advocacy specialism through her professional and voluntary work.  Her application of pragmatism, analysis and creativity to organisational and social challenges has resulted in the delivery of successful CSR and educational campaigns and programmes that includes Ireland’s first media literacy programme for primary schools MediaWise (SafeFood) launched in 2017, Focus Ireland and 3 Mobile’s “Tackling Homelessness” campaign, Kellogg’s Food Poverty Report, and MoneySense for Home and Schools and Young Social Innovators.

Sheena served on the Board of The Wheel for five years, and is currently on the Board of the autism advocacy charity AsIAm.  Her journalist credentials include: co-producer and presenter of the radio documentary “Is Childhood Shrinking?” (Newstalk); co-producer of the 23-part series “Meet The Grandparents” (RTE Junior); regular contributor on national radio and TV; and columnist with IMJ (Irish Marketing Journal).  She is on the Advisory Group of the Internet Commission, a committee member of the Media Literacy Network, and member of Dublin Camogie’s Development Board.

Sheena has an MBA from Henley Business School, is a member of her local school’s Parents Council, and is an under-16s and under-12s camogie coach at Kilmacud Crokes.

Communications & Marketing Manager

Miriam began her career soon after graduating with a BA in Journalism when she took on a role with Multiple Sclerosis Ireland. While travelling in Australia she spent ten months working in the not-for-profit arm of Dymocks, Australasia’s largest bookstore chain before returning to MS Ireland in 2013, where she led the communications department at a time when issues facing the sector were having a significant impact on public opinion. There she introduced successful organisation-wide measures to improve consistency in how MS Ireland communicates both online and offline. Prior to working in the voluntary sector Miriam worked in production for large-scale outdoor music and comedy events with Aiken Promotions.

In 2014 she was a member of the jury to select Ireland’s Young Lions representatives at the prestigious Cannes Lions Festival. She is a member of the PRII and Marketing Society of Ireland. Miriam holds a Diploma in Public Relations and is currently undertaking a Professional Diploma in Leadership and Management in UCD.

Education Programme Manager

Martha is a Mater Dei graduate, taught for many years in Post Primary education. She was seconded in 1994-1995 as a national trainer for Relationships and Sexuality Education and was also a facilitator for the Department of Education of the fifty hour training course for teachers and principals on the Substance Abuse Prevention Programme (SAPP).

Martha was seconded by the Department of Education in 2000 to the Social Personal and Health Education (SPHE) Support Service and more recently the Professional Development Service for Teachers (PDST) where she worked as Regional Manager delivering in-service to teachers, school management and staffs. She has presented at and organised various conferences and represented the Department of Education and SPHE Support Service at conferences nationally and internationally. She has a post graduate Diploma in Guidance Counselling and has lectured extensively for the University of Limerick. She has also lectured for St Angela’s College, Sligo, Dublin City University and Hibernia College. She has a Masters from NUI Galway in Health Promotion and a Certificate in Addiction Studies from NUI Maynooth. More recently she qualified with distinction as a life and business coach. She was editor of the SPHE Journal and has been involved in the writing of lessons for the Department of Education and Skills.

As Drinkaware’s Education Programme Manager, Martha welcomes the opportunity to bring her experience, expertise and skills to a newly reconfigured organisation which aims to create longterm cultural and behavioural change to alcohol consumption in Ireland. Martha is very aware of the important role education will play in this.

Research & Impacts Manager

Ann has joined us from Maynooth Universtity where she worked as Postdoctoral Researcher with the ENRICH research programme in the Centre for Mental Health and Community Research on two concurrent HRB funded evaluations of interventions to promote child health and family wellbeing. She was awarded her PhD by Trinity College in 2015 for her thesis exploring the experiences of men who provide care in the context of dementia. She also holds a BA in Social Science and an MA in Social Policy from University College Dublin.

Ann has a vast project management experience, working for the past thirteen years on a range of health and social research and policy projects across the NGO, Academic and Public Sectors both on national and EU level, including with Care Alliance Ireland, Eurocarers, Trinity College Dublin, the Institutes of Technology of Ireland, the Vincentian Partnership for Social Justice, University College Dublin and Combat Poverty Agency. She is also an executive member of the Irish Social Policy Association where she holds the position of Newsletter Officer. In each case, she has been centrally involved in conducting evidence-based campaigns into various complex areas in order to impact policy and improve outcomes.

Ann’s strong academic and the project expertise and knowledge across various social policy areas that she has worked on to date demonstrates her curiosity and appetite for impact measurement. As Research and Impacts Manager, she is thoroughly looking forward to the pivotal role that she will play in Drinkaware to evolve the research role in the organisation and embed an ‘impact culture’ throughout all Drinkaware programme areas.

Managing Director
The Alternative Board

Qualified as a Chartered Accountant with PWC he has been director in companies trading in software, property, retailing, healthcare and music industries in addition to not-for-profits. A former, President of Dublin Chamber of Commerce, CEO of Clerys, Founder director of: Dublin City Bid Company Ltd, and Retail Ireland. He is a Non-Executive Director of GS1 (Ireland) and Chair of Youbloom plc. He holds a Smurfit Diploma in Corporate Governance, is a certified analyst in Behaviours, Motivators and Trimetrix and a qualified Triadic Coach.

He became a mentor to Inner City start-up enterprises over 23 years ago and in 2013 brought The Alternative Board to Ireland to help indigenous businesses succeed. PJ discovered the power of a peer advisory Board over a decade ago and continues to facilitate his founding TAB board in Ireland.

Healthcare Consultant
PwC Ireland

MB, BCh, BAO(NUI), LRSI, MRCPI, FRCPCH, DRCOG, DCH, MMedSc, MD (Medical Education), MBA.

Dr Michelle Mary McEvoy is a Healthcare Consultant with over 15 years’ experience working in healthcare leadership roles and advising on national healthcare transformation programs. Her background as a Paediatric Consultant in Great Ormond Street Hospital positions her to uniquely understand and provide insight into healthcare challenges, market trends and solutions. She leveraged this knowledge and experience to co-found and act as COO of a medical analytics company which provides industry insight and healthcare innovation solutions.

In addition to a first-class MBA from Smurfit Business School in Dublin, Michelle also has an MD research degree and a Masters in the application of technology to medical education and training. She is a published author and has written a textbook to help ensure evidence based decision making in paediatrics. Michelle is passionate about delivering safe, effective and innovative care to transform lives and improve health.

Adjunct Assistant Professor
School of Psychology, TCD

Dr Kenneth McKenzie is an advertising strategist. He obtained his BA (Psychology) from Trinity College Dublin and his PhD from the School of Law & Government, Dublin City University. Kenneth has worked as a social psychologist across a range of research projects in UCD and TCD. He has consulted for clients across the profit, not-for-profit and state sectors in areas of behaviour change, brand strategy, consumer behaviour, and programme development & evaluation. Kenneth is an Adjunct Assistant Professor in the School of Psychology, TCD and is Visiting Professor in Burgundy School of Business.

Managing Director
Hume Brophy

Maria Cryan is a communications and advocacy expert. She has nearly 20 years’ experience of government, international relations, public affairs, and strategic communications. She is the Managing Director of Hume Brophy Communications in Ireland, and her expertise lies in managing campaigns for brands and organisations across the firm’s full range of sectors – Financial Services; Technology; Energy; Transport; Healthcare; Food and Drink.

She has worked in consultancy and in-house; and spent several years as an Analyst for the OECD and as a Diplomat with the Irish government, in London, Paris and Dublin.

Partner
O’Grady’s Solicitors

Billy is a commercial and corporate lawyer specialising in public and private M & A, international joint ventures, venture capital and private equity investments, debt and equity fund raisings, and general commercial matters. Prior to joining O’Gradys, Billy worked with international law firms in Hong Kong and Brussels.

Chief Digital Officer
RTÉ (fmr)

Múirne is an entrepreneurial digital leader who built teams, revenues, products and content businesses at RTÉ and McCann Worldgroup.

Múirne Laffan joined RTÉ as General Manager, RTÉ Commercial Enterprises Limited, in 2001. She subsequently worked as a Executive Director of RTÉ Publishing and Managing Director of RTÉ Digital, before becoming Chief Digital Officer in 2015. Prior to joining RTÉ, Múirne was SVP, Director of Worldwide Clients at McCann-Erickson in New York. She began her advertising career at JAA in London.

A council member of Dublin Chamber of Commerce, she is also an advisory board member of the Digital Youth Council of Ireland and has been included in the top 50 Global CDO Influencers, top 100 Women in STEM, Women of Influence in Irish Sport, and was Chair of the EBU Digital Steering Committee. She sits on the TV Committee of the Irish Television and Film Academy and the Board of the Digital Repository of Ireland. She is a graduate of DIT’s College of Marketing & Design.

Non-Executive Director and Executive & Team Coach

Sean is Chartered Accountant with extensive experience at senior management level in the Courts Service and Trinity College. In the Courts Service he was Director of Finance and also held the role of Accountant of the Courts of Justice with responsibility for management and investment of €2bn of funds held in trust by the courts on behalf of 23,000 beneficiaries. Completely restructured the governance and management of court funds and has significant expertise as an investment trustee.

He holds a professional diploma in corporate governance from Smurfit Business School, together with extensive experience as a practitioner in corporate governance and risk management. Has extensive non-executive experience including being a member of the Courts Service Investment Committee, as well as being a member of the Audit Committees in Tallaght University Hospital and the National College of Art and Design. He has also been a board member of the Corporate Governance Association.

Sean has a Masters in Organisational Behaviour from Trinity College and has significant expertise in strategy development, change management; people & performance management; learning and development and procurement.

He is also an experienced coach with a Masters in Executive and Team Coaching from Smurfit Business School.