Michelle Norris
(MSocSc 1995)
Michelle Norris
In May 2020, the Head of UCD School for Social Policy, Social Work and Social Justice, Dr Michelle Norris was appointed...
Social Responsibility and Philanthropy
Maeve O’Rourke
(BCL International 2009)
Maeve O’Rourke
A member of research group, Justice for Magdalenes, Dr Maeve O’Rourke submitted research and analysis on the promotion...
Yemi Adenuga
(Dip Business Studies 2008, BBS 2010, GradCert 2016)
Yemi Adenuga
Yemi Adenuga is Ireland’s first black female councillor, elected to Meath County Council in 2019. She described her el...
Tiernan Brady
(BA Economics and Politics 1994)
Tiernan Brady
Tiernan Brady was appointed Global Director of Diversity and Inclusion for global law firm Clifford Chance LLP in March...
Paul O’Hara
(MSc Marketing 2000)
Paul O’Hara
Founder and CEO of social entrepreneurship platform ChangeX, Paul O’Hara connects people with proven ideas for buildin...
David Farrell
(BA Politics 1981, MA 1983)
David Farrell
Professor Farrell, Head of the School of Politics and International Relations, received the Impact Award 2019 from the I...
Salome Mbugua
(MEqualS 2001)
Salome Mbugua
Salome Mbugua is an equality activist, human rights advocate and founder of AkiDwA, The Migrant Women’s Network. Mbugu...
Gerry O’Connor
(BA 1967)
Gerry O’Connor
Gerry O’Connor, chair at Fiera Closed-End Funds Independent Review and committee board member of Volunteer Toronto, wa...
Michelle Norris
MSocSc 1995
In May 2020, the Head of UCD School for Social Policy, Social Work and Social Justice, Dr Michelle Norris was appointed expert adviser to Housing 2030, run by the UN Economic Commission for Europe, UN Habitat and 56 national governments. Via Housing Europe, which represents 43,000 affordable housing providers, the aim is to expand the capacity of national and local governments to improve housing affordability and sustainability.
Maeve O’Rourke
BCL International 2009
A member of research group, Justice for Magdalenes, Dr Maeve O’Rourke submitted research and analysis on the promotion of truth, justice, reparations and guarantees of non-recurrence in respect of Ireland’s memorialisation of the Magdalene laundries, to the UN Special Rapporteur in February 2020. While seeking justice for victims, O’Rourke lectures in Human Rights Law at NUI Galway, where she is programme director of the BCL in Law and Human Rights.
Yemi Adenuga
Dip Business Studies 2008, BBS 2010, GradCert 2016
Yemi Adenuga is Ireland’s first black female councillor, elected to Meath County Council in 2019. She described her election as “a victory for all women and ethnic minorities”. Adenuga is also a member of the board of Cultúr, a community organisation for migrants, asylum seekers and refugees, promoting an inter-cultural Co Meath and chief executive of the African Women Development Initiative, a network body for migrant women in Ireland.
Tiernan Brady
BA Economics and Politics 1994
Tiernan Brady was appointed Global Director of Diversity and Inclusion for global law firm Clifford Chance LLP in March 2019. Formerly he was executive director of The Equality Campaign, the Yes Campaign in Australia, political director of the marriage equality campaign in Ireland, a director of The Irish Gay and Lesbian Equality Network and campaign director of Equal Future, which addresses challenges facing LGBT children.
Paul O’Hara
MSc Marketing 2000
Founder and CEO of social entrepreneurship platform ChangeX, Paul O’Hara connects people with proven ideas for building communities with investors who have the resources to fund them. Projects range from green schools and repair cafés to tech workshops and pop-up museums. In 2019, ChangeX signed with the UN to create projects in line with the UN’s sustainability development goals. ChangeX is in the process of raising $3m to further develop the platform.
David Farrell
BA Politics 1981, MA 1983
Professor Farrell, Head of the School of Politics and International Relations, received the Impact Award 2019 from the Irish Research Council for a significant contribution to research on electoral systems and the politics of representation in democracies. He is chair of the Finance Sub-Committee of the European Consortium for Political Research, a member of the RIA and also a board member of the Electoral Integrity and Making Electoral Democracy Work projects.
Salome Mbugua
MEqualS 2001
Salome Mbugua is an equality activist, human rights advocate and founder of AkiDwA, The Migrant Women’s Network. Mbugua also helped develop Wezesha, an organisation for women and children affected by conflict and poverty in Africa. A member of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission, in February 2020 she criticised the refusal of the State to issue learner driver permits to asylum seekers.
Gerry O’Connor
BA 1967
Gerry O’Connor, chair at Fiera Closed-End Funds Independent Review and committee board member of Volunteer Toronto, was named Ireland Canada Chamber of Commerce Irish Person of the Year 2020, in recognition of his support of Irish immigrants at the Eamonn O’Loghlin Irish Canadian Immigration Center. He was also recently awarded the Governor General of Canada Sovereign Medal for volunteer work in the Philippines.