Executive Board
Siobhan O Donoghue
Chairperson
Siobhan has been an activist for equality and justice for 20 years. She is a Community Worker and is the director of MRCI for 10 years. Siobhan has worked on many initiatives concerned with women's equality including coordinating the publication of Community Work approach to overcome Violence Against Women (CWC), membership of the National Equality Proofing Guidelines working Group (DJELR) and author of 'Private Homes A Public Concern' (MRCI). Siobhan has also been active in anti-racism work and social and economic Justice Campaigns.
Salome Mbugua
NWCI Deputy Chairperson (AkiDwA- The African & Migrant Women's Network Ireland)
Tel: 01 814 8582
Salome is the founder of AkiDwA the African and Migrant Women's Network Ireland and currently the National Director. Her background is in Social Work and Community Development, she is an activist and advocate of human rights, justice and gender equality She serves on the board of the Equality Authority, Observatory Committee and National Steering Committee on Violence Against Women. She is on the advisory group coordinated by the NWCI on development of NAP by the Department of Foreign Affairs on resolution 1325, women peace and security. She is a Board member of Black European Women Council based in Vienna and is a member and coordinator in Ireland of European Network of Migrant Women based in Brussels and administered by the European Women's Lobby.
Moninne Griffith
(Marriage Equality)
Tel: 01 873 4183
Moninne Griffith is the Director with MarriagEquality, a single-issue organisation working for equal marriage rights for same-sex couples in Ireland.
As part of her role in MarriagEquality, Moninne managed the mobilization, communications and legal functions of the organisation. Moninne also worked on the Irish Equality Authority's report on Enabling Lesbian, Gay and Bisexual individuals to access their rights under the Equality law. Moninne has also worked as a volunteer for Women's Aid. Before moving to the not-for-profit sector, Moninne was a practicing solicitor for ten years and continues to volunteer in this area for the Free Legal Advice Centres in Dublin. Moninne holds a BCL from UCD, was admitted to the roll of solicitors in 1998 and since then completed an MA in Women's Studies in 2007.
Miriam Holt
(National Collective of Community Based Women’s Networks - NCCWN)
Miriam is the Voluntary Chair of Waterford Women's Centre Management Committee, Director of NCCWN, Member of local and regional CDPs Networks, Member of Waterford Volunteering Steering Committee, Member of SIM Committee of Waterford City Council, Member of Waterford Area Partnership's Community Development Strategic Committee, Secretary of Glor na Mara Primary Schools Parents Association.
Recently, Miriam temporarily stepped into the role of National Coordinator of the NCCWN (2010). She is committed to a collective feminist movement in Ireland. Miriam strongly believes that Women's voices, particularly those of marginalised, socially excluded, minority and working class women, must be heard to result in meaningful gender equality.
Sarah Benson
(Ruhama)
Sarah Benson is the Chief Executive Officer with Ruhama, the Non-Governmental Organisation working nationally with women affected by prostitution including victims of sex trafficking. Prior to her present role Sarah was for over seven years the manager of the National Domestic Violence Helpline with Women's Aid. In addition, she has extensive experience of work in the community and voluntary sector both in Ireland and aboard, working particularly with marginalized ethnic minority women and youth.
Sarah is currently also the Irish Expert on Violence Against Women for the European Women's Lobby Observatory.
Sarah's academic background is a Bachelor of Arts from University College Dublin and a Masters of Philosophy (Gender and Women's Studies) from Trinity College Dublin. Throughout her career Sarah's passion for human rights, social justice and equality- in particular for women and girls- has been a constant feature. She currently champions these issues with an organization supporting some of the most marginalized women and girls in Ireland today.
Catherine Lynch
(Longford Womens Link, LWL)
Catherine Lynch is a Board member of LWL a local women's organisation that seeks to ensure women of Longford can reach their full potential in a safe and equal society. Catherine previously worked as Head of services with LWL. She has worked in the area of equality and women's rights since the 1990s. She has worked with NCCWN and National Consultative Committee on Racism - NCCR. She also lectures in UCD and NUI Maynooth on equality issues and works with European Network Against Racism - ENAR Ireland. She has a good knowledge of good governance through sitting on Boards (LWL & AkiDwA) and reporting directly to management committees as well as her consultancy work and studies.
Frances Byrne
(One Parent Exchange & Network (OPEN))
Frances Byrne is the CEO of OPEN, the national network of one-parent families.
A former Deputy Chairwoman of the NWCI, Frances represents the Council's affiliates on the Monitoring Committee of the National Women's Strategy. She has also represented the NWCI on the now defunct National Economic & Social Forum and as an alternate on the National Economic & Social Council.
Frances is a member of the Steering Groups of the Equality & Rights Alliance and the Advocacy Initiative.
A committed feminist, Frances is especially interested in income equality, women's participation in politics & public life and our portrayal in the media. She believes in the importance of the National Women's Council as a force for change in Ireland and wants to support its renewed development in the future.
Sheila Dickson
(Irish Nurses and Midwives Organisation)
Sheila is currently completing her term as President of the Irish Nurses & Midwives Organisation, having previously held the position of Vice-President and Executive Board member for the past eight years. During this time she has helped to strengthen the role of Executive Council, and has successfully lobbied and consulted with key stakeholders, including Government Departments, public and private health care providers, professional bodies and social partners. She has been the INMO representative at the NWCI members meetings for the past four years and has actively participated in this forum.
Suzanne Griffin
(SIPTU)
Suzanne Griffin lives in Tralee Co. Kerry. She has been involved in community development work in a voluntary and professional capacity for over 25 years. She is currently studying for a diploma in Community Development. She has been a Trade Union activist for over 20 years holding many and various elected representative roles. She is currently Vice President of the Public Administration and community division of SIPTU. She is a member of SIPTU's equality committee. She represents Siptu on the Irish congress of trade unions (ICTU) women's committee.
Rosaleen McDonagh
(Pavee Point Travellers’ Centre )
Rosaleen is a board member of Pavee Point Travellers Centre. She Co-ordinated our Violence Against Women Programme for 10 years and she is an active member of the centre for independent living. She has a lot of experience and a proven track record of representing the needs of traveller, roma and other marginalised women in national policy arenas as well as on the media
Sharon Perry
(Southside Women’s Network Action)
Sharon has been involved in the voluntary and community sector since 1999. She has a strong belief in human rights and women's issues. To date she has been a voluntary board member in SWAN from 1999-2010, a voluntary board member in Co. Wicklow community Addiction team 2007-2010, Chairperson of her daughters community playgroup since 2009, member of her son's school's PTA for two years and a member of the NCCWN board at present.
She has also worked as a project worker within a Community addiction team, a coordinator of Greystones family resource centre, at present a family support worker of SWAN
A member of East Coast regional drugs task force sub committees from 2007-2010