Alan Wolfe
Lecturer/Assistant Professor in veterinary pathology
School of Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin
Dr Wolfe qualified as a veterinary surgeon from the University of Glasgow in 2001. Before obtaining his veterinary degree, Dr Wolfe obtained an honors degree in science with a major in zoology, and then went on to complete a PhD in zoology, in which he examined aspects of the ecology of Irish Mountain Hares (Lepus timidus hibernicus) and rabbits (Oryctolagus cuniculus). After qualifying as a veterinarian, Dr Wolfe worked for a number of years in both large and small animal practices in the UK before relocating to New Zealand for a number of years, where he was initially employed by the NZ government as a veterinary inspector and animal welfare officer. This was followed by 2 years at Massey University as a resident in anatomic pathology, with a focus on large animals. During this time Dr Wolfe also completed a research Masters in veterinary pathology investigating causes of perinatal mortality of Thoroughbred horses. Dr Wolfe then transferred to the University of Utrecht to complete two more years of study as a resident in pathology with a focus on exotics and small animals. Dr Wolfe was then employed as a veterinary pathologist at the state veterinary laboratories at Stormont in Belfast, before returning to UCD in 2013 and received tenure the following year. Dr Wolfe is the Director of the training programme for residents in anatomic pathology at UCD and all three of his residents have successfully passed the ECVP specialist qualifying exams.
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Lecturer/Assistant Professor in veterinary pathology
School of Veterinary Medicine, University College Dublin
Michael Gunn
Veterinary Surgeon
ex DAFM
Michael is a native of a rural community in Co Meath whose primary degree is in Veterinary medicine. After obtaining a PhD while teaching in Edinburgh University, Scotland, he returned to mixed Veterinary practice in Ireland. After four years as a Veterinary Practitioner he joined the Veterinary Research Laboratory and subsequently became Director of all the Agriculture Laboratories. He has been scientific advisor to the European Commission on Animal Health and Welfare and is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Biology. He is a Board Member of WRI.
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Veterinary Surgeon
ex DAFM
Francis O’ Donnell
Chief Executive Officer
Inland Fisheries Ireland
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Chief Executive Officer
Inland Fisheries Ireland
Mary Reynolds
Reformed landscape designer
We are the ARK
Mary is a reformed internationally acclaimed landscape designer who launched her career at the Chelsea flower show in 2002, the story of which was made into a 2016 movie called “Dare to be Wild”. Bestselling author, inspirational speaker, occasional television presenter and founder of the global movement “We are the ARK”, a practical groundswell movement that finally shifts the environmental game in nature’s favour. The time for gardens as canvases for our creative pleasure is over. Everything must change and if we are to save the planet, then we must start with our own patches of it. It’s time to reimagine our work as gardeners, to become leaders in the race to save our beautiful planet, to save ourselves.
“I have come full circle with garden and landscape design. Now I want you to give any land under your care back to nature, to re-wild, to be ‘ARKed’ with Acts of Restorative Kindness to the earth.”
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Reformed landscape designer
We are the ARK
Kieran Buckley
Regional Manager
NPWS
Kieran Buckley has worked with the National Parks & Wildlife Service, (NPWS) since 2005. During that time he has gained valuable experience in the enforcement of laws to protect Irelands’ wildlife and their habitats. His Wildlife Act prosecutions cases ranged from the poisonings of birds, contrary to the European Union restriction on the use of poison bait 2010 to Badger Baiting, illegal trapping, the destruction of vegetation during the bird nesting season, the wilful killing of protected wild birds, the destruction of their eggs, young and their nests, using illegal devices such as glue traps to hunt protected wild birds, hunting and possession of protected crayfish, illegal coursing, aiding and abetting wildlife crime and the possession and sale of un-lawful leg-hold traps and snares. He has also successfully prosecuted persons responsible from criminal offences under the European Union (Birds & Natural Habitats) Regulations 2011. Before he joined the NPWS, Kieran worked on the Irish Grey Partridge Conservation Project where his passion for wild grey partridge found its’ home.
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Regional Manager
NPWS
Suzanne Nally
Principal Officer, Wildlife Enforcement and Nature Protection
NPWS
Suzanne Nally leads the NPWS directorate responsible for overseeing the implementation of peatlands policy and various peatlands conservation programmes including the protected raised bog restoration programme. Also oversees the management of designated sites protection issues and the National Parks and Wildlife Services role as regulator under the Enhanced Decommission Rehabilitation and Restoration Scheme operated by Bord na Móna.
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Principal Officer, Wildlife Enforcement and Nature Protection
NPWS
Marc Ruddock
Red Kite Project Manager
Golden Eagle Trust
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Red Kite Project Manager
Golden Eagle Trust
Niamh Guiry
Climate activist and PhD Researcher
School of Law, University College Cork
Niamh Guiry is a climate activist and PhD Researcher at the School of Law, University College Cork. Her PhD research explores the interrelationship between the 2030 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals, global environmental governance, and evolving patterns of international law-making. Niamh is a member of Not Here Not Anywhere, a grassroots organisation campaigning to end fossil fuel exploration and the development of new fossil fuel infrastructure in Ireland, and has a keen interest in biodiversity protection, climate justice, and environmental communication.
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Climate activist and PhD Researcher
School of Law, University College Cork
Ann Markey
Chief Superintendent
An Garda Síochána
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Chief Superintendent
An Garda Síochána
John Gibbons
Environmental journalist
thinkorswim
John Gibbons is an environmental journalist and commentator and the founder of the Climatechange.ie website and ThinkOrSwim.ie blog. For two years Gibbons contributed a weekly column to The Irish Times, analysing aspects of climate change and sustainability. He is currently a weekly columnist on Today FM as well as a contributor to the Irish Examiner and Business Post and he is a regular guest on radio and TV programmes on climate and environment issues. His work has also appeared in 'The Guardian’ and on the BBC.
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Environmental journalist
thinkorswim
Martina O’Brien
Invasive Species Engagement Officer
National Biodiversity Data Centre
Responsibility for engaging with different sectors to coordinate actions that address the threat posed by Invasive Alien Species. The role is to support NPWS in implementing and reporting on delivery of the EU Regulations on Invasive Alien Species in Ireland. The National Biodiversity Data Centre works to make biodiversity data and information more freely available in order to better understand and assist the protection of Ireland’s biodiversity.
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Invasive Species Engagement Officer
National Biodiversity Data Centre
Mícheál Casey
Head of the Regional Veterinary Laboratory Division
Department of Agriculture Food & the Marine
Mícheál Casey grew up in Westport Co. Mayo.
He is currently based in the Department of Agriculture Food & the Marine Laboratory in Backweston, Celbridge, Co Kildare where he is the head of the Regional Veterinary Laboratory Division.
He graduated in Veterinary Medicine from UCD’s Veterinary College in 1989. He graduated from the University of London with a Masters Degree in Livestock Health and Production in 2001. After three years lecturing in Veterinary Parasitology, he spent five years in veterinary practice in Co. Mayo, during which time he set up his own mixed practice in Westport.
He joined the staff of the Regional Veterinary Laboratory in Sligo as a Research Officer in 1997 and was promoted to Senior Research Officer in charge of Sligo RVL in 2004. In June 2010, he took responsibility for the Regional Veterinary Laboratories and the Brucella Testing Laboratory in Cork as the first head of the newly formed Regional Veterinary Laboratory Division.
About Mícheál Casey
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Head of the Regional Veterinary Laboratory Division
Department of Agriculture Food & the Marine
Damien Hannigan
Press Public Relations Officer
Irish Deer Commission & member of PAW Ireland
Damien Hannigan, Irish Deer Commission and qualified Deer Manager.
Since my appointment in 1999, I was the driving force behind the Wild Deer Association of Ireland rapid expansion into Ireland’s largest deer organisation, with a significant national membership and support base. I am an avid deer enthusiast and lead campaigner for deer welfare in Ireland. My extensive experience and knowledge in deer matters, which I have gained over 20 years of managing deer, has culminated in invitations to address a wide range of audiences including academics, government and media on subjects such as wildlife crime, deer management, deer distribution etc.
I am a founding member of the Deer Alliance, the organising body for assessment and certification for those involved in deer management. I am also a representative of FACE Ireland, recognised by the European Commission as the main discussion partner, representing Europe's 7 million hunters.
I recently completed further deer management studies in the UK. I also have extensive experience in people and organisation management.
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Press Public Relations Officer
Irish Deer Commission & member of PAW Ireland
Emma Meredith
Wildlife Liaison Officer
Police Service of Northern Ireland
Emma Meredith was appointed as the first full time wildlife officer and has been the wildlife liaison officer for the Police Service of Northern Ireland since 2007. The role is a specialised position to offer advice, support, assistance and guidance to all local police officers who investigate an alleged breach in the wildlife and/or animal cruelty legislation.
Emma advises and trains officers on laws such as; Welfare of Animals Act (NI) 2011 and the Wildlife (NI) Order 1985 as amended by the Wildlife and Natural Environment Act (NI) 2011 and trade in Endangered Species. Emma and her team also manages (along with her line manager) the animal seizure contract for all animal seizures within the Police Service.
Emma is an active member of the Partnership for Action against Wildlife Crime Northern Ireland Group (PAWNI) and the sub groups. The PAW group aim to combat wildlife crime. PAWNI has members from government and non-government agencies and it continues to grow. The group is joint chaired by PSNI service lead for Rural and Wildlife Crime and the Northern Ireland Environment Agency.
Emma has gained a lot of knowledge both locally and internationally and has completed the Winston Churchill Memorial Trust Scholarship learning about wildlife crime. This prestigious award resulted in Emma travelling extensively within Canada and Australia.
Emma has also completed an RUC George Cross Study in 2019 specialising in international trade in endangered species, cross border. Emma has been directly involved in cases linked to trade in animals, including but not limited to; monkeys, Ivory, owls and plants and she hopes to focus on some of this work in the coming years.
Emma has successfully co-ordinated and/or assisted with international and local operations at the Northern Ireland scale. These included, but not limited to; Operation Paws for Thought (to stop illegal breeding, welfare and organised crime). Operation Wild Deer (to raise awareness and stop illegal deer poaching at identified crime “black-spots”). Operation Silver Fin (to stop illegal fish poaching including cross border). Operation Peregrine Watch use of Drones to protect Peregrines (won UK award in 2017), and Badger Baiting.
In October 2022 Emma along with many partner organisations successfully obtained an award for Paws for Thought.
Emma finds the quote by Winston Churchill inspiring “I like things to happen, and if they don’t happen I like to make them happen”
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Wildlife Liaison Officer
Police Service of Northern Ireland
Kevin Kelly
Head of National Wildlife Crime Unit
National Wildlife Crime Unit – UK Policing
Chief Inspector Kevin Kelly has been a Police officer for 19 years and has dedicated his whole service to tackling wildlife crime. This has been done across four Policing ranks and a number of roles including front line policing, armed policing, tactical support roles, as an organised crime detective and tactical commander. His affinity to animals and his drive to tackle wildlife crime is part of his DNA and defines him as a Police Officer. Now he leads the UKs top unit, and he's responsible for delivering a Policing service locally, nationally and internationally.
Kevin's journey here hasn’t been easy. When he arrived on the front line in 2003 at the Selby District of North Yorkshire, one of his first enquiries was into Illegal Hare coursing. He could see how badly it was impacting the local community, and the cops did nothing. He took on an investigation and carried out some proactivity, only to be hauled in by his Inspector and told off because “its not proper crime lad”
Fast forward to June 2021, he has launched the National Hare Coursing Taskforce which brings 26 Police forces together to tackle this wildlife crime type collectively, going after the offenders who do the most harm and coordinating a joined up approach.
To get here has seen his work recognised with some of the highest honours in his arena. But that said, now is not the time for procrastination as the hard work is still coming, and he looks forward to showing his plan for adding a financial angle into the fight against wildlife crime.
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Head of National Wildlife Crime Unit
National Wildlife Crime Unit – UK Policing
Micheál Ó Cinnéide
Retired Director
ex EPA, and Marine Institute
Dr. Micheál Ó Cinnéide, ex diplomat, ex director of EPA and ex director at the Marine Institute.
With decades of service in the higher echelons of the Irish public and private sectors with a special focus on policy and advocacy for the environment, marine and sustainable development, Micheál brings a unique range of experiences to the National Park City Galway initiative.
He spent a decade as a Director with the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), a decade as Director of the Marine Environment team at the Marine Institute, was ministerial adviser in the Department of Marine and worked for eight years in Cill Chiaráin Connemara with the Irish Seafood Producers Group Ltd. He served as a diplomat at the Irish Embassy in Cairo and at the Consulate General of Ireland in New York.
Micheál was a co-founder of Corrib Beo Partnership, Galway, a voluntary group which promotes the sustainable development of the Corrib catchment; served as a Director with the Irish Forum on Natural Capital, www.naturalcapitalireland.com; and was co-founder/Director, Fondúireacht an Bhlascaoid (Blasket Island Foundation), a non profit cultural group dedicated to creating a National Historic Park on the Blasket Islands in Kerry.
Galway is so lucky to have such a talented person who is dedicated to continuing his life-long service for the benefit of the public good and to promoting sustainability, protecting the environment and in tackling the problems brought on by Climate Change.
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Retired Director
ex EPA, and Marine Institute
Jennifer Whitmore
TD - Spokesperson for Climate Action, Biodiversity and Energy
Social Democrats
Jennifer Whitmore TD is the party spokesperson on Climate and Biodiversity and Communications Networks, and on Children and Youth Affairs. She is a member of the Oireachtas Committee on Climate Action. She won a Dáil seat in Wicklow in the 2020 General Election.
Prior to her election, Jennifer had been a Councillor for the Greystones Municipal District on Wicklow County Council since 2014.
Jennifer spent 10 years in Australia where she worked as a senior policy analyst alongside government ministers, developing environmental law, water management and energy policy.
In Ireland, she has worked extensively in fisheries and aquaculture.
Jennifer says she become involved in politics to effect change at local and national level. A mother of four young children, she is a committed advocate for children and parents.
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TD - Spokesperson for Climate Action, Biodiversity and Energy
Social Democrats
Pádraic Fogarty
Ecologist
Openfield
Pádraic Fogarty is an ecologist and former campaign officer with the Irish Wildlife Trust. He is author of the 2017 book ‘Whittled Away: Ireland’s Vanishing Nature’.
About Pádraic Fogarty
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Ecologist
Openfield
Karen Ciesielski
CEO
Irish Environmental Network
Karen Ciesielski is the CEO of the IEN. With 20 years of experience in non-profit management, fundraising, communications, advocacy and campaigning, Karen works to promote the interlinked principles of environmental, social and economic sustainability by supporting IEN members. She also serves as the Coordinator of the Environmental Pillar.
About Karen Ciesielski
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CEO
Irish Environmental Network
Brendan Dunford
Co-Founder
Burrenbeo Trust
Brendan Dunford was manager of www.burrenprogramme.com (2010-23) which employed an innovative results-based payment system to incentivise farmers to improve local biodiversity, water quality and landscape, delivering consistent social, economic and environmental gains during its lifetime.
Brendan is a founder of the charity www.burrenbeo.com –a leading advocate for place-based learning and community stewardship in Ireland and host to projects such as Heritage Keepers, The Hare’s Corner and the Burren Winterage festival. He is also a founder of www.farmingfornature.ie which aims to acknowledge, celebrate and support farmers across Europe who work to protect nature.
In 2011 Brendan became a fellow of Ashoka’s global network of social entrepreneurs and in 2018 he was awarded an Honorary Doctorate by the University of Galway for his work in championing biodiversity. He has served two terms on the Advisory boards of both the Environmental Protection Agency and the Heritage Council.
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Co-Founder
Burrenbeo Trust
Peter Doran
Politics & Media Lead, Environmental Justice Network Ireland
School of Law, Queens University Belfast
Dr Peter Doran is a lecturer in law and sustainable development at the School of Law, Queens University Belfast. His most recent publication is the book, A Political Economy of Attention: Reclaiming the Mindful Commons (Routledge 2018). He is also a senior editor/writer for the International Institute for Sustainable Development at United Nations conferences on the environment and development. He has worked on environmental policy and campaigns in both government and NGO settings for over thirty years. Together with John Woods and the Carnegie Trust, he convened a roundtable on wellbeing and the programme for government in Northern Ireland and has worked with Zero Waste North West on the adoption of a circular economy strategy by Derry and Strabane District Council. Peter’s role in EJNI is to liaise with local government and the media, provide advice on political developments, develop research proposals and potential collaborations and advise on the production of resources.
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Politics & Media Lead, Environmental Justice Network Ireland
School of Law, Queens University Belfast
Niall Sargent
Investigative reporter
Noteworthy
Niall Sargent: I am a multimedia Investigative reporter with Noteworthy, a community-led investigative journalism platform with The Journal.
I specialise in issues related to climate change, biodiversity, ecosystem services and food production, and highly adept at using Freedom of Information and Access to Information on the Environment requests. I have also worked on various EU cross-border projects with reporters.
I was previously the editor of The Green News - an online environmental news website - and was the first ever recipient of the Mary Raftery Journalism Fund Traineeship in Investigative Journalism with the Irish Times.
I also have research experience with the Bureau of Investigative Journalism in the UK and with RTE - EcoEye and RTE Investigates.
I hold an MA in Investigative Journalism from City University London, and was previously an intelligence analyst with INTERPOL before moving into the field of investigative reporting.
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Investigative reporter
Noteworthy
David Duffy
Assistant Professor of Wildlife Disease Genomics
Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience -University of Florida, and WRI Director
David Duffy, Ph.D.: I have always been fascinated by how genetic programs can give rise from a single cell to the complexity of animal bodies, and how the dysregulation of these programs leads to disease. My research interests lie primarily in deciphering cellular signaling networks that drive wildlife and human cancer, and determining novel therapeutic treatment options. I employ a range of classical molecular biology and imaging techniques coupled to cutting-edge omic technologies and advanced computational and network-based analyses to understand cancer biology and identify how to block
pro-oncogenic signals. My early research, utilizing the marine cnidarian Hydractinia echinata, investigated how Wnt signaling pathway regulation of development, regeneration and stem cell fate has been evolutionarily conserved through 650 million years of animal evolution. My multi-omic human cancer research informed by cellular signaling and the dysregulation of developmental genes, revealed the global signaling and transcriptional
networks of the MYCN oncogene and identified novel therapeutic targets for the childhood cancer neuroblastoma. More recently, I combined my expertise in animal models, evolution and human cancer to employ precision medicine and One Health approaches to tackle a conservation-relevant cancer: sea
turtle fibropapillomatosis. The lab’s research is primarily focused on employing precision oncology and genomics approaches to determine the genetic, viral and environmental drivers (and their complex interplay) of the sea turtle fibropapillomatosis tumor epizootic (animal epidemic). In addition to molecular
tumor research, we are establishing genomic resources and environmental DNA-based detection approaches for Florida’s sea turtle species and their viral pathogen, profiling tumor responses to therapeutic treatments and conducting behavioral-based post-surgical recovery and enrichment research. Ultimately, we seek to improve rehabilitation outcomes and inform population level
management decisions to mitigate the impact of wildlife diseases on endangered species.
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Assistant Professor of Wildlife Disease Genomics
Whitney Laboratory for Marine Bioscience -University of Florida, and WRI Director
Fintan Kelly
Agriculture & Land Use Policy & Advocacy Officer
Irish Environmental Network
Fintan works to make Irish agriculture and land-use policies more sustainable for nature and people. He has a MSc in Environmental Biology from Utrecht University and a BSc in Environmental Science from NUI Galway. He specialises in Environmental Policy, Advocacy and Planning and has been working within the Irish eNGO sector since 2012, having previously worked for BirdWatch Ireland, An Taisce, SWAN and the Irish Wildlife Trust.
About Fintan Kelly
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Agriculture & Land Use Policy & Advocacy Officer
Irish Environmental Network
