Who We Are

IDEA’s members include Development NGOs, community and voluntary organisations, educational institutions and networks, trade unions, educators, researchers and activists. They work across the Formal Education, Adult & Community and Youth sectors, engaging with hundreds of thousands of people of all ages and communities throughout Ireland each year. 

They use a wide variety of tools to engage the Irish public in Development Education and foster global citizenship in this country. This diverse and dynamic group all share a commitment to Development Education, global citizenship, sustainable development, and creating a just and equal future for all.

Code of Good Practice Support Officer

Áine

Boyle

Áine is supporting the implementation and administration of the Code of Good Practice, working closely with IDEA members. She will also work on promoting the Code internationally throughout Erasmus+ project with our Latvian partner.

INTERIM CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT & EVENTS MANAGER

Anya

Sparynska

Anya is currently managing the implementation of IDEA's capacity development events programme with IDEA members, particularly on De knowledge & skills, innovation and impact, as well as our Annual Conference. Anya is staff contact for the IDEA Quality and Impact Working Group.

CODE OF GOOD

PRACTICE

Elaine

Mahon

Elaine Mahon has worked in IDEA since 2013 in a variety of roles focussing on strengthening capacity of IDEA members. Elaine’s strengths lie in the areas of knowledge and understanding of Development Education practice, strengthening quality in educational work, monitoring results and organisational management. Elaine facilitated the development and roll-out of the Code of Good Practice for Development Education, which was led by IDEA members and leads on its implementation in IDEA.

POLICY & ADVOCACY MANAGER

Leigh

Brady

Leigh manages IDEA’s Policy & Advocacy work. This includes championing Development Education via Vision 2025, and developing policy submissions with our members and working groups. Leigh is staff contact for the IDEA Formal Education Working Group.

PUBLIC RELATIONS 

OFFICER



Maximiliana Eligi Mtenga

Maximiliana supports IDEA’s capacity development events programme and communications programme. She also supports the promotion and showcasing of the work of IDEA members and is the staff contact for the IDEA Adult & Community Education Working Group. Maximiliana is a PhD student at the University of Limerick, focusing on ‘Global Citizenship Education in Initial Teacher Education

Chief Executive Officer (CEO)



Ruairí McKiernan

Ruairí is the CEO of IDEA and is responsible for leading the strategic vision of the organisation and ensuring the implementation of the strategy in accordance with our mission and values. His role incorporates overseeing areas including organisational and team development, management, governance, fundraising, and partnerships, as well as championing the role of Development Education and Global Citizenship Education at the national and international level.

finance and operations



Sal

Healy

Sal manages the finance functions within the IDEA and is responsible for administrative support for IDEA’s programme of work, governance, and management. She is IDEA’s staff contact for Membership applications, renewals, and support. 

COMMUNICATIONS & EVENTS MANAGER (on leave)



Éimear

Green

Éimear manages IDEA's communications and events programmes, including IDEA's Annual Conference. She also supports the promotion and showcasing of the work of IDEA members. Éimear is staff contact for the IDEA Adult & Community Education Working Group.

CHAIRPERSON

Bobby Mc Cormack

Bobby Mc Cormack is the co-founder and CEO of Development Perspectives. He previously worked as a Senior Lecturer in the Dept of Humanities in Dundalk Institute of Technology from 2006 - 2019. He has an MA in Development Studies and is a qualified mediator. Bobby was a board member of Dóchas from 2021 - 2024 and in 2017 was the recipient of the Dóchas, “Global Citizen of the Year“. Bobby was the co chair of the CONCORD Development Education and Awareness Raising forum for two years and was a civil society representative in the European Commission multi stakeholder forum for Development Education.

VICE CHAIR

Cara

Ryan

Cara Ryan is the Managing Director of Culturion, a consultancy which focuses on Workplace Culture & HR Strategy. She is also the CEO and Co-Founder of Medlearn, an Educational Technology company aimed at Medical Students & Professors. Cara has extensive experience in HR and in Business Operations working in the Not for Profit sector and in Higher Education for the past 20 years at C-Suite level in both HR and other Corporate Services. She has a BComm in Law & Economics, a BA in Human Resource Management, PGDip in Employment Law and a Masters in HR Strategies as well as Diplomas in Change Management & Business Coaching and is a member of the CIPD. She is ordinarily the Vice-Chair of IDEA’s National Council and Chair of the Nomination & Remuneration Committee. She is currently in the position of Acting Chair. 

TREASURER

Martina

Ryan-Doyle

Martina is the Treasurer of IDEA. She is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA), with over 15 years experience in the pharmaceutical, medical device and construction sectors. Since 2015 she has worked in the Not-for-Profit sector both in Ireland and abroad, as a volunteer and consultant. Martina is currently working with Irish International Development charity Gorta Self Help Africa. 

COMPANY SECRETARY

Pierre

Yimbog

Pierre Yimbog is IDEA’s Company Secretary. He is a Co-founder and Managing Director of Black and Irish and Co-Founder & CEO of his travel start up SoloBook. Pierre has a Bachelor of Law from DIT, a Diploma in Technology and Intellectual Property Law from the Law Society and is currently undertaking a Masters in Corporate Governance at the University of Law. He has previously worked for Engineers Ireland as Community Engagement Executive.

Daniel

Meister

Daniel Meister is Communications Manager with the National Youth Council of Ireland, and has over ten years experience increasing the profile of national non-profit organisations. He has a keen interest in sustainable development and environmental issues, and brings his enthusiasm for Development Education, his communications expertise, and his experience with the youth sector in Ireland to his role on the IDEA National Council. 

Fiona

Duignan

Fiona Duignan is GCE, Integration and EU Projects Officer with Meath Partnership, working on Erasmus KA2 and GCE programmes, primarily targeted at people at risk of exclusion and is a member of the IDEA National Council. Fiona holds a Masters in International Human Rights Law and an honours degree in Law and Administration of Justice. She has over a decade of experience developing and implementing programmes in the not-for-profit sector in Ireland and international volunteer management in the Global South.

Claire

Glavey

Claire Glavey is the Project Officer for Global Village, the strategic partnership for Global Citizenship Education in primary schools. She is a qualified primary school teacher and has a M.Sc. in Development Studies. Prior to this role, she worked as a primary school teacher and on a range of human rights education and development education programmes in the NGO sector. She brings her broad ranging experience of Development Education practice, as well as a strong commitment to strategic and quality-focused work, to the National Council.

Ponke

Danker

Ponke Danker is Coordinator of the Irish Forum for Global Education, a voluntary network of civil society actors and education stakeholders in Ireland committed to promoting knowledge and effective responses to global education issues. She is a qualified human rights lawyer (German qualification) with over 8 years' experience in advocacy, policy, and non-profit management with a passion for social justice, diversity, equality, and inclusion, and promoting education as a human right. Ponke has previously worked with Irish Traveller organisations, as a refugee lawyer in Germany, and interned with International Criminal Tribunals

Mary Coogan 

Mary Coogan is Development Education Programme Manager with Trócaire and has held this role for over 3 years. She currently oversees Trócaire’s development education programme and the Global Village strategic partnership with Irish Aid, in which Trócaire is the lead consortium partner. Prior to joining Trócaire, Mary worked in international volunteer management with Suas and VSO, with a focus on training and learning, particularly in the area of development education. In her time at Trócaire, Mary has developed skills and experience relating to institutional funding, programme development, and team management, and possess strong collaboration, leadership and communication skills. Mary holds an MSC in Development Studies from University College Dublin and a Bachelor of Arts from Trinity College Dublin.

Jenny Gannon

Jenny Gannon is a Kildare native, a primary school teacher, and a graduate of Dublin City University with a Master's in Education with a special focus in Diversity and Inclusion, and a Post-Graduate Diploma in School Leadership. She is currently the Director of the DICE (Development and Intercultural Education) Project that supports work across the four publicly funded initial teacher education institutes in Ireland. In 2019, she received a National Civic Merit Award for her contribution to volunteering with young people as a President’s Award Leader at a ceremony at Farmleigh House and she is beginning her second term on the National Council of Gaisce, The President's Award. She has volunteered extensively with the Irish Girl Guides at both local and national level.