People

Vice Admiral (Rtd) Mark Mellett DSM PhD

Chair

Mark Mellett Vice Adm (Rtd) DSM PhD

On retirement as Chief of the Irish Defence Forces after over forty years’ service, Admiral Mellett launched Green Compass advising on the complexities of today’s strategic environment advocating in particular for leadership in sustainability.

He is a lifetime fellow and Council member of the Irish Management Institute and Chair of the Advisory Council of the Azure Forum for Contemporary Security Strategy. Holder of a PhD in Ocean Governance and a Masters in Government and Public Policy he is an Adjunct Professor of Law at University College Cork.

He was distinguished top graduate of each of his senior command and staff courses at the US, UK and in Ireland. He is a recipient of two distinguished service medals with distinction and honour from the Irish Government.

Patricia Rickard-Clarke

Deputy Chair

Patricia Rickard-Clarke is a  former Commissioner of the Law Reform Commission. In addition to her role as Chair of Sage Advocacy clg, Patricia chairs Safeguarding Ireland clg.

She was  a member of the HSE’s National Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act Steering Group preparing for the implementation of the Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) Act 2015 and a member of the National Disability Authority’s Expert Group developing the non-health care codes of practice for the 2015 Act and is currently a member of Department of Health’s Protection of Liberty Safeguards Expert Advisory Group.

From 2012 to 2016 she was a member of the Council of the Hospice Foundation and of its Think Ahead Project Advisory Group of the Forum on End of Life. She was a member of the Council of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland from 2013 – 2017.Patricia is a Fellow of the Institute of Banking.   She has received the Public Sector Lay Lawyer of the Year Award, Special Merit in the Law Award and was named Women’s Lawyer of the Year by the Irish Women’s Lawyer Association.  In 2017, Patricia was conferred with an Honorary Doctorate from UCD to acknowledge her important contribution to legislative reform and healthcare practice transformation in Ireland and her collaboration with the National Centre for the Protection of Older People at UCD. 

Bríd de Buitléar

Company Secretary

Bríd is an IT and Business Operations leader with over 30 years of experience in the Tech & Financial Services Sectors. Bríd graduated with a BSc in Biotechnology from DCU before taking up employment with Accenture as a Management Information Consultant. More recently Bríd spent over 20 years working at Microsoft holding a number of both Technical and Business leadership roles. Bríd is currently employed by Bank of Ireland Strategy & Transformation division working on an organisational transformation project.  

Bríd is PMP certified by the Project Management Institute, has completed the Professional Diploma in Strategy Development and Innovation at the UCD Smurfit Graduate Business School, and the Institute of Directors Diploma in Company Direction.

For Bríd’s full profile see Bríd De Buitléar | LinkedIn

Eoin Kennelly

Trustee

Eoin is a director of Kennelly Tax Advisors.  Eoin worked with Price Waterhouse in Dublin from 1981 to 1985.  In 1985 Eoin joined Coopers & Lybrand in Dublin where he was director of Personal Tax Services.  Eoin left Coopers & Lybrand in 1997 when he and Kieran Twomey established Kennelly & Twomey Limited which de-merged into KTA in 2010.

From 1996 to 2002, Eoin was a member of the Technical Committee in the Irish Taxation Institute.  Eoin has been asked on numerous occasions to speak at the annual conferences of the Society of Trust and Estate Practitioners (STEP) and the Irish Taxation Institute.

From 2004 Eoin has been the author of numerous articles in specialist taxation journals including the Irish Taxation Institute’s bi-monthly journal, The Irish Tax Review.

Helen Burke

Trustee

Helen Burke is a Senior Manager with 20 years’ experience in research & organisational management, team leadership and strategy implementation across academia and industry.  She is currently Senior Research Officer in Dublin City University.

Helen has broad and deep expertise in engaging with national and international funding agencies, companies and charities.  She has significant experience in strategy and policy formulation & implementation, operations & financial management, team management, mentorship, leadership and stakeholder engagement.

Helen was awarded a BSc in Applied Science with French from DIT/Trinity College Dublin in 1999 and a PhD in Physics from Dublin City University in 2006. She is a PRINCE2-qualified project manager and is Institute of Leadership & Management-certified.

Tim Dalton

Trustee

Tim Dalton served as Secretary General of the Department of Justice and Equality from 1993 to 2004. During that time he was a member of a small team of senior civil servants who, together with their British Government counterparts and in consultation with political parties, engaged in the background work that supported the search for peace in Northern Ireland in the period leading up to and following the 1998 Good Friday Agreement.

In that regard he was instrumental in advancing progress on security and justice matters including in relation to decommissioning and the arrangements to address the position of paramilitary prisoners. Following his retirement from the Civil Service Mr. Dalton undertook a variety of assignments in the public and private sectors.

Doreen Shivnen

Trustee

Doreen Shivnen is a graduate of Trinity College Dublin (with a degree in history), and after study at the Honorable Society of King's Inns, was called to the Bar in 1992. 

In her practice as a barrister in civil litigation she has a particular interest in probate and estates, and issues of legal capacity.

Greg Price

Trustee

Greg Price was Director of Advocacy and Assistant National Director in the Quality Improvement Division of the HSE with responsibility for partnering with patients, service users, families and carers prior to his retirement in 2021.  Greg has a Masters in Business Administration from the Open University and an LLB from Griffith College.  He qualified as a Barrister in 2010 and is also an accredited mediator. 

Bill Lloyd

Trustee

Bill has been with Sage from its inception in 2014. Before that Bill worked with Third Age as an advocate.   He was Chairman and founder of Diacom Computer Telephony and Lloyd Rail.

He is past President of the Irish Business Equipment and Technology Association and past chair of The Communications Association (part of IBEC).

Along with his duties as a Trustee of Sage Bill continues his field work as an advocate.

John O'Driscoll

Trustee

John O’Driscoll is a former member of the Garda Síochána who at the time of his retirement held the rank of assistant commissioner.

John has served as head of bureau at the Garda Síochána’s national bureau of criminal investigation and also at its national drug unit and its national immigration bureau. At the rank of assistant commissioner he had charge of all eight of the organisations crime bureaus established to tackle organised and serious crime pertaining to such issues as, drug trafficking, money laundering, cyber, human trafficking, organised immigration and domestic abuse.

While holding the rank of assistant commissioner in the Garda Síochána, John was appointed as the National EMPACT coordinator representing Ireland.  EMPACT is a permanent and key EU instrument for structured multidisciplinary cooperation to fight organised and serious crime driven by the EU Member States.

Between 2008 and 2015, John was Ireland’s representative on the Board of Management of FRONTEX (European Border & Coast Guard Agency).  He was twice appointed by the Minister for Justice as a member of the Private Security Authority (PSA).

He holds an M.Sc in Drugs & Alcohol Policy from Trinity College, Dublin, a B.A. in Public Administration, (IPA, Dublin) and an Advanced Diploma in Asylum and Immigration Law (Kings Inns, Dublin).

In 2022, John received the Irish Security Industry Association (ISIA) premier award which is given to an individual or group in recognition of a major contribution to the safety of Ireland and is people.

Bridget Clarke

Trustee

Bridget is the former National Ambulance Service, HSE, General Manager - Lead for the Out of Hospital Cardiac Arrest Strategy & Specialist Programmes.  This involved leading on new and innovative Alternative Care Pathways to treat low acuity 999/112 calls, especially from frail elderly patients, in their homes.

Bridget obtained a Bachelor of Nursing Studies (Hons) in 2007 and worked in Nursing and Acute Hospital Change Management roles in Ireland for 30 years and 6 years prior to that, in Nursing in the NHS.

Her focus is on management of macro healthcare change and development of new clinical roles in acute and pre hospital care, enabling care to be delivered in patients’ homes, where it has been assessed as safe to do so. She was General Manager of Cavan & Monaghan Hospital for 5 years and chaired the Acute Project Board for the Cross Border organisation Co-Operation and Working Together (CAWT) implementing Health and Social Care Services to isolated border communities across Ireland/Northern Ireland, supported through funding from the Special European Union Project Board. She is focused on improving the safety and quality of patient care for vulnerable and frail elderly patients in the Pre-Hospital and Acute care settings.

Bridget retired from the HSE at the end of 2022 and currently works as a Healthcare Consultant. She feels passionately about the work of SAGE and has worked throughout her health service career to advocate for patients’ rights to enable them to make decisions about their care and treatment options. This area is especially important to be involved in currently, given the implementation of the new legislation the “Assisted Decision-Making (Capacity) (Amendment) Act, 2022.       

Dr Ailis Quinlan

Trustee

Ailis is a Public Health doctor and has had a long and varied career in senior health service management, during which she oversaw service development for older people both in the community and in residential care. In 2014, she retired as Head of the Clinical Indemnity Scheme, at the State Claims Agency, having spent over 10 years in the post. During that period of time, she pioneered the national implementation of Open Disclosure in all healthcare facilities indemnified by the CIS.

She is a Fellow of the Faculty of Public Health Medicine, and has post-graduate qualifications in mediation, quality improvement, risk management, health economics, and management.

Leisha Daly

Trustee

Leisha Daly is Head of Government Affairs & Policy for J&J Supply Chain in EMEA and for J&J Campus Ireland, a role she assumed in September 2018.  She is Chairman of the J&J Campus Ireland group, an entity which seeks to combine the strengths and expertise of the Johnson & Johnson family of companies in Ireland.  For the previous 10 years, Leisha was Managing Director of Janssen, the pharmaceutical company of Johnson & Johnson.    Leisha is a results driven leader with 30+ years’ experience in Pharma and Science.

She is a member of the board of the American Chamber of Commerce Ireland and chairs their Sustainability Taskforce. She is also a member of the board of the Irish Management Institute, Business in The Community Ireland and a member of the Institute of Directors.  Leisha is a member of Ibec’s National Council & chairs Ibec’s Energy & Climate Committee.    In 2018 Leisha was recognised by the IMI with a Life Fellowship Award for her contribution to Irish Management.

Leisha holds a PhD in Clinical Medicine from Trinity College Dublin

Vincent Sheridan

Trustee

Gerry O'Dwyer

Trustee

Mervyn Taylor

CEO

Mervyn Taylor is providing management support to Sage Advocacy.  He has been centrally involved in the development of a range of innovative projects, programmes and organisations in the voluntary, public and private sectors over many decades.  One such programme won the Taoiseach’s award for Public Service Innovation. 

He has at various times been Director of MS Ireland, CEO of the MS Care Foundation, Manager of Planning & Organisation with the National Social Service Board (now Citizens Information Board), Director of Pathfinder Projects, Programme Manager of Hospice Friendly Hospitals Programme and Executive Director of Sage Advocacy.  He is currently a director of Safeguarding Ireland.  He has studied at Trinity College Dublin, the Open University & Cranfield School of Management.

Bibiana Savin

Case Management & Support (Asst. CEO)

Originally from Romania, Bibiana has been living in Ireland since 2003 and is currently the Assistant Executive Director – Case Management & Support with Sage Advocacy, an organization that provides advocacy and support services to older people, vulnerable adults, and healthcare patients. 

Bibiana has social work, sociology, business studies, and advocacy qualifications and also holds a Master of Social Science (Human Rights & Social Policy) from Maynooth University. She completed additional training in Leading Strategic Projects Programme with Saïd Business School, University of Oxford, and DIPEx International Accreditation with Nuffield Department of Primary Care Health Sciences, University of Oxford.

Bibiana is a Patient & Public Interest (PPI) Representative on a number of national forums such as the Irish Hip Fracture Governance Committee in the National Office for Clinical Audit, HSE Patient & Service User Forum, and the Emergency Department Taskforce. She is also a member of the HSE Mental Health Engagement & Recovery Subgroup for Sharing the Vision Recommendation 65 Project, the Irish Gerontological Society Executive Committee, and the UCD PPI Ignite Executive Committee.

At a local level, Bibiana was a Secretariat member on the social inclusion pillar of the South Dublin Public Participation Network (SDCPPN) for six years and is currently representing SDCPPN on the Local Community Development Committee.

Mary Warren

Operations & Governance (Asst. CEO)

As service administrator Mary is responsible for overseeing administrative systems for Sage. Prior to joining the organisation, Mary worked for Lisney in Property Management and Fixed Charge Receivership. She was also the Executive Assistant to the Managing Director.

Mary previously worked in financial services and has several years’ customer service and administration experience. She has participated in a number of mentor programmes and in research of the use of precision teaching in schools.

Thérèse McKenna

Planning & Projects Manager

Thérèse McKenna has a professional background in visual communications; in copywriting for non-profit campaigning, positioning, outreach and fundraising; and in newspaper journalism. Her primary degree is in Law. She has voluntary experience in an advice and advocacy role with the NI Refugee Support Service in Barnardos and the Marsh Trust awarded her as NI Volunteer of the Year 2022 for this work.

Jamie Sherlock

Regional Manager

Jamie worked with The Alzheimer Society of Ireland for sixteen years holding a number of roles within Operations and Learning and Development.

Jamie began her career here as a frontline worker providing dementia specific care in the home to people living with dementia enabling them to live at home within their communities for as long as possible. 

Following on from this Jamie managed the daily operations of a number of services including Home Care, Day Care, Alzheimer Cafes and Social Clubs across Dublin, Meath and Westmeath. 

Alongside her service manager roles Jamie also worked as an in house Tutor with the Learning and Development team delivering dementia specific training to staff across the country from frontline to senior management. 

Just prior to commencing with Sage, Jamie was the National Community Engagement Manager with The Alzheimer Society of Ireland responsible for driving the new community Engagement strategy within Ireland through education and awareness. This involved working with schools, government bodies, non profits and other organisations to deepen our communities understanding of dementia. 

Jamie holds a Business Finance degree from University College Cork and The Irish Management Institute, and is a qualified Tutor.

Catherine O'Donoghue

Regional Advocate, Dublin & North-East

Prior to joining Sage Advocacy, Catherine worked with Cavan & Monaghan Citizens Information Service delivering information, advice and advocacy services. Her role involved assisting clients with queries in relation to a broad spectrum of public and social services, highlighting social policy issues and providing support to those most in need of overcoming barriers to access their rights.  Catherine has worked on complex advocacy cases dealing with issues involving social welfare, employment, housing, consumer affairs, health, education, immigration, equality and disability rights.

Catherine holds a Postgraduate Diploma (MSc) in Applied Social Studies from Trinity College Dublin and a BA (Hons) in Journalism and Media Communications from Griffith College Dublin. She recently completed a QQI Level 6 in Information, Advice & Advocacy.  

Ciara Gallagher

Regional Advocate, Dublin & North-East

Ciara has worked in the area of care provision services for over 30 years.

Prior to joining Sage, Ciara worked for the Irish Advocacy Network providing advocacy services in Acute Psychiatric Units in the Dublin, Meath and Louth area.

Ciara has worked as a social care worker for Three Steps Assessment and Therapeutic Residential Services for Children and Adolescents.  

Ciara has also worked as an assistant programme coordinator on the Special Care Programme, a 48-week training programme providing theoretical training and work placement in the field of Intellectual Disability within in The Daughters of Charity – Disability Support Services.

Ciara holds a BA in Applied Social Studies (Disabilities) from the Open Training College. 

Derek Meates

Regional Advocate, , Dublin & North-East

Marisa Sousa

Regional Advocate, Dublin & North-East

Maureen Finlay

Regional Advocate, Dublin & North-East

Prior to joining Sage, Maureen was a Development Officer with Age Action in Meath. She was responsible for implementing the National Advocacy Programme (later to become the Third Age National Advocacy Programme). Maureen was responsible for managing and providing supervision and support to advocates placed in nursing homes across Meath and Louth. In addition, she developed the first befriending programme for Meath nursing homes, recruiting and training a new team of befrienders.

Prior to this, Maureen worked for nine years for the Citizen’s Information Service, initially as an Information Officer and later as an Advocacy Resource Officer for the North East.

As a trained advocate, Maureen represented clients at Employment Appeals Tribunals, the Labour Court, HSE/Social Welfare and Equality Appeals and the Family Law Court.

Ann Griffin

Regional Advocate, West & North-West

Prior to joining Sage, Ann was actively engaged with the Third Age National Advocacy Programme since 2010. Ann was responsible for hands-on delivery of advocacy services and the management of a team of volunteer advocates in Leitrim, Longford, Roscommon, and Sligo. Ann was office manager of a Care in the Community facility which involved assessing the needs of clients in their own homes to develop and provide appropriate care packages.

Anne also held the post of Welfare Director of a sheltered employment facility providing advocacy and support services to thirty clients with intellectual and physical disability.

Ann has completed a Certificate in Advocacy with the National College of Ireland, Volunteer Management Training Certificate with Volunteer Centres Ireland and a certificate in Management Skills for Managers of Advocacy Services, I.T. Blanchardstown.

Geraldine Jolley

Regional Advocate, West & North-West

Prior to being appointed as the Regional Coordinator for the Midlands, Geraldine Jolley worked with the Health Information and Quality Authority (HIQA) for more than 10 years as an inspector of social services with responsibility for the regulation of designated centres for older people.

Before this role she was the area development officer for Mental Health Ireland. This role involved the development of positive mental health promotion programmes, suicide prevention initiatives and interagency working relationships with statutory, community, voluntary and social partners to ensure the effective delivery of services and the optimum management of resources.

Geraldine also spent more than 20 years working in the UK and held varied roles in regulation with the Care Quality Commission and as a nurse manager for mental health services that included acute, rehabilitation and dementia care services.

Geraldine is a mental health nurse with a specialist qualification in community mental health nursing. She also has a Masters degree in Interprofessional Health and Welfare Studies.

Sheila Hunt

Regional Advocate, , West & North-West

Stephanie Monahan

Regional Advocate, West & North-West

Trish Martyn

Regional Advocate, West & North-West

Prior to joining Sage, Trish worked with a community project in inner city Galway until 2014. Trish was responsible for the provision of support services to all sections of the local population. Trish previously spent 15 years working with the Lifestart Foundation, a parent-directed child-centred learning programme; supporting parents in home, community and centre based settings.

Trish holds a BA in Community and Family Studies.