The role of the Board of Directors is to shape the strategic direction of Educate Together in the long term, to guide and support management performance and to monitor progress towards agreed objectives. It is fundamentally a governance role and is at a remove from the day-to-day running of the organisation.
Directors are elected by members and these elected members may co-opt two more. The term of office for elected members is three years and there is a system or rotation whereby a number of directors come to the end of their term of office each year. The Chairperson of the Board is also elected for a three-year term. Persons co-opted to the Board of Directors are co-opted until the following AGM, and usually have specific skills (e.g. financial, marketing, legal, social science, human resources, development/fundraising, etc).
The Dublin-based national office is responsible for carrying out Educate Together’s role as a patron and a management body.
Emma Lane-Spollen
Chairperson
Emma Lane-Spollen joined the Board of Educate Together in April 2019, since then she has held roles as Treasurer, Vice Chair and Acting Chair. In 2023 Emma was elected as Chairperson. She is an independent consultant with extensive experience in strategy, advocacy, organisational development, planning and finance in the private and charity sectors. Prior roles include CEO of the Tomar Trust and Deputy CEO of the One Foundation, and she was a founder and national coordinator for the Ukraine Civil Society Forum. Emma is a qualified management accountant and has extensive charity board experience, currently also serving on the Board of Friends of the Earth.
Niamh Cullen
Niamh has worked in Educate Together since 2006 and is firmly committed to promoting the ethos across the education network. Niamh is the principal of Grace Park ETNS. She holds a Masters’ Degree from UCD and is a qualified primary and post-primary teacher. She also holds a certificate in coaching for school leadership. Niamh was seconded to the Teaching Council in 2015 for 2 years where she worked on national policy for induction and professional learning. She also works part time with the National Induction Programme for Teachers supporting schools undertaking the Droichead process.
John Collier
John is a consultant specialising in product design, marketing and income generation for many organisations. He holds a PhD, an MBA, MSc in Marketing, MSc in Innovation and Strategy, and is a certified Project Manager. He has worked in UCD as a researcher and lecturer and has led research and development teams in a range of multinational companies. John currently sits on the board of management of Cork Educate Together Secondary School.
Doris Abuchi-Ogbonda
Doris has cross sectoral experience in legal practice, community development, youth work and child safeguarding. She is an experienced board member, including on school boards of management and as a Director of The Rights Platform. Culturally versatile, Doris coordinated the Migrant Access Programme, which provides support for the inclusion of, and access to the labour market by migrants.
Síle Larkin
Síle is a Solicitor with extensive legal experience. She was Head of Employment Law at An Garda Síochána , Head of Legal, Research, and Policy at the Policing Authority and Director of Legal Services at the WRC, and also worked at the Equality Tribunal and the Equality Authority. She is a member of the Employment Law Review Group of the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment and has been involved with several professional law associations. Síle is a CEDR-qualified mediator and serves on the Board of Management of Griffith Barracks MDS.
Matt Wallen
Matt holds a degree in Fine Arts and Elementary Education, an MA in English Language teaching, and a PhD in Education and Applied Linguistics. He has taught in elementary schools in Minnesota and primary schools in Ireland. He became principal of Limerick School Project in 2011, and was then appointed founding Principal of Knocknacarra Edcuate Together NS in Galway in 2014. He has published in academic journals and lectured on the topics of multilingualism, intercultural education and continuing professional development for teachers.
Lesley Byrne
Lesley Byrne is an experienced teacher, and principal of Clogher Road Community College, a DEIS school under the patronage of CDETB and in partnership with Educate Together. Lesley has conducted post-graduate research focused on educational access for marginalised communities, and also works with Maynooth University on the Turn to Teach programme, which aims to promote diversity in the teaching profession. She was co-opted to serve on Dublin City Council by the Social Democrats in 2024.
Miriam Hurley
Miriam worked in education for over thirty years striving for exemplary standards, community action, inclusive practices and equality of access for all children. She holds a Masters in Special Education from UCD. As principal of Dalkey School Project she campaigned repeatedly for better educational resources for children: Kids behind the Cuts. Miriam values community action and working together towards a common cause. At Dalkey School Project she introduced restorative practices and peer mediation empowering children to learn to negotiate friendship issues. She promoted the introduction of a Forest School programme that transformed children’s experience of school and continues to provide the benefits of outdoor education. Miriam is chairperson of the Irish Forest School Association, is a board member of Educate Together since May 2022 and is on the board of directors of the Children’s Rights Alliance.
Deirdre Duffy
Deirdre has wide experience across various roles in the public and civil society sectors and is currently CEO of Friends of the Earth. She worked as Deputy Director of the Irish Council for Civil Liberties for 10 years and been a Special Adviser to the Government. She is a former Co-Chair of Comhlámh and has wide charity board experience. Deirdre holds an LLM in Human Rights Law and International Criminal Law from the University of Edinburgh, an MSc in Human Rights and Politics from UCD, and was called to the Bar in 2005.
Siobhán Cassidy
Siobhán is an accomplished finance professional with 15 years of accounting and non-profit sector experience. She is currently Chief Financial Officer at Trócaire, where she manages the financial operations of a multimillion-euro budget across many country offices. She is a Chartered Accountant with experience as Treasurer of two other Irish charities, and also holds and MA in Globalisation.
Colm Kelly
Colm has over a decade of experience as a senior official in a teachers’ trade union. He has expertise in education and employment law, and has contributed strategically to the Education Sector. He engages with the Department of Education and key stakeholders, fostering positive relationships. Colm’s knowledge of governance, risk management, and embedding principles of equality and diversity has influenced educational policies and practices. An experienced speaker, he addresses educational issues at national and international levels.
