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Meet Our Board Members

Our Board Members

Galway Simon Community is governed by a Board of Directors with expertise and experience across a diverse range of areas. In addition, the work of our teams is overseen by six Board Sub-Committees including the Finance and Governance; Services, Quality & Safety; Property; Fundraising & Communications; and Fundraising Development Subcommittees.

Our Board Members give their time on a voluntary basis. They hold meetings regularly to ensure the organisation is well run and meets it obligations as a limited company and registered charity. Their job is to scrutinise everything we do.

Maureen Lynch

Chairperson

Joined Board: 2012

Maureen’s expertise’s lie in the field of HR Management. She has a Masters in Counselling, BA in Psychology, HDip in Personal & Executive Coaching and is also a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel & Development (CIPD).

Henry Cleary

Board Member

Joined Board: 2013

Henry is a Chartered Accountant and is a member of the Executive Committee of Barclays Bank Ireland PLC. A graduate of Dublin City University (B. Accounting & Finance and an MBS), he is also a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and a Member of the Securities and Investment Institute.

Edelle Lawson

Board Member

Joined Board: July 2018

Stephen Mackey

Board Member

Joined Board: November 2018

Stephen’s career included many years in management in banking. He was later director and shareholder in a  property investment company. Currently self-employed as a business, finance, and property consultant.

Dervil O’Reilly

Board Member

Joined Board: May 2019

Dervil has almost 30 years experience in general management and psychotherapy. Following a return to education, Dervil set up privately as a Systemic Psychotherapist, she is a member of the F. T. A. I. & I.C.P. and a graduate of University College Dublin and The Clanwilliam Institute. Dervil is particularly interested the areas of social justice and inclusion.

Paddy Medley

Board Member

Joined Board: May 2019

Paddy Medley is the Managing Director of Hewlett Packard Enterprise Galway Ltd. He holds the role of Senior Director for R&D for Hewlett Packard Enterprise’s services division, Pointnext. He is Chairman of the IT Association of Galway (ITAG). Paddy has over 30 years of progressive experience in the computer industry and has played a key role in maturing the software industry in Ireland. He holds a B.Eng in Electronic Engineering (UL) and an M.B.A in Technology Management (Open University). Paddy has a strong track record of working behind the scenes supporting societal support agencies in the Galway hinterland.

Lorna Cahill

Board Member

Joined Board: July 2019

Lorna grew up in Galway, obtaining an honours BA and LLB from NUIG.  She later studied in the Law Society’s Law School in Dublin, qualifying as a solicitor. She is engaged in private practice with Brian Lynch Solicitors in Galway city.

Paul Shelly

Board Member

Joined Board: July 2019

Paul Shelly, Chartered Acountant FCA, Masters of Business Administration MBA (NUIG), Bachelor of Commerce B.Comm (UCD). He was Partner in EY (Ernst & Young) 1982-2008 specialising in Audit and Corporate Finance/Corporate Recovery. Currently Paul serves as: Independent Non Executive Director (INED) to Acorn Life Insurance DAC and BCWM Plc a Wealth Management company; Director of Galway City Partnership; Member of GMIT Finance Sub Committee. Paul was a Governing Body member of Galway Mayo Institute of Technology (GMIT) 2010- 2015 and is a Past President of Galway Chamber of Commerce. He is an advocate for community development and was Co-Founder of GALWAY 2040 and he played a significant role as Chairman of Galwegians RFC 2011-2018

Lucy Joyce

Board Member

Joined Board: October 2019

Lucy Joyce is a marketing and branding enthusiast. Over the last 17 years, she has worked in both agency as a Strategic Marketing Consultant and in-house, in marketing and commercial roles in O2 before assuming her current position as Project Delivery Manager for the Marketing Communications International Team at Teleflex, a global provider of medical device innovations. This role involves coordinating all marcom projects across the EMEA and APAC regions.

Having volunteered with Childline, led the Galway Rape Crisis Centre rebrand in 2017 and facilitated a message development project with Galway Simon Community in 2018, Lucy has a keen interest in applying her knowledge and skillsets to support the non-for-profit sector.

Billy Owens, Board Member, Galway Simon

Billy Owens

Board Member

Joined Board: March 2021

Billy has experience in training development and quality control in various companies. As a client representative, Billy endorsers the value of the client as a fundamental inclusion in all aspects in the community.

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