Our Board and Staff

Brian Wilson

Chairperson

Brian served in various positions with AIB Group, including Group General Manager in Great Britain and Managing Director in Ireland. He worked as Senior Advisor and Vice President of the World Bank and Director of the Aga Khan Fund for Economic Development. He is a past President of the Irish Bankers’ Federation and Vice President of the European Bankers’ Federation.

Harry Byrne

Harry retired from Guinness Ireland as Director in 1996. He is currently Chairman of the Iveagh Trust, a Trustee of several Pension Schemes and Council Member at the Eye & Ear Hospital.

Barry Connolly

Barry is the founder and Managing Director of Richmond Marketing, a leading supplier of premium beverages in the Irish market. He previously worked as Marketing Director of the Sunday Tribune and was a shareholder and Managing Director of a number of commercial radio stations.

Adrian Crawford

Adrian is a tax partner in KPMG, Dublin. He is an Honours Law Graduate of Trinity College, Dublin, a barrister at law and a Fellow of both the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland and the Irish Taxation Institute. He is also a former President of the Institute of Taxation in Ireland.

Louis Fitzgerald

A chartered accountant, Louis retired from Airticity in 2008 which he had co-founded in 1997. He is also a Trustee & Ambassador at Renewable World (formerly the Koru Foundation) and a director of several investment companies.

Brian Geoghegan

Brian is Director, Leaseplan Ireland and MRPA Kinman. He is a member of the National Economic & Social Council and sits on the Advisory Council of the Policy Institute of Trinity College, Dublin.

Eamonn Heffernan

Eamonn is currently a Non Executive Director of Irish Life & Permanent. An actuary, he was formerly a partner with Mercer Human Resource Consulting. He is a past President of the Society of Actuaries in Ireland and is a former Chairman of the Pensions Board and of the Irish Association of Pension Funds

Sister Stanislaus Kennedy

Sr. Stan is a Religious Sister of Charity and a social innovator. She was a founder member of the National Federation of Youth Clubs; established Focus Ireland, The Sanctuary and more recently The Immigrant Council of Ireland and Young Social Innovators among other organisations.

Dr Brian Keogh

Brian is a physician and Past President/Treasurer of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland. He is also a Former Chairman of the Institute of Public Health-North/South, an Honorary Fellow of the American College of Physicians and author of over 100 scientific publications.

Anna Lee

Anna has worked in the area of community development and anti-poverty since 1986 and has been Manager of the Tallaght Partnership since 1991. She was Chairperson of the Combat Poverty Agency and is currently Chairperson of the South Dublin County Enterprise Board and the Dublin Employment Pact.

Máire O' Connor

Máire is a Solicitor and a former Partner of McCann FitzGerald, where she headed the firm’s Investment Management Group. She is a Director of The Irish Stock Exchange, a member of the Exchange’s Audit Committee and Chair of its Staff Pension Trustees. Máire also holds an MSc in Clinical Psychotherapy (UCD).

John Rockett

John is a chartered accountant and retired in 2008 as Head of Private Banking at AIB. He is a director of a number of private investment companies in Ireland and overseas.

John Gallagher

Goodwill Ambassador

John is Chairman of Crownway Investments. The group manages investments in both private and public companies. He previously founded the Magnum Group and Celtic Utilities. He is currently a Goodwill Ambassador for the Foundation.

Chris Horn

Goodwill Ambassador

CEO, IONA Technologies. Chris is a former Chairman of the Community Foundation for Ireland and currently Goodwill Ambassador at the Foundation.

Tina Roche

Chief Executive

Tina has many years experience in both business and the voluntary sector. Her main interest is in philanthropy, human rights, education, community activism, corporate responsibility, and social capital. Tina has a MBA from IMI/Fordham and has many years business experience having worked as Financial Controller and Company Secretary with The Sunday Tribune. Previous to her present role she worked for The National Gallery as Head of Development 1994 to 1999. She served on the executive board of Amnesty International Irish Section as Treasurer from 1992-1998 and is a current member. Tina also served as a member of the Senate of the NUI from 1993-1997 and is a current board member of Volunteer Centres Ireland and a member of The Philanthropy Forum. Tina is also an ambassador of the Transatlantic Community Foundation Network. Tina is Chief Executive of both the Foundation and its sister organisation, Business in the Community Ireland. You can contact Tina by email at troche@foundation.ie  

Niall O'Sullivan

Head of Fund Development

Niall joined as Head of Fund Development in July 2006.  Niall has many years in the fundraising and not for profit sector and initially worked with Oxfam Ireland before joining an international fundraising consultancy firm, working with clients organisations in Ireland, Britain and USA. From 2001 to 2006 he ran his own consultancy firm. During that time he completed projects for many of Ireland’s leading Irish schools, hospitals and charities. At the Foundation, Niall works with donors and professional advisors  in all areas of philanthropy. You can contact Niall by email at nosullivan@foundation.ie

Helen Beatty

Grants and Donor Services Executive


Helen joined The Community Foundation in May 2007. Having previously worked in the not-for-profit sector for two years, she had a keen interest in working with community and voluntary groups. At The Community Foundation Helen is responsible for the management and administration of all grant schemes. She also works closely with donors to research grant making opportunities and to ensure such grants are carried out according to the donors wishes. You can contact Helen by email at hbeatty@foundation.ie

Eilish Corcoran 

Grants Assistant

Eilish works in the Grants Department, assisting with the administration of grantmaking. You can contact Eilish by email at ecorcoran@foundation.ie

Jackie Harrison

Jackie Harrison was Chief Executive of Philanthropy Ireland from 2007 until August 2010. She previously held a number of senior roles in the Irish Business and Employers Confederation. A former Director of the Ireland France Chamber of Commerce she was nominated as Chevalier in the Ordre National de Mérite in October 2001. She was an Executive Board member of Inter Trade Ireland 2000-2007, a Board member of the Digital Hub 2000 to 2009 and is currently on the Board of Young Social Innovators.
 

Adele McNamara

Grants Assistant

Adele works in the Grants Department, assisting with the administration of grantmaking. You can contact Adele by email at amcnamara@foundation.ie