Board of Trustees

Nevan Redmond

Global Head, Banking

Nevan has worked in international financial services for over 28 years, holding a number of Senior Management
positions in global organisations. His current role is that of Global Head with a major international bank.
Nevan1s areas of interest are Corporate Governance and business transformation. Nevan holds a BA(Hons) in
Accounting & Finance and an MSc in Investments & Treasury, both awarded by Dublin City University and is a
member of the Institute of Directors where he has received both a Certificate and Diploma in Company Direction.
Nevan’s previous Board experience includes subsidiaries of a global bank and a not-for profit organisation.

Tara Gaffney

Psychotherapist & Social Care Worker

Tara has over 24 years experience working in roles from social care worker, leader, manager and head of services in registered children’s residential care services.  She has a BA in Applied Social Studies in Social Care, a Higher Diploma in Disability Studies, a Post-Graduate Professional Qualification in Psychotherapy and is currently working on her MA in Gestalt Psychotherapy.  She has worked in mainstream, high support and special care centers as well as working within specialist trauma and attachment models of care.  She completed her leadership and quality assurance training with HIQA and has worked in, managed and set up services under both HIQA and Tusla registration.  She has been a TCI associate trainer in both the public and private sector.  With the majority of her experience working for HSE / Tusla CFA she has spent the last 5 years working in the private sector gaining valuable experience setting up both registered children’s residential and aftercare homes.  Tara brings her passion for constructive interagency support, trauma informed group working dynamics and therapeutic support of service accessors and providers to her new role with Empowerment Plus.

Patrice O’Sullivan

Lead in Risk, Regulation & Compliance

Patrice O’Sullivan has over 15 years of experience in the non-profit sector, where she has held several senior roles, particularly working in the homeless, addiction, family, youth, home care, and disability sectors. Patrice holds an MBA, a Diploma in Risk Management, Internal Audit and Compliance, a Master’s in Addiction Studies, and a Diploma in GDPR. Patrice has a strong focus on Governance, Compliance, and Risk Management

Anthony Tennson

Lecture, PHD Candidate

Anthony is CEO of Awakn Life Sciences, he co-founded Awakn in 2020, brought Awakn public in 2021, and has grown Awakn into a clinic stage biotechnology company focused on developing therapeutics to treat addiction with a near term focus on Alcohol Use Disorder.
Prior to Awakn Anthony worked in financial services for 15 years with Aon, Merrill Lynch and Bank of Ireland.
Anthony holds an MBA and an MSc in Technology, he is married to his wife Anna, and has three children, Juno, Wolfe, and Ivy.

Aoife Reilly

Global Integrity Operations Manager, Meta

Aoife has 20 years experience in a variety of leadership roles and for the past 9 years has led teams focused on developing solutions to safeguard children and other vulnerable users of social media & gaming platforms. Aoife is a member of the Trust & Safety Professionals Association and speaks at global events on building trust for parents & safety for children on line. She has extensive experience of working in the corporate sector including with IBM, Facebook, lnstagram, Messenger & Metavese platforms. Aoife’s background also includes roles in senior management, business operations, commercial management, recruitment & technical services.  

Marina Donohue

Head of Safety & Risk

Martina is an accomplished safety & risk executive with 20 years experience in leadership roles. She has served for over 10 years on the regional executive leadership team of a multinational corporation and chaired its global safety and risk solutions steering committee. Martina holds an MSc in Food Safety Management and BSc in Environmental Health, both from Technological University Dublin, along with a Post Grad. in Health & Safety at work from DCU. Her experience spans quality management, occupational health & safety, crisis management & insurance programme management.

Raquel Horta

Global Company Operations Leader

Bringing over 25 years of experience from the technology industry, Raquel joins the Board of Directors with a dynamic career that has spanned roles as a developer, business analyst, project and program manager, chief of staff, and strategy & operations leader. This diverse professional journey has not only sharpened Raquel’s skills in managing complex projects and operations but has also instilled a deep passion for making a positive impact.

Raquel is genuinely honoured to be part of the Board of Directors and to support the Empowerment Plus’s mission of empowering young people, families, and communities at risk. She is eager to contribute to the organization’s critical work, contributing to its success in transforming lives and communities for the better.

Varlerie Noonan

Lecturer, PHD Candidate

Valerie is a Lecturer and Program Coordinator in Social Care at TUS Midwest with more than 20 years of experience in the social care industry. Valerie has worked in a variety of settings and roles, including disability, youth, and home care services. Valerie’s core competencies include crisis intervention, case management, therapeutic crisis intervention, public speaking, and management along with a strong academic background in social sciences and social policy. Valerie holds an MA in Advanced Social Care Practice from AIT and a Doctor of Social Sciences in progress from UCC.

Martina McGarvey is a qualified Social Worker and has worked in the area of Child Protection and Welfare for 25years. She has gained vast, varied and valuable experience in working directly with children and young people who live at home and in the care of Tusla.

Martina , through her remit as Social Worker ,has had direct engagement with Empowerment Plus and observed the positive impact that this service can have on families and young people. Now that Martina is retired from a full –time work schedule, her commitment to further supporting the welfare of children continues, and she believes that serving on the Board of Empowerment Plus can assist her with this aim.