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Celine Fitzgerald
ChairCeline Fitzgerald
Celine serves on a number of boards including VHI health and Wellbeing DAC and the board of PTSB.
Prior to transitioning to a non-executive career Celine spent over 20 years as a senior executive in the telecommunications sector (Eircom & Vodafone) and was also CEO of managed service provider Rigney Dolphin for 5 years. More recently Celine worked with the overseas development organisation, Goal Global, as CEO.
Celine is a Chartered Director and has extensive experience in leading organisations through periods of transformation both in an executive and non-executive capacity.
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Dr Terry McWade CDir
Chair designate from 27th January 2025Dr Terry McWade CDir
Dr Terry McWade CDir is a distinguished chartered director with a career spanning senior leadership roles in the healthcare, business, and education sectors.
Terry has held key positions, including Chief Executive Officer of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, Deputy Chief Executive Officer of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, and was the co-founder, Chief Executive Officer and Chairman of the biotechnology company, ValitaCell.
In his earlier career he worked with the Boston Consulting Group. He is currently a member of the Institute of Directors (IoD) Ireland Council and on the board of the Health Research Board. He is a member of the Judicial Appointments Commission.
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Anne Bradley
Board MemberAnne Bradley
Anne has held senior leadership positions in technology, business transformation and aviation. She is a strong believer in inclusiveness: she knows that it is the diverse experience and ideas of people that inspire and lead an organization to deliver for their clients. As the Head of Group IT Digital & Delivery for International Airlines Group, Anne was responsible for a dynamic and innovative workforce in a highly competitive and technologically evolving industry. With over 30 years of experience in industry, she lead some of the most complex implementations in multi-million-pound organizational transformation programs and new business models.
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John Casey
Board MemberJohn Casey
John is a partner in PwC, working in the firm’s Advisory practice where he specialises in mergers & acquisition and related due diligence. He has a broad sectoral experience, including healthcare, technology, pharma & life sciences, insurance and financial services, for both corporate and private equity clients. This involves advising clients on the financial and strategic implications of business decisions, through the various stages of the life cycles of those businesses.
John also leads PwC Ireland’s Capital Markets practice, supporting clients on IPOs, equity fundraising, debt issues and cross-border mergers.
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Majella Gallagher
Board MemeberMajella Gallagher
Majella Gallagher is a senior leader and human resources director with 22 years of experience in media and publishing.
As an independent consultant, she specialises in human resource and management services, with a focus on strategic planning and organisational change. She provides mediation, facilitation and dispute resolution services and helps organisations navigate complex industrial and employee relations. She is also active as a coach and mentor.
In her two decades at The Irish Times Group, Majella held a number of key roles, including that of Group HR Director and Managing Director of the Irish Examiner and The Echo. Majella has a career history of successful leadership, supporting diversity and inclusion, and delivering digital transformation strategy and organisational change in a complex industrial relations environment.
Prior to joining the media industry, Majella worked in banking at AIB and in Morgan Stanley and Independent Strategy in London.
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Dr. Niki Nearchou
Board MemberDr. Niki Nearchou
Dr. Niki Nearchou is an Assistant Professor in Psychology at University College Dublin (UCD) and leads research on the university's Doctoral Programme in Clinical Psychology. Her work focuses on understanding what helps or harms young people's mental health, especially around self-harm and suicide.
Niki teaches research methods and clinical psychology to doctoral students and has published widely, including research papers, book chapters, and reports. She has shared her work at conferences worldwide.
As the head of the UCD Resilience and Health Laboratory, Niki leads a team of 12 researchers working on funded projects. Her research has been supported by organisations such as the Irish Research Council, European Commission, Health Research Board, and UCD.
She works closely with hospitals and mental health organisations in Ireland, including St Patrick's Mental Health University Hospital and St John of God Hospital, and collaborates with universities in the UK, Greece, France, and Italy.
In 2016, Niki became a Chartered Member of the British Psychological Society, and in 2022, she was recognised as an Associate Fellow for her contributions to psychology. She was awarded UCD's Ad Astra Fellowship in 2019 and has also worked as a research consultant for St Patrick's Mental Health University Hospital.
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Liam O'Brien
Board MemberLiam O'Brien
Liam O’Brien is Head of External Affairs for Vodafone’s EU Cluster markets* and, in addition, Director of Strategy & External Affairs for Vodafone Ireland.
In this EU Cluster role, Liam is responsible for delivering key strategic programmes in local markets, including through best practice sharing and cross-country collaboration, and representing the cluster markets at the Group External Affairs function.
In addition to his European role in Ireland, Liam is responsible for Vodafone’s engagement with key stakeholders such as the media, regulators and Government, as well as for key corporate functions such as Corporate Security, Privacy, Wholesale, Legal Affairs and the Vodafone Foundation.
Liam is a Board member of the Vodafone & ESB joint venture, SIRO – an open-access wholesale provider of FTTH services in regional towns and communities across Ireland. He also sits on the Government’s National Advisory Council for Online Safety.
Liam has broad experience in the global telecommunications market, spending the earlier part of his career mainly in commercial divisions, with a particular focus on strategy & business planning, product management and sales. Liam also has extensive experience working overseas, having spent several years working abroad, including in Australia, Sweden, China & India, in roles spanning operations, business consulting & sales leadership.
Liam holds a Bachelor of Electronic Engineering Degree (1993) and an MBA (2003) from University College Dublin and is an IoD Chartered Company Director
*EU Cluster markets: Albania, Greece, Portugal, Ireland, Romania, Hungary, Czech
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Colin Potts
Board MemberColin Potts
Colin is the Director of Finance & Operations at The Bar of Ireland, the representative body for the barristers’ profession in Ireland. Prior to this, Colin held several senior finance positions in the private sector including healthcare and construction supply. Colin is a commercially experienced Chartered Accountant with over 28 years of experience directing and managing finance functions.
Colin is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Ireland and a member since 1994. In 2017, he completed the Diploma in Corporate Governance at UCD Smurfit Graduate Business School. He has been a board member of the Residential Tenancy Board since 2019 and sits on the RTB Audit and Risk Committee. He has also served on the Pieta Risk and Finance Committee since 2018.
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Anne-Marie Taylor
Board member from 27th January 2025Anne-Marie Taylor
Anne-Marie Taylor is an experienced non-executive director and governance expert, serving on boards such as the University College Dublin Governing Authority, the Irish Hospice Foundation and the Public Appointments Service.
Anne-Marie has extensive consulting experience, having previously worked in senior leadership roles in Accenture. She is currently a partner in Board Excellence, where she leads the Non-Executive Director search service.
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Angela Walsh
Board MemberAngela Walsh
Angela Walsh has worked in mental health services since 1980, qualifying as a Registered Psychiatric Nurse while working at St. Loman’s Hospital and leading the opening of the Tallaght Unit. She further qualified as a Registered General Nurse in 1990 and has held senior nursing positions, including Assistant Director of Nursing.
Angela transitioned into management roles, serving as Senior Manager in Primary Care (1999), Manager for Older People (2003), and Business Manager overseeing disabilities, older people, childcare, primary care, and mental health (2007). In 2015, she became General Manager for Midlands Mental Health Services, and in 2016, she was appointed Head of Mental Health in CHO Dublin North City and County, managing services for a population of 624,000 with a budget of €122 million.
Angela has extensive experience managing statutory and voluntary mental health services, with a particular focus on youth mental health. She has chaired multiple groups, including the Drugs and Therapeutics Committee, Research and Ethics, and the Sláintecare Integration Steering Group. She has contributed to national policy initiatives such as Sharing the Vision and served on national HSE groups, including the Covid-19 Nursing Home Expert Panel.
Angela holds qualifications in Nursing, Management, Lean Healthcare, Governance, and Leadership from institutions including RCSI, IMI, and IPA.
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Mary Walshe
Board MemberMary Walshe
Mary has 36 years’ experience working in the health service. She is a registered nurse and midwife and has worked in senior nursing positions as a clinical nurse manager, Assistant Director of Nursing and Director of Nursing, in Beaumont Hospital, Peamount Hospital and Connolly Hospital. She holds a Bachelor of Nursing Studies, post graduate Diploma in Management, Post graduate Certificate in Neurosciences, Masters in Quality and Safety in Healthcare, and a Diploma in Coaching for Performance.
Mary also worked in acute services as the CEO in Connolly Hospital and in CHO 9 Dublin North City and County in several roles as Area Manager, Head of Social Care and as Chief Officer. In these roles she was the accountable officer for significant budget of 720 million and the delivery of health and social care services to a population of 620,000. Within her remit was responsibility for primary care, mental health, and social care services including disability and older person services. Mary retired from the health service in 2019 and now does healthcare consultancy.
She has served as a board member of Grangegorman Development Agency.