Board Members

SiSi

Board Members

Siobhán O’Donoghue has been a nurse, a community worker and a social justice activist for many years. Her work in the local community and across the country coupled with a particular interest in women’s equality, economic justice, anti-racism and workers’ rights drew her to Sisi and its collective mission.

As the founding Director of Uplift, Ireland’s largest people-powered campaigning organisation, Siobhan’s experience ranges from community and youth work. She has a Masters in Applied Social Studies, has advocated on national policy and also been at the forefront of campaigning on issues related to women. 

Before she founded Uplift, she was director, Migrant Rights Centre Ireland for 11 years.

Siobhan lives in West Cork which she describes as the perfect base for anyone wanting to live and work on the edge.

Dr Hayley Mulligan has particular expertise in gender and human rights, reproductive rights, reproductive justice theory, feminist legal theory, constitutional law, family law,  criminal law and public policy. She holds a Doctorate of Philosophy (Law) from NUI Galway and a Masters in International Human Rights Law, Bachelors in Public and Social Policy. She also has experience working in the NGO sector specialising in sexual health education including working as an education facilitator in Galway.

As a member of Sisi’s board of directors, Hayley’s ongoing interest in civil rights and social action, education, economic empowerment, poverty elimination, politics, health and the environment are further developed and strengthened.

Orla O’Connor, director of the National Women’s Council of Ireland, which has over 190 member organisations, is passionate about women and their rights, A feminist, she heads up Ireland leading national women’s membership organisation, has led numerous high-level successful campaigns on women’s rights and works alongside others in help to change and improve social policy and legislation. 

Her work as co-director of ‘Together for Yes’ the campaign which successfully removed the Eighth Amendment to the Constitution was recognised by Time magazine which –  in 2019 – voted her as one of the 100 Most Influential People.

Through her work with the NWCI and its membership organisations including Sisi, Orla is deeply committed to ending violence against women, growing women’s economic equality, ensuring access to women’s reproductive rights as well as increasing the number of women who are in leadership positions.

Orla who has an MA in European Social Policy started her career working in local community-based projects, and for over 25 years has held senior management in non-governmental organisations.

Rachel Doyle National Coordinator Community Work Ireland, has 25 years experience of working in the community sector at both local and national  levels. 

She is currently the joint National Coordinator of Community Work Ireland, a national  organisation that supports community work as a means of intervention for social change.  

Throughout her career, she has represented the interests of the community sector nationally and  internationally. 

Her key areas of interest are community development, gender equality and anti-racism. 

Alongside her work as board member of Sisi, Rachel is a voluntary board member of Domestic Violence Response, a community led organisation responding to the issue of domestic abuse in Galway city and county. 

She is a  former co-ordinator of Galway Traveller Support Group, a Traveller Community  Development Project, was national Coordinator of the National Traveller Women’s Forum and worked for a decade as Head of Development and Outreach with the National Women’s Council of Ireland.

June Murphy is a truly inspirational survivor of domestic abuse who once represented her constituency as a Cork County Councillor. No stranger to standing up against abusers she is now the support and development worker for YANA in East Cork and spends her time leading the way to protection for survivor families. 

During her time as a County Councillor, she brought forward a number of  

motions calling for a refuge to be set up in Cork County and she working with Yana and the local council, June helped set up County Cork’s first safe house.  

June is an advocate expert and she works on a daily basis to give voice to women and help in the ongoing  fight to stop and prevent violence against women.

Louise O’Sullivan – Director,  joined the Board in 2022 and has over 21 years’ experience within the not-for-profit sector and has been integral to setting up, managing and rolling out Governance, Fundraising Standards and CRA and Charities Act 09 Compliance in all the not for profits that she has been involved with. She also has extensive experience in executing Fundraising Audits, developing Income Generation strategies and creating and delivering Strategic Plans for charities, not for profits and voluntary organisations experiencing growth and change.  Louise has been involved in the strategic development and sustainability of LeisureWorld, Cork Autism and Irish Guide Dogs during her career – planning, developing and executing plans that met the core business objectives as well as achieving high end strategic goals.  She is a graduate of UCC and NUI Maynooth, graduating with B.A and M.A respectively with specialisms in Music and English.  She holds postgraduate diplomas in Management, Business Development, Digital Marketing and Strategy and Innovation from DIT, UCC and the IMI and was awarded Fundraising Ireland’s Fundraiser of the Year in 2014. She recently completed  a Masters in UCC in Voluntary Community Sector Management.