President, Maynooth University

Professor Eeva Leinonen

Professor Eeva Leinonen joined Maynooth University as President in October 2021, after five years of service as Vice Chancellor and President at Murdoch University, Perth, Australia.

Professor Leinonen was born and raised in Finland, where she completed her schooling. She and her two brothers were the first in their family to attend university. Her own experience has cemented her belief in the role of education as a social equaliser, with the power to transform for the better the lives of individuals, families and whole communities.

As part of her education in Finland Professor Leinonen spent a year as an exchange student in Michigan, USA, prior to entering university in England, where she studied linguistics and psychology. She obtained a BSc (Hons) in Linguistics and Psychology (First Class) from Aston University, UK; MPhil in Text Linguistics from Exeter University, UK: PhD in Clinical Linguistics from De Montfort University, UK; Docent (Higher Doctorate) from her hometown university, University of Oulu, Finland; and DSc (Honoris Causa) from Aston University, UK.

Professor Leinonen’s academic research focuses on pragmatic language processing deficits in children and young adults with autistic spectrum disorders. She collaborates with colleagues in Finland and Italy, including recent work on cross-cultural comparison of pragmatic development in typically developing children in these two cultural contexts. She also speaks and writes about higher education topics, including institutional leadership, curriculum and technology enhanced learning.

Professor Leinonen has extensive experience in higher education in the United Kingdom, Europe, Australia and internationally. Prior to joining Maynooth University, she spent over eight years in Australia, where she first held the position of Deputy Vice Chancellor (Education) at the University of Wollongong and then Vice Chancellor of Murdoch University.

Chief Information Officer of DHLGH, Ireland

Dr. Mihai Bilauca

Dr. Bilauca is the most senior adviser to the Minister on ICT and Digital Transformation. Mihai is responsible for driving the government’s digitization agenda for DHLGH (Department of Housing, Local Government and Heritage) with in collaboration with local authorities and agencies under the DHLGH’s remit.

Mihai worked in various roles in ICT Management for UPC Romania and for Limerick City & County Council in various roles, heading the Digital Strategy, ICT, Change Management, Customer Services, Urban Innovation and EU Programmes departments.

In his spare time Mihai continues his academic research in smart cities, mathematical programming, optimization modelling methods and publishes in ACM and other leading computing science journals and conferences. Mihai received a Master of Science (M.Sc.) and Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) from University of Limerick, Ireland and the software engineering degree from “Ștefan cel Mare” University of Suceava, Romania.

Director, Science for the Economy, Science Foundation Ireland

Dr Siobhan Roche

As Director of Science for the Economy at Science Foundation Ireland, Siobhan leads the Foundation’s strategic objectives focused on collaborative research initiatives between academia and enterprise, including the establishment of internationally leading SFI Research Centres and bespoke enterprise partnerships. Siobhan holds a B.A. Mod in Genetics from Trinity College Dublin and a PhD in Molecular and Cell Biology from the University of California at Berkeley (USA). Prior to Science Foundation Ireland, she worked as a research scientist in both the private sector and in third level research, authoring publications in leading, peer-reviewed journals and producing several international patents.

Head of the Research Centres Division at Science Foundation Ireland (SFI)

Dr. Kevin Walsh

Kevin is Head of the Research Centres Division at Science Foundation Ireland (SFI), the national foundation for investment in STEM research.  The Division has responsibility for SFI’s flagship programme and a €581m portfolio of national investment.  He and his team delivered a complete revision of the programme and overhauled the performance management framework to ensure that investments deliver maximum economic and societal impact. He works closely with colleagues from across government and the public sector to shape national policy and strategy to reflect the importance and relevance of Research and Innovation.

Prior to SFI, Kevin spent 10 years in immunology research in Ireland and in the US where his research explored how parasitic worms modulate the immune system and demonstrated their potential to treat inflammatory disease.  Kevin holds a degree in Biochemistry and a PhD in Immunology from Trinity College Dublin.

Senior Data Scientist at Intel Corporation

Robert Gunning

Robert Gunning is a Senior Data Scientist at Intel Ireland, where he plays a crucial role in developing productivity and data analytic solutions for semiconductor manufacturing. His efforts support Intel’s manufacturing sites worldwide, leveraging his expertise to enhance operational efficiency. Robert’s background includes significant experience as a Senior Process Engineer, having made contributions to Intel’s facilities in Ireland, Arizona, and Oregon. His work often involves the innovative use of AI and Generative AI, which are key to advancing manufacturing processes and outcomes.

Robert holds a degree in Theoretical Physics from Trinity college Dublin and continued his studies with PhD in Semiconductor Physics. He continued in academia with postdoctoral work at the University of Limerick, and he has also been a Visiting Fellow in the Department of Physics at the University of Oxford before joining Intel in 2011.

Vice President for Artificial Intelligence at the Future of Privacy Forum

Anne Josephine Flanagan

Anne Josephine Flanagan is Vice President for Artificial Intelligence at the Future of Privacy Forum, a Washington DC-based non-profit with offices globally. FPF serves as a catalyst for privacy leadership and scholarship, advancing principled data practices in support of emerging technologies.  Anne leads FPF’s portfolio of projects exploring the data flows driving algorithmic and AI products and services, their opportunities and risks, and the ethical and responsible development of this technology.

An international policy expert in Data and Artificial Intelligence, Anne is an economist and strategic technology governance and business leader with 18+ years’ experience on five continents, including in the EU and the U.S.

Anne spent over a decade in the Irish government and EU institutions, including developing Ireland’s technical policy positions and diplomatic strategy in relation to EU legislation on telecoms, digital infrastructure, and data. She has represented Ireland in the EU Digital Single Market Strategic Group at the European Commission, the Working Party on Telecommunications and Information Society at the Council of the European Union and was responsible for foundational work on the EU’s Digital Single Market, including the EU’s early approach to AI governance.

Since moving to the U.S. in 2019, Anne has held several senior positions in technology policy, where she has helped senior technology business leaders shape responsible and sustainable technology development through her research, advice, and expertise. At the World Economic Forum, she developed and led a global portfolio of work on Data Policy and later led cross-product policy strategy for Reality Labs Policy at Meta Platforms Inc. in San Francisco, California.

Anne holds a Masters in Economics and Political Science from Trinity College Dublin, a Masters in International Relations from Dublin City University, and a Masters of Business Administration from Trinity College Dublin.

Director and Head of Data Analytics and AI at BearingPoint Ireland

Stephen Redmond

Stephen Redmond is a Director and Head of Data Analytics and AI at BearingPoint Ireland, where he leads on innovative and impactful projects that help transform businesses using Data and AI. He is an author of several technical books and articles, including the bestselling Mastering QlikView. Throughout his long career he has delivered client value in Data and Analytics, Reporting and Business Intelligence, Data Science and AI. He has worked with clients across multiple sectors, including financial services, retail, manufacturing and healthcare, using data to help them overcome their complex challenges. He is passionate about innovation and emerging technologies, such as Generative AI, and he is committed to developing the next generation of data professionals at BearingPoint. He believes in the transformative power of data and its potential to shape the future of business and the World.

Digitalisation Lead, Siemens Ireland

Joan Mulvihill

As the Digitalisation Lead for Siemens in Ireland, Joan Mulvihill continues to be at the forefront of driving technology adoption in Ireland. Having held the position of CEO of the Irish Internet Association for 7 years, followed by 2 years as the Centre Director for the Irish Centre for Cloud Computing and Commerce, her role at Siemens builds on Siemens’ and her deep commitment to and understanding of the needs of Irish business for their digital transformation. Digitalisation means working differently. Siemens will always work with their clients to meet their operational technology needs with world class products and services and now through Digitalisation, Siemens leverages its domain expertise with clients to transform and create the businesses of their future.

Director of Innovation Value Institute

Professor Markus Helfert

Markus Helfert is the Director of IVI and Director of Empower – the SFI funded Programme on Data Governance. He is also Professor of Digital Service Innovation and Director of the Business Informatics Group at Maynooth University. He is a Principle Investigator at Lero – The Irish Software Research Centre and at the Adapt Research Centre. His research is centred on Digital Service Innovation, Smart Cities and IoT based Smart Environments and includes research areas such as Service Innovation, Intelligent Transportation Systems, Smart Services, Building Information Management, FinTech, Data Value, Enterprise Architecture, Technology Adoption, Analytics, Business Process Managem ent. Prof. Helfert is an expert in Data Governance Standards and is involved in European Standardisation initiatives. Markus Helfert has authored more than 200+ academic articles, journal and book contributions and has presented his work at international conferences. Helfert has received national and international grants from agencies such as European Union (FP7; H2020), Science Foundation Ireland and Enterprise Ireland, was project coordinator on EU projects, and is the Project coordinator of the H2020 Projects: PERFORM on Digital Retail.

Broadcaster/Journalist/Author; Founder/CEO of SkyeByte productions

Karen Coleman

Karen Coleman is an award-winning broadcaster, journalist and documentary filmmaker from Ireland. She is the editor of EU News Radio (Ireland) which reports on EU stories from the European Commission, European Council and other EU Institutions for Irish radio stations. Karen was previously editor of EuroParlRadio which covered news from the European Parliament for Irish media.
Karen is also the founder and CEO of Irish company SkyeByte productions which makes multi-media content for online platforms and broadcasting outlets. A former BBC foreign correspondent, Karen has been covering European and international affairs for radio and television for many years. She has worked for both the public and commercial broadcast industries including a ten-year stint with the BBC. Karen presented the award-winning international affairs radio show The Wide Angle on Newstalk radio in Ireland for many years. She is the author of “Haunting Cries” which is about the abuse of children in Irish religious institutions.
Karen regularly moderates high-level national and international/EU conferences that cover a wide range of topics from complex EU issues to economic, environmental, climate, marine, political, health and other topics

Co-founder and CEO of PrivacyEngine (Sytorus)

John Ghent

John is co-founder and CEO of PrivacyEngine (formerly known as Sytorus). PrivacyEngine leverages cutting-edge technologies to deliver end-to-end Data Protection solutions around the world with over 80,000 active users.

John has an entrepreneurial background that spans several decades and is a thought leader in Machine Learning and Data Protection. John’s extensive experience developing and scaling smart technology solutions has revolutionised compliance for Data Protection Officers.

John holds a PhD and BSc in computer science from the National University of Ireland, Maynooth and in addition, he has enriched his knowledge and skills by completing an Executive Education Programme via Harvard Business School.

CIO of Cork City Council and Chairperson of the Irish Local Government ISAC

Ruth Buckley

Ruth Buckley is CIO of Cork city council and Chair of the LGI-ISAC (local government Ireland Information Sharing Analysis Group). She has a BSc in Computer Science from UCC, an MBA from Henley Management College and is currently progressing her PDEng with UL in the area of cyber situational awareness for ISACs.

Ruth has over 30 years working in the ICT sector in both the private and public service sectors and has program managed major digital transformation projects including the Cork city boundary extension, major ERP projects and the migration to on-line public services which is on-going. In 2015, she co-founded the iWish Stem company which actively encourages the uptake of STEM subjects to young transition year girls through collaborations with industry practitioners and third level institutions. Ruth has received several industry and academic awards including the 2017 Alumni award from UCC, the IT leaders award 2020 from it@cork and the 2023 award from Maynooth IVI (Innovation and Value Institute) for Digital Transformation for her work on ISACs in Ireland.

CEO & co-founder of Kinzen (acquired by Spotify). Founder of social news agency Storyful (acquired by News Corp). Led Twitter's media team in Europe. Former TV news anchor & foreign correspondent.

Mark Little

Director of TECH Hub, Mastercard; Board member of Women in technology and science (WITS) foundation

Sabrina Staunton

Chair, Governing Authority, University College Dublin

Mike Beary

Mike Beary was Country Manager Ireland for Amazon Web Services (AWS) from 2017 to 2023 and HR Director for AWS Europe, Middle East & Africa responsible for 25,000 staff across 33 countries. As Ireland country manager, he guided investment decision making for the company in Ireland, overseeing over €10B in inward investment into Ireland and growing staff three-fold to 6,500+. Mike regularly represented AWS with external stakeholders including government leaders, policy makers and media and played a leadership role in AWS community engagement, including supporting initiatives around sustainability, local workforce development, and girls in tech.

Mike joined Amazon in Seattle in 2012. He was an integral member of the Amazon Marketplace leadership team, where he served as the global HR Director, and was responsible for facilitating the rapid growth of that organization over four years.

Prior to joining Amazon, Mike held senior HR leadership roles with Disney Consumer Products – a division of The Walt Disney Company – extending the Disney brand to merchandise ranging from apparel, toys and home décor to books and magazines, foods and beverages, stationery, and electronics.

Originally from Co. Meath, Mike moved to the US to attend graduate school. He spent several years as a social worker before transitioning to human resources roles in Pittsburgh, Washington DC and Los Angeles. Mike holds a Bachelor of Social Science from University College Dublin, and Master of Social Work from University of Pittsburgh. He and his husband split their time between Dublin and the Central Coast of California.

Mike was nominated by the Minister of Health to the Board of Tallaght University Hospital in 2021 and previously served on the boards of IBEC and the American Chamber of Commerce in Ireland. He was ratified as Chair of the Governing Authority of University College Dublin in November 2023. Ranked within the top 1% of higher education institutions world-wide, UCD is Ireland’s largest university with 38,000 students drawn from 152 countries with an annual budget of €750M.

CEO of Advantage Austria

Josef Treml

Josef Treml is the CEO of Advantage Austria in Dublin. Before his assignment to Ireland in 2018, he worked for Advantage Austria in Serbia, Mexico and Switzerland and gathered extensive experience in consulting Austrian companies entering new markets. Hands-on advice on how to deal with different cultures and language environments as well as the assessment opportunities and risks in new markets are his core competences.

Josef holds a JD in European Competition Law of the University of Vienna Law School and an MBA of IE Business School in Madrid. He is a law graduated from the University of Graz having attended courses in Austria, Spain and the US. Josef teaches “Export Management” at the University of Economics, Management and Finance in Vienna since 2015. He is married to a woman from Madrid with whom he has two daughters and a son.

Founder, CEO of Junior Einsteins Science Club; STEM education leader

Tracey-Jane Cassidy

Executive Officer of Empower

Denise Manton

Denise Manton has 20+ years of multi-disciplinary experience with a focus on innovation driven technology and digital transformation initiatives both in industry and in academic research environments, operating at various levels from software engineering to senior management. In her role as Executive Officer of Empower, she will drive the long-term strategic planning of the research programme and lead engagement and collaboration with diverse stakeholder groups, building a community of practice to overcome the global challenges in the area of data governance. Denise is also responsible for ensuring the key objectives are met and growth of the programme achieved.

Digital Construction Cluster Lead

Dr Zohreh Pourzolfaghar

Zohreh Pourzolfaghar is Assistant Professor for the School of Business in Maynooth University. She is a members of Lero, the Science Foundation Ireland Research Centre for Software. Zohreh formerly has been Research Fellow at Innovation Value Institute (IVI), Maynooth University’s digital transformation research centre. She is a senior research member of the Business Informatics Group. She is the theme lead in a project investigating the application of Enterprise Architecture in Smart Cities, funded by Science Foundation Ireland (SFI). She has been Principle Investigator for an Industry Fellowship Programme, funded by SFI. Zohreh presented her work at international conferences and has published research in Journals and Conference Proceedings. Zohreh is also leading research within the Cost Action CA16222 (WISE-ACT), a European-wide network.  She has been thematic lead in a successful European Marie Curie PERFORM project. She is a member of the supervisory board of the EU project PERFORM, that focuses on Digital Retail. She has been awarded the SFI industry fellowship (2018) working with industry on topics related to Smart Cities and Building Information Management. She is the Co-PI for submitted H202 Techland proposal. Zohreh received her Ph.D. in Project Management in design process of building projects. Zohreh has years of experience working with project-oriented construction companies to improve organisatioanal productivity and their work processes.

Professor of Management Information Systems, Maynooth University

Professor Brian Donnellan

Professor Brian Donnellan is Professor of Management Information Systems at Maynooth University.

Previous senior management positions in Maynooth University include  Vice President of Engagement and Innovation, Vice President and Dean of International Affairs and Academic Director of the Innovation Value Institute. He is active researcher in four Science Foundation Ireland research centres.

A native of County Clare, he graduated from University of Limerick with a B. Engineering in Electronic Engineering, an MBA and PhD (Computer Science and Information Systems). Prior to becoming an academic, Brian spent 19 years working in the IT industry, where he was responsible for Computer-Aided-Engineering for New Product Development.

Founder, International Women in Tech; Cloud Solution Architect, Microsoft

Jeevantika Linaglwar

Jeevantika Lingalwar is a Cloud Solution Architect in Microsoft. She is a Msc. In Cloud Computing and a B.E in Computer Science Engineering. Jeevantika is very passionate about Women in Technology and Diversity & Inclusion. She founded International Women in Tech group and is leading a community of more than 5800 amazing members. She is a technology speaker and talks about the trending technology like AI and Quantum Computing. Jeevantika is very determined to help and motivate young minds, she is a mentor to 60 young kids aged 8-15 years and teaches them about “Future in/of AI”. Jeevantika also has her own free mentorship program called as “Coffee chat with Jeevantika. She recently Started her own podcast called – The Unplanned Journey: Thriving amidst the Unpredictable that celebrates the resilience of women navigating unexpected paths in life, shedding light on the challenges faced in careers, personal growth, and societal expectations. Jeevantika is a mentor to international university students in Ireland. Jeevantika also inspires and motivates young girls to embark on rewarding careers in STEM, fostering a passion for innovation and exploration. Jeevantika is also nominated for various women in tech leadership awards in Ireland. An entrepreneur, leader, and a Tech speaker Jeevantika is passionate about helping others grow and share her experience and knowledge with everyone.

Award Winner

WomenTech Global Ambassador Award of the year 2021

Featured:

Featured In an article/magazine as young women in tech Rising Star by AOTMP

Award Finalist:

Nominated as the Voice of New Era of Leaders

Rising Star award of the year 2023

Diversity and Inclusion Tech Leader Award Finalist 2023

Woman of the Year award 2021

Mentor of the Year award 2021

Community award of the year 2021

Personal Success Mantra: “I don’t fear losing, I fear not not trying”

Associate Professor and Head of the Informatics Department at Linnaeus University

Dr. Arianit Kurti

Dr. Arianit Kurti works as an associate professor and Head of the Informatics Department at Linnaeus University in Sweden. Dr. Kurti has more than 16 years of international academic working experiences that includes among other universities in Sweden, Kosovo, and Macedonia. Beside this, Dr. Kurti has a four-year research leadership experience working as a studio director of RISE Research Institutes of Sweden in Norrköping. Dr. Kurti has a strong applied research interest on interactive and visual computing and its applicability across different application domains. The guiding research challenge that he has been investigated is related to the finding the most optimal approaches and methods for reaching sustainable digitalization using interactive and visual computing. Throughout his research and academic career, Dr. Kurti has participated and coordinated academic and research projects totalling 8 mil. € funded through, among others: EU EACEA, EU H2020, Swedish Knowledge Foundation, Swedish Innovation Agency (Vinnova), Wallenberg Foundation, Swedish Research Council for Sustainable Development (FORMAS) etc. Recently he has been awarded two large grants from EU Horizon calls focusing on transforming the forest environment monitoring, data acquisition, and analysis, and capture value from the collected data by implementing innovations based on artificial intelligence (AI) and the Internet of Things (IoT).

Country Executive at 30% Club Ireland sponsored by Matheson LLP

Gillian Harford

Gillian Harford is a senior HR Executive who works directly with client organisations focusing on diversity and workplace change.  Sponsored by Matheson LLP she also operates as the Country Executive for the 30% Club, a global campaign supported by Chairs and CEOs driving gender balance on Boards and at cSuite.  Gillian is the former Head of HR Strategy & Planning with AIB where, with a career spanning almost 40 years, she has been responsible for significant people change with particular focus on Culture, Career, Diversity and Agile Work.

Gillian holds a BA, an MBA from Michael Smurfit Business School UCD, and the Professional Diploma in Corporate Governance, UCD.   She is a member of the Institute of Directors, fellow of CIPD, and a fellow of the Institute of Bankers.  Gillian is a member of the Board for the Central Remedial Clinic and an Advisory Group member for the government-based initiatives Balance for Better Business and the Women in Finance Charter.

Consultant , and non-exec board member

Terry Landers

Senior Consultant at Open Data Institute

Tara Lee

Tara is a Senior Consultant at the ODI, leading projects in a variety of sectors including education, health and physical activity, media disinformation, net zero, smart data, and water. Her work supports corporate and non-profit organisations, governments and academia.

She joined the ODI in 2018 to lead the engagement team for OpenActive, a Sport England-funded initiative to help more people become physically active through open data. She now runs open innovation challenges, supports organisations to write open data strategies, stewards data sharing advisory boards and advises on community engagement when opening data.

The ODI is a non-profit company committed to promoting and advancing trust in data, including open data, shared data and closed – or private – data.

Prior to joining the ODI, Tara was a senior consultant at Upshot, a project management, monitoring and evaluation system. While there she consulted with and supported over 100 community organisations from across the UK to measure and demonstrate their impact.

Assistant Professor, School of Computing, Dublin City University

Dr. Tai Tan Mai

Tai Tan Mai is an Assistant Professor in the School of Computing, at Dublin City University and an academic collaborator of the ADAPT centre. Tai obtained his PhD in Computer Science at Dublin City University, funded by the Irish Research Council. His current research interests include learning analytics, process mining and complex systems in education, healthcare and finance. Before his time in Ireland, Tai was a university lecturer as well as an experienced Developer & IT Consultant with years of working in the information technology and services industry in Vietnam.

Founder of Fortify Institute

Jan Carroll

Jan Carroll, founder of Fortify Institute, is an internationally recognised cybersecurity educator and trainer, delivering flexible, innovative training solutions to help close the skills gap and increase diversity in the industry. Recently named Most Inspiring Woman in Cyber 2024. A lifelong learner and collector of industry certs, Jan has embarked on a Professional Doctorate focusing on cybersecurity, SMEs and training.

Project Manager and Deputy Head of Department Digital Agenda, City Administration Ulm

Sindy Wuerffel

Sindy Wuerffel holds a Masters’ Degree in Cultural Studies from the European University Viadrina in Frankfurt (Oder), Germany. Before joining Ulm municipality in 2021, she gained 10 years of experience in EC funded programmes in the domain of (digital) vocational education and training at the Chamber of Commerce Eastern Brandenburg. For the city she managed the project “IOT4EU – Internet of Things for Europe – Shaping Digital Sustainability Together in Europe”, aiming to foster European collaboration on the topics smart digitalization and innovation. At Digital Agenda Office of the City Administration Ulm she is responsible for project acquisition on the topic City of the Future/Smart City, implementation and deputy departmental management.

Streaming Coordinator, RTÉ Sport

Zoe Ryan

Having graduated top of her class with a 1.1 BA in Communication Studies from DCU, Zoe went on to complete an MA in Radio & Television Broadcast Production at IADT to expand her skills and knowledge in the broadcast industry. She started out her broadcasting career in radio as a Reporter with her local station, Midlands 103, then joined their newsroom team upon completing her undergraduate degree. In between college courses, she worked with them as a Newsreader, Researcher and Assistant Producer on their main morning current affairs talk show Midlands Today. After working part-time with RTÉ throughout her master’s year, she was offered a full-time position with the national broadcaster upon completing her thesis. She currently works as a Streaming Coordinator with them, overseeing the output of content across the GAAGO and URC TV online streaming platforms. She says live streaming is an especially exciting sector to work in, namely due to the volume of live content they can deliver at a given time. “With traditional, linear broadcasting, you can only put one event out on a certain TV channel at a time but with online streaming, in theory, we can put out an infinite amount of live events simultaneously, something the linear broadcasters just don’t have the capacity to do.”
Outside of that, in 2021, Zoe founded the psoriasis awareness platform Itching To Tell You. She wanted to utilise the resources available to her through her profession to create an easily accessible resource to help those living with the condition, which she herself has, better treat, manage and live with it. Her advocacy work has led to her involvement in campaigns such as IPHA’s Innovate For Life, on-air and on-screen appearances including Today with Claire Byrne and Ireland AM, her speaking at events like UCC’s DermDay Conference and writing articles for a host of national and international publications.

field CTO of Dell Technologies Ireland

Ivor Buckley

Ivor Buckley is field CTO of Dell Technologies Ireland. With over 25 years of experience in technology and technology sales, Ivor is a deeply experienced expert in helping business to develop Digital & IT transformation strategies across areas including AI, hybrid, private and multi-Cloud design and cyber resilience. Prior to joining Dell, Ivor worked at Royal Bank of Scotland in London across its storage and technology infrastructure. Ivor holds a Bsc in Applied Physics and Electronics from the University of Galway and a Higher Diploma in Applied Physics from University College Cork. 

Head of Data Governance Unit in the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer

Lorraine McNerney

Lorraine McNerney is Head of Data Governance Unit in the Office of the Government Chief Information Officer.  Her work programme involves data related activities including delivery of the Public Service Data Strategy, overseeing the implementation of the Data Sharing and Governance Act and an analytics team providing support to areas of current expenditure, as well as representing Ireland as co-Chair on the United Nations Expert Group for the Integration of Statistical and Geospatial Information.

Head of Consultancy for Governance, Risk & Compliance, PrivacyEngine

Nollag Conneely

Nollag Conneely is a highly experienced Data Protection Officer with an MSc in Cybersecurity Management, an MSc in Human Resource Management, and an MA in Leadership, Management and Defence. A Privacy and Cybersecurity SME. He is a co-author of the NATO Hybrid and Cybersecurity Threats Curriculum. Nollag is Course Co-ordinator and lecturer for the Information Governance course at European Security and Defence College, Brussels. He is also a member of the CEDPO DPO Working Group. He is a speaker and contributor for the Irish Computer Society and ADPO

Director of Reichert Consulting: Policy and Strategy Development for Higher Education

Dr. Sybille Reichert

Since her Ph.D. from Yale University (1994) Sybille Reichert has been working as an international expert on Higher Education policy development, internationalisation, strategic capacity building and organisational reforms of universities at European, national and institutional levels. After three years at ETH Zurich where she coordinated strategic planning, Reichert has established her own consultancy in 2004 Reichert Consulting: Policy and Strategy Development for Higher Education, which focuses on HE reform and change management in light of international higher education developments, with mandates all over Europe and beyond. After several years as chancellor of the University Erlangen-Nürnberg where she solved the structural budget deficit, secured major campus development projects, introduced systematic staff development and expanded internationalisation services, Reichert resumed her international consulting practice. A central focus has been on innovation in higher education, in diversification of academic career paths, in approaches to teaching and learning as well as on the role of universities as central agents in innovation ecosystems. Her comparative studies for the European University Association and European Commission have contributed to new approaches to universities’ third mission, as have her mandates for innovation strategy development at university and regional level (e.g. Bremen, Dresden, Münster, Nürnberg). Reichert also participates frequently in formative university evaluations all over the world, in recent years as chair of institutional evaluations and accreditations of the Central European University, Vilnius University and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology.

As chair of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Université de Lyon (2017 to 2020) Reichert accompanied the development of the Lyon university consortium in view of excellence-driven internationalisation. As a member of the Austrian Science Council (2016-2021) Reichert reviewed the Austrian university and research system in light of international sector development and global challenges.

A/Head of Enterprise, Kildare County Council

Claire Dunleavy

Focused on piloting new approaches to promoting entrepreneurship and engagement with start-ups and established businesses across Kildare, Claire leads on sector development, RD&I, export scaling, sustainability, competitiveness and digital transformation.

With an MBA and significant business development experience, Claire has worked closely with many Kildare companies securing start-up, expansion and R&D funding.

Smart D8 Ecosystem Manager / Postdoctoral Researcher at SFI ADAPT Research Centre / Maynooth University

Dr. Jack R. Lehane

Dr. Jack R. Lehane is a postdoctoral researcher at SFI ADAPT Research Centre for the industry-partnered role of Smart D8 Ecosystem Manager with Smart Dublin. He holds a PhD in Architecture from University College Cork, Ireland, alongside which he delivered Design Studio and lecture contributions at Cork Centre for Architectural Education (CCAE). Jack’s research interests include healthy and platform urbanism, built and digital environments, social ecologies, neuroarchitecture, sustainable development, community-engaged praxis and policy reform. He has contributed to a diversity of international networks, projects and programmes including UNIC (European University of Post-Industrial Cities), the EU Energy Pathfinder Project, A–D (Architecture in Development), and is co-chair of the All-Ireland Architecture Research Group (AIARG). Currently, he is working on applying novel methods for mobilising stakeholder and community engagement within pilot projects, embedding research and technology ethics in health innovation, and developing and evaluating interventions and roadmaps to progress the development of the ecosystem and Smart D8 programme www.smartd8.ie // linkedin.com/in/jacklehane

WHO Technical Consultant, WHO; legal academic

Ciara Staunton

Ciara Staunton is a legal academic with extensive international experience working in Europe and Africa. Her expertise is on the legal and ethical issues in the field of biobanks, genomics, stem cells, health data, data protection and governance, scientific research, and public health. Ciara has extensive experience in enabling individuals and organizations to understand and comply with the legal and ethical requirements that must be met in their scientific research, delivery of care, and use of data in Europe, Africa, and other parts of the world.

Chief Information Security Officer at Stryve

Paul Delahunty

Paul Delahunty is Chief Information Security Officer at Stryve, a leading Irish multi-cloud and cybersecurity company. As CIO and IT Leaders Security Leader of the Year 2023 and the Tech Excellence CIO of the Year 2024, Paul has established himself as one of the top Information Security experts in the country. A certified CISSP (Certified Information Systems Security Professional) with over ten years of experience in information security, Paul a BSc and a Higher Diploma in Applied Physics, both from Maynooth University. As a founding member of the Southeast Cyber Ireland committee, Paul shares his knowledge helping to build a cybersecurity community across the country which links with Cyber Ireland’s national activities. He is also an active ICTTF (International Cyber Threat Task Force) member.

Paul is a popular keynote speaker at national and international cybersecurity conferences and events, including IDEAM’s “Smart Industrial Control Systems”, AtlanTec, Tech Connect, Numatas “Cyber Resilience in 2024” and Kyte Consulting’s “The Evolution of Cloud”. He is a regular contributor to the national conversation on cybersecurity in print media, radio and television.

Senior Postdoctoral Researcher, FutureNeuro research centre

Laura Whelan

Laura completed her doctoral research under the supervision of Professor G. Jane Farrar in the School of Genetics and Microbiology at Trinity College Dublin. Her research focused on determining the underlying genetic cause of inherited retinal disease in patients who had not yet received a genetic diagnosis. Following this, Laura spent time working at the cancer genetics service at St. James’ Hospital and worked with the genetic counselling team as a genomic associate, where she gained valuable insights into clinical genetics. Laura is currently working as a Senior Postdoctoral Researcher on the Irish arm of the European Genomic Data Infrastructure Project in the FutureNeuro research centre at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland under the supervision of Professor Gianpiero Cavalleri. Laura has a keen interest in digital health, public and patient involvement in research, and the integration of genomics into healthcare practice.

Professor, School of Pharmacy and Biomolecular Sciences, RCSI

Prof Gianpiero Cavalleri

Gianpiero Cavalleri is Professor of Human Genetics, Deputy Director of the SFI FutureNeuro Research Centre and Director of the Human Genetic Variation Research Group at RCSI. Prof. Cavalleri is also Deputy Director (Translational Research) of the RCSI Office of Research and Innovation. Gianpiero was awarded a Ph.D. in human genetics at University College London in 2006. Prior to his arrival at RCSI, he worked at the Institute for Genome Science and Policy at Duke University, North Carolina. He was appointed to faculty at RCSI in 2008. Prof. Cavalleri has published over 160 articles in leading peer reviewed international journals including Nature, Nature Genetics, PNAS and the New England Journal of Medicine. AHis research group works at the interface of computational biology, clinical diagnostics and population genetics

Clinical Research Consultant and Patient Advocate; Chair of Bord of the NCBRS Worldwide Foundation

Nuala Ryan

Nuala is the Chair of Bord of the NCBRS Worldwide Foundation and the mother of a child with NCBRS, so has day to day experience of the challenges the syndrome can cause for children with NCBRS and hence the areas of neurological research that can help with this.

Nuala has 30 years drug development experience, both in pre-clinical and clinical development of compounds across numerous indications and therapeutic areas globally. She has a BSc in Pharmacology, a Diploma in International Business Management and training in Patient Advocacy and Engagement through IPPOSI in Ireland along with their Educational partners (UCD, Trinity College and the HPRA). Nuala is also experienced in the management of multiple EU funded Public Private Partnerships, involving co-ordinating activities of 40+ global academic, pharma, technology and Patient Organisation groups working together to solve key health related issues.

As well as being Chair of the Board of Trustees for the NCBRS Worldwide Foundation, Nuala serves on Steering Committees for multiple projects and Initiatives such as: Genomics Data infrastructure Ireland (GDI), Future Neuro RCSI Governance Committee, Member of the Health Product Regulatory Authority (HPRA) Patient panel, Member of the Pharmacy Taskforce Ireland, Former Board member of Genomics Medicines Ireland among others. Nuala has close working relationship with RCSI through membership of the FutureNeuro Public and Patient Involvement (PPI) panel and involvement in many other activities at RCSI, such as lecturing on PPI to students, work in the NeuroInsight Dragons Den. Nuala was also part of the committee that developed the Framework for Quality Improvement in Public and Patient Involvement (PPI) in health and social care research

Managing Director of Corballis Consulting Ltd; Director, ICE Media Limited

Timothy Kelly

As Principal of Corballis Technologies, Timothy Kelly has overseen the successful delivery of major software projects across a wide array of sectors, including Aviation, Defence, Border Security, Law Enforcement, and Architecture, Engineering, and Construction (AEC). His leadership and innovative approach have been instrumental in driving the company’s growth and reputation for excellence.

After graduating as a software engineer from Dublin City University (DCU), Timothy began his career with FLS Aerospace and SR Technics in Ireland. He later joined the Aerospace Psychology Research Group (APRG) within the Psychology Department at Trinity College Dublin, where he developed expertise in human factors, organizational culture, risk management, and change management.

In 2010, Timothy founded Corballis Technologies, where he has served as Managing Director to the present day. Under his guidance, the company has become a leader in providing cost-effective and high-quality enterprise software solutions and services to the international market. Timothy’s work has not only advanced the technological capabilities of his clients but also contributed to critical research and development projects funded by the European Union and the European Defense Agency.

Consultant in Clinical Genetics; Interim National Clinical Director of the National Genetics and Genomics Office

Dr Emma McCann

Dr Emma McCann is a consultant in Clinical Genetics and Interim National Clinical Director of the National Genetics and Genomics Office.

Managing Director and VP Unum Ireland at Unum

Padraig O’Neill

Proven Commercial Technology leader in turnaround and growth situations passionate about driving solutions for service, sales and delivery. Over 25 years’ experience combining best of breed consulting experience, practical industry knowledge, technical grounding and people skills to revitalise leadership teams and businesses

Experienced Managing Director with a demonstrated history of working in SaaS and B2B environments. Skilled in Customer Relationship Management (CRM), IT Strategy, Management, Start-ups, Outsourcing. and Mergers and Acquisitions

Chief Privacy Officer (CPO) for the European COST Action entitled “Fintech and Artificial Intelligence in Finance”

Dr Maria Moloney 

Data Analyst, at Smart Cities, Dublin City Council

Khizer Ahmed Biyabani

Khizer works as a Data Analyst at Smart Cities, Dublin City Council. Conducting robust data analysis on complex sensor data, and providing valuable insights, developing data visualisations to enhance decision-making process and bringing data to life for sharing the info, with both technical and non-technical stakeholders. Khizer have done his Masters as an MSc in Artificial Intelligence from Dublin City University and he is a Bachelor of Technology (B. Tech.) in Computer Science and Engineering from Dr. BATU, India. He is currently involved in implementing Generative AI solutions for Dublin City Council staff, by providing the necessary training with series of workshops entitled as ‘expl[AI]n’. The goal of these series of workshops is to provide the staff at DCC, necessary information about AI and especially focussing on Generative AI – this includes the difference in what AI is, its history and the transition to the newly evolved Generative AI . With his skills in AI, Khizer is also supporting in designing an framing the ‘Guidelines for Responsible use of Gen AI tools for Dublin City Council Staff’ – These guidelines ensure that the tools are used responsibly within the organisation, also continuing to  provide efficiency and increase productivity within the council.

Research Associate, Cambridge Centre for Smart Infrastructure and Construction (CSIC)

Dr Viviana Bastidas

MIEC Executive Vice-Dean

Dr Joseph Timoney

Dr. Joe Timoney studied Electronic Engineering, completing his PhD in 1998. He joined the Dept. of Computer Science at NUI Maynooth in the following year. He teaches on undergraduate programs in Computer Science and in Music Technology. His research interests are based in the area of audio signal processing, with a focus on musical sound synthesis and the digital modelling of analogue subtractive synthesis. He has supervised a number of PhD students in the fields of Audio analysis and Digital Audio watermarking. Additionally, he has worked on EI innovation vouchers and a Commercialisation project on Watermarking. In 2003 he spent a 3 month research visit at ATR laboratory in Kyoto, Japan, and in 2010 made a research visit to the College of Computing at Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China. He has developed a strong research collaboration with the Dept of Signal processing and Acoustics at Aalto university in Finland. He is a member of the Audio Engineering Society. Alongside his academic work, he also is a keen DIY electronics enthusiast and has built a number of synthesizers and drum machines. He participated in last year’s Mini-Maker Faire as part of the NUI Maynooth team.

Training Programme Manager at accelopment Schweiz AG

Dr. Emily Rose Ciscato

Dr. Emily Rose Ciscato holds an MSci, a joint BSc and MSc, in Geology from the University of Bristol, UK, and a PhD in Geochemistry from ETH Zurich, Switzerland. She joined accelopment Schweiz AG in 2019, a company specialising in the acquisition and support of EU-funded projects. At accelopment, she initially provided support in project communication, dissemination of results, and proposal writing. She is now the Training Programme Manager, responsible for coordinating training in transferable skills for early-career researchers and proposal writing for more advanced researchers.

Person-Driven, Health & Wellbeing Cluster Lead

Dr Marco Alfano

Dr. Marco Alfano is a Senior Researcher at the Innovation Value Institute (IVI), Maynooth University, and leader of the IVI Person-Driven, Health & Wellbeing research cluster. He is also affiliated with Lero, the SFI Research Centre for Software, and receives SFI funding for his research. He is currently working on responsible use of AI in health and well-being by facilitating person/patient empowerment and seamless communication within the healthcare system (http://cohealth.ivi.ie/). His research interests include Responsible AI, Digital Health Transformation, Patient Empowerment, Human-machine communication, Data analytics, Semantic Web, Smart cities, Cybersecurity, and Open Data/Big Data. He has authored more than fifty peer reviewed articles for journals, books, and conferences. He has participated in several European projects and has received grants from international bodies, such as the European Union (under the FP7 and H2020 framework programs), and national bodies, such as Science Foundation Ireland, Enterprise Ireland, and the National Research Council of Italy.

Postdoctoral researcher at VISION project

Claudia Roessing

Claudia Roessing has completed her PhD at Maynooth University, where she investigated the variations of data lifecycles based on data requirements in the Smart City scenario. She has years of experience in the software development industry with a background in Business Analysis and Consulting and Computer Science. She is currently a postdoctoral researcher at the VISION project, which is financed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and focuses on reducing the use of virgin materials in the Irish building sector.

Co-Founder and CEO of AgriGates

Daniel Foy

Daniel Foy, Co-Founder and CEO of AgriGates, a leading US-based food animal AgriTech company working on systems and processes for the aggregation of quality data from the farm level for the improvement of food animal welfare and sustainability, that enables farmers to have data ownership, governance, security and value over their data.

Daniel’s roots are deeply intertwined with agriculture and food, having grown up in Co. Cavan. He has been immersed in farming and food, surrounded by family, friends, and various roles within primary production, product development and food retail. With a background in applied pharmacology from the Nutrition and Biological Sciences department at Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh, Daniel found his calling in the intersection of food sector innovation and technology as a career. His journey led him to the United States in 2017, where he played a pivotal role in understanding how European livestock wearable sensors could adapt and apply to the North American market.

Today, Daniel is a permanent resident in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania USA, where he continues his impactful work across North America and Europe. He has an unwavering focus directed towards harnessing the potential of technology at the farm level, where data quality and value are at the center of improving animal welfare and sustainability within livestock production while creating new value streams for producers and their data. Daniel is a leading voice for farm data ownership, pre and post algorithmic processing.

Dan is not just a visionary leader but also an active advocate for the betterment of the industry. He currently holds the esteemed position of elected commission officer for the European Federation of Animal Science Commission on Precision Livestock Farming (PLF), has previously served as a Subcommittee Chair for the Dairy Cattle Welfare Council, a member and keynote speaker at the National Institute of Animal Agriculture and engages at an international level for data standards with digital systems through the International Committee on Animal Records (ICAR). Additionally, he is a regular contributor to publications such as Progressive Dairy, covering welfare and technology topics.

In sum, Daniel Foy embodies the spirit of innovation, compassion for animal welfare, and dedication to the sustainable future of livestock agriculture through the use and value of data.

Timber & Agrilands Financial Expert

Michelle Bartels Zendonadi

Michelle Bartels Zendonadi worked for 14 years for one the largest Asset Managers in the world, 12 of them dedicated to the Timberland Funds located in Brazil. In the roles Mrs. Zendonadi played over the years, sales and acquisitions of farmlands were the core part of her work, nonetheless managing the long-term forestry production flow through optimization tools was the fun part of it. In the last two years with the company she dedicated her time to sales and acquisitions of Real Estate assets, such as office buildings, warehouses and housing. Mrs. Zendonadi holds a Bachelor Degree in economics from Universidade de São Paulo and a Master Degree in economics from Fundação Getúlio Vargas, both in Brazil.

Senior Fellow in Public Policy in the Social Sciences Institute, Maynooth University

Seán Ó Foghlú

Seán Ó Foghlú is a Senior Fellow in Public Policy in the Social Sciences Institute in Maynooth University. He is supporting research, teaching and civic engagement, relating to public policy development and implementation and is working across the university in advancing the aims of the university in this regard. He is working with the Department of Further and Higher Education, Research, Innovation and Science in advising it on the development and implementation of its policy approach on linking research in higher education and policy-making in the civil service.

He is also Chairperson of the National Council for Curriculum and Assessment.

He was Secretary General of the Department of Education for 10 years until February 2022. He has 30 years of experience in Irish civil and public service, including four at Assistant Secretary level in the Department of Education and seven years as chief executive of the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland.

CEO and Founder at CozmoTec

Cuty Gupta

With a robust foundation in dentistry from India, Cuty Gupta relocated to Ireland a decade ago, embarking on a dynamic career transformation journey. Although unable to practice dentistry due to differing regulations, Cuty harnessed her diverse skill set to navigate new professional landscapes. She became a part-qualified ACCA and earned multiple certifications, including a PMP, a Diploma in Leadership from the Irish Management Institute (IMI), and a Diploma in Data Analytics. These qualifications underpin her comprehensive approach to business management and technological innovation.

Driven by a passion for leveraging technology to empower businesses, Cuty founded Cozmotec, a company dedicated to making advanced technology accessible to enterprises of all sizes. Under her leadership, Cozmotec specializes in developing bespoke AI and machine learning solutions tailored to enhance operational efficiencies. The company also provides strategic consultancy services, guiding businesses through their digital transformation journeys with expert insights and innovative strategies.

One of Cuty’s notable achievements at Cozmotec is the development and successful launch of a revolutionary product designed for the recruitment sector. This innovative solution streamlines the management of temporary workers and contractors, automating onboarding, invoicing, and contract extensions by integrating seamlessly with accounting software. This product exemplifies Cuty’s commitment to creating practical, impactful solutions that address real-world business challenges.

As a speaker at the IVI Summit, Cuty aims to share her unique journey from dentistry to tech entrepreneurship, offering valuable perspectives on career adaptability, the importance of continuous learning, and the transformative power of technology. Her story is a testament to resilience, innovation, and the belief that with the right tools, every business can achieve remarkable efficiency and growth.

Program Manager - Innovation Voucher at Innovation Value Institute

Rajat Singh

Rajat is the Program Manager for Innovation Vouchers at the Innovation Value Institute. In this role, he is responsible for identifying and assessing opportunities to secure Innovation Vouchers (IV) that support collaborative projects between SMEs and IVI. He holds a Master’s degree in Business Analytics from the National University of Ireland, Maynooth. Following his graduation, he gained experience as a Business Analyst at Accenture for two years. Prior to his time in Ireland, he has worked in business development, focusing on cybersecurity and cloud solutions.

Visiting Assistant Professor, Sharif University of Technology; Faculty Affiliate, The Center for Information, Technology, and Public Life (CITAP)

Bayan Khosravi

Bayan Khosravi received her Ph.D. in Information Technology Management from Allameh Tabataba’i University in 2019. Her research focuses on understanding and critically examining the ethical implications and biases that could influence inclusion and exclusion dynamics for various stakeholders in digital innovation. She employs a strong methodological foundation in critical realism and qualitative research methods.

From 2022 to 2023, she was a research fellow at the Humboldt Institute for Internet and Society, participated in digital sustainability projects. She also visited the KIN research group at Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam granted by the Network Institute, studying the dynamics of expertise as artificial intelligence is applied within healthcare settings.

During her Digi+ postdoctoral research at TU Dublin and ADAPT Centre under supervision of Dr. P.J. Wall, she is going to investigate how actors and conditions (un)deliberately play a role in creating exclusive and unfair conditions while interacting with AI in the medical diagnostics decision process.

Dr. Hamed Pourzolfaghar

Dr. Hamed will soon be joining DIGI+ funding as a postdoctoral research fellow. His areas of expertise include advanced battery technology, sustainable development of renewable energy sources, and chemical reaction engineering.

Leidiane da Silva

Received the B.Sc. degree in business administration from the Universidade Paulista (UNIP), Brazil, and the M.Sc. degree in business analytics from the National University Ireland, Maynooth (NUIM), in 2023. She is currently pursuing the Ph.D. degree in business with the National University Ireland, Maynooth.

She is a part of the EnTrust Ph.D program and works in the education and research office at Airfield Estate. Her work and interests include data quality and trustworthiness assessment, machine learning techniques, agri-data and business analytics.

PhD researcher at University College Dublin

Conor Kehoe

Conor is a PhD researcher at University College Dublin, based at UCD Lyons Farm, Celbridge, Co. Kildare under the supervision of Prof. Kevin McDonnell and Dr. Gary Gillespie. His research focuses on using digital data to create decision support systems for cereal crop production, ensuring there is a real benefit to farmers from using digital systems.

This research is part of a Horizon Europe funded project, DIVINE, which aims to develop an agri-data ecosystem, allowing farmers to take control of their data, make more informed decisions, and decide upon which aspects they would like to share with interested stakeholders. UCD is one of 4 pilot partners in this project, implementing the proposed solutions in an Irish crop production system.

Conor is also a tillage reporter for the Irish Farmers Journal and farms alongside his father on a tillage farm in Co. Wexford.

Erica Tegolo

Erica Tegolo owns Bachelor in Administration and Organisation Science and Labor Consultancy at the University of Palermo. She has received the MBA degree from IAE, University of Bordeaux. She’s currently pursuing the Ph.D. degree at the School of Business, National University Ireland Maynooth (NUIM), representing the awarding institution.

The Ph.D. is part of the EnTrust Doctoral Network, Marie Skłodowska-Curie fellowship, which aim is to train a cohort of 11 Doctoral Candidates (DCs) to establish a new generation of Data Executives. She is representing DC09 and the objective is represented by the development of a Fair data exploitation principles and framework. The host organisation is Teagasc, the Agriculture and Food Authority in Ireland and I am currently based at the department of Rural Economy and Development Program (REDP).

Research Fellow at Trinity College Dublin

Dr Edward Straw

Edward is a Research Fellow at Trinity College Dublin studying the impacts of pesticides on bumblebees. Edward is at the forefront of research into pesticide co-formulants, which are the minor ingredients in pesticides, and how they have been overlooked by regulators. He has a special interest in pesticide use data, and has campaigned at an EU level for better policies with more transparency.

Assistant Professor in the Medical Engineering Department at Karabük University, Türkiye

Dr. Elif Calik

Dr. Elif Calik received her Ph.D. degree in Computer Engineering from Ankara Yildirim Beyazit University, Türkiye. She presently serves as an Assistant Professor in the Medical Engineering Department at Karabük University, Türkiye. Her research focuses on Blockchain technology, trustworthy, ethics, security, and privacy issues. She received the Digi+ MSCA postdoctoral fellowship programme in March 2024. Her ongoing work involves the application of blockchain technology in the healthcare sector.

Fjolla Berisha

Fjolla Berisha completed her Bachelor and Master studies in Computer Engineering at the University of Prishtina, “Hasan Prishtina. She worked for 4 years as a computer science teaching assistant at the same university. Fjolla is the author of a scientific paper related to neural network algorithms in recommender systems. She is currently pursuing doctoral studies at the National University of Ireland, Maynooth with a focus on digital data ownership.

Head of the Data Advisory Team in Derilinx

Fionntan O’Donnell

Fionntán is the head of the Data Advisory Team in Derilinx. They help Irish public service bodies in their data management – from the legal, to the technical, to the cultural, and the strategic. Fionntán spent most of his career at the coal-face of AI as a machine learning researcher – working in academia, the ADAPT research centre, and BBC News. Including being part of the first responsible AI comittee in the BBC. After which he moved to the Open Data Institute where he worked on many topics including digital twins, sharing models, anonymisation, AI for factchecking, and data/AI audits. He thinks the worlds of data and AI management can learn alot from each other.

Senior Programme Manager, ADAPT Centre

Aoife Brady

Aoife is a Senior Programme Manager in the ADAPT Centre and is based in the Innovation Value Institute in Maynooth University. Primarily working on managing EU-funded projects, she has also worked as an industry-focussed Project Manager having managed 24 projects with ADAPT industry partners. She has Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, is a qualified Computer Engineer (TCD) and holds an MSc by Research in Computer Science (TCD).

DIGI+ Fellow

Peter Jean-Paul

Peter Jean-Paul has worked as a project specialist leading several key national projects within the government of Saint Lucia including: “Establishing a Data Driven Policy Development Unit within the Ministry of Physical Development and Urban Renewal” and “Enhancing Saint Lucia’s strategic frameworks to access Climate Finance”.  He has also worked with international organizations like the Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI) and Caribbean Community Climate Change Center (CCCCC). He has a Bachelor of Science with a double major in Computer Science and Mathematics (Trinidad and Tobago), a Masters in International Human Resource Development (Taiwan) and a PhD in Electrical Engineering (New Zealand). He has won several international scholarships and awards including an international Commonwealth Scholarship to do his PHD and a research award for placing first in the 3 Minute Thesis competition in New Zealand.  Peter Jean Paul has strongly affirmed that digital transformation backed by a strong human resource is key to meeting some of the intractable sustainable issues of our time. Passionate about innovative practical research Peter has dedicate his academic and professional career to realizing the aims of the sustainable development goals. When he is not researching he is volunteering with Red Cross and Salvation Army to improve the welfare of the less fortunate.

Nasibeh Rahbarnodehi

Obtained a B.S. degree in Software Engineering from Zanjan University / Iran in 2008, and gained her Master’s degree in Information Technology Management at Farabi University / Iran in 2015. She is currently pursuing a Ph.D. degree in business with the National University Ireland, Maynooth. She is a part of the EnTrust Ph.D program, Marie Skłodowska-Curie fellowship, and will work in the R&D department of Maggioli in Italy. Her research and study include Cybersecurity and Risk assessment, related Maturity Models, and agri-data Governance.

Head of Department, Al-Quds Open University

Israa Amro

Israa Amro has been passionate about using technology to help others since a young age. Over the past 19 years, she has continued this mission as the head of the Department of Multimedia and Artificial Intelligence at Al-Quds Open University in Palestine, especially focusing on her community. Starting her career as a lecturer and progressing to Assistant Professor, Israa is driven by her desire to make multimedia and artificial intelligence more accessible, particularly in areas such as remote sensing and satellite imagery.

Her educational journey, which includes earning a PhD in Multimedia Systems and a Master’s in Artificial Intelligence from the University of Granada, along with degrees from the University of Jordan, reflects her dedication to learning and making a difference. Israa’s research, featured in prominent journals, concentrates on utilizing remote sensing and satellite imagery to address environmental and societal challenges