About Us
Who We Are
We champion the power of strategic giving to effect real and lasting change. Representing and empowering a diverse and engaged membership, supporting all types of philanthropy we promote best practice, inform public policy, and raise awareness of philanthropic giving as an effective driver of social change.
Our Vision
Our Mission
Our Values
Courage
Providing courageous risk-embracing leadership that strives for systemic and transformative change in Irish philanthropy.
Transparency
Adhering to openness, accountability, and trust-building through clear communication and shared learning.
Collaboration
Building strategic partnerships across philanthropy, government, business, and civil society to maximise impact.
Empowerment
Enabling a diversity of communities, donors, and practitioners to act with confidence, creativity and influence.
What We Do
Policy - Empowering the growth of philanthropy
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Engage with government
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Inform policy
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Advance implementation
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Collective voice
Practice - Enabling best practice in philanthropy
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Facilitate collaborations
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Lead knowledge exchange
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Advance research and data
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Advisory support
Promotion - Building a movement for philanthropy
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Stakeholder education
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Spread awareness
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Deepen understanding
Our Team
Our team has over 30 years experience working in the philanthropy sector, advising philanthropists, advocating for the community and providing knowledge and insights to support the philanthropy movement.
As CEO for Philanthropy Ireland, Éilis is an advocate for the growth and development of philanthropy, she leads a small team supporting and providing voice for donors, individual, institutional and corporate. With almost 30 years’ experience working in the not-for-profit sector with a range of NGO’s, Éilis is passionate about the role and value of philanthropy in civil society. Prior to joining Philanthropy Ireland, Éilis worked as an Organisational Development Consultant, focusing on strategic planning and project development. In previous roles as Enterprise Development Manager with the local authority, she had responsibility for supporting and mentoring a portfolio of social enterprise start-ups and investments. Éilis has an MA in Philanthropic Studies from the University of Kent and a B. Comm from UCD. Committed to knowledge exchange and collaboration, she is on the board of Philea.
Hazel joined the Philanthropy Ireland team in July 2023 as Communications and Stakeholder Engagement Lead. Hazel is responsible for engaging with PI’s membership and profiling Philanthropy Ireland across all of our channels and events. Hazel has over ten years’ experience in the philanthropic sector. She has held previous roles with Community Foundation Ireland including Marketing Executive for six years.
She has an undergraduate degree in Contemporary Culture and Society from DCU, a postgraduate diploma from University of Ulster in Applied Social Research, postgraduate diploma from Digital Marketing Academy of Ireland in Digital Marketing and a special purpose award from National College of Ireland in Non-Profit Leadership and Management.
Hazel is a board member with Youth Work Ireland Meath and has held roles on the American Youth Council, Euphoria, DCU Ryan Academy and the Irish Network of Young Social Entrepreneurs.
Sinéad is Communications, Awareness and Strategy Lead at Philanthropy Ireland, where she leads national communications and engagement initiatives supporting the National Policy on Philanthropy and strengthening collaboration between government, philanthropy and civil society. With over 20 years’ experience in media and digital communications, Sinéad has held production and programming roles with RTÉ, TV3, and Setanta Sports, and later founded the creative content agency Mashup Media, delivering public-interest campaigns across sustainability, health, education and community development. She previously worked with the Shine Media Programme, contributing to national efforts to improve how Irish media report on mental health and suicide. Sinead holds a Master’s degree in Sustainable Development from UCD and a Master’s in Film and Television Studies, bringing a strong blend of research, storytelling and systems-change perspectives to her work with the philanthropy sector.
Ana joined the Philanthropy Ireland team in May 2024 and is now Member Communications Project Lead. She works across communications and member engagement, leading on the development of content for the website, newsletters and social media, and supporting the delivery and promotion of Philanthropy Ireland’s initiatives, events and campaigns.
Ana is a graduate of Trinity Business School, with a focus on Social Impact and Innovation. With a background in Sales and Marketing, she has a strong interest in philanthropy and in supporting grant-making organisations across Ireland through effective communication, engagement and collaboration.
Our Board
Lorna Jennings
Chairperson
Lorna has worked in PR and public affairs for circa 15 years, working in Government, in house for Ireland’s largest health charity and in agency during that period. Lorna joined Hanover Communications in December 2016 to set up the firm’s office in Ireland, after a number of years working in senior roles in European and domestic consulting firms. Currently on the boards of directors of the Asthma Society of Ireland, Public Relations Consultants Association (Ireland) and Philanthropy Ireland. She began her career working in Leinster House, before moving to the Irish Cancer Society to develop and manage the Society’s public affairs strategy. Current and previous client experience includes PR, public affairs, event management, crisis communications and media training for clients ranging from state bodies to educational institutes, major multinationals and community groups. Lorna has a B.A. and an M.A. from Trinity College Dublin in History and Political Science and holds a masters in Public Affairs and Political Communications from the Dublin Institute of Technology.
Sean Coughlan
Board Member
Spanning both the not-for-profit and for-profit sectors, Sean’s experience includes Director of the To Zero initiative to child sexual violence in a generation (to-zero.org), Executive Director of the Human Dignity Foundation, Chief Executive of Boards.ie and Co-Founder and Chief Executive of Social Entrepreneurs Ireland. Seán has served on a number of boards and working groups including the Advisory Board of INTERPOL’s Fight Against Child Sexual Exploitation Initiative, the Board of the European Venture Philanthropy Association and the Board of Trustees of Airfield Estate. Seán is a graduate of Trinity College Dublin.
Fiona Finn
Board Member
Fiona joined the Sexual Health Centre as Chief Executive in November 2024, bringing over two decades of experience in leading organisations focused on advancing social justice and equality for marginalised communities.
Prior to her role at the Sexual Health Centre, Fiona served as CEO of the One Foundation, a private philanthropic trust dedicated to promoting equality for underserved communities, and Nasc, the Migrant and Refugee Rights Centre.
Fiona has a proven track record of driving positive social and policy change for marginalized groups. She is deeply committed to creating a society where each individual feels safe to express their sexuality and sexual health and sexuality are recognised an integral part of life.
She is also highly skilled in Nonprofit Organizations, Immigration Law and Refugee Law, Human Right Law and European Law. Strong business development and change management professional. Fiona holds a Bachelor of Laws (BCL) and a Master of Laws (LLM) from University College Cork.
Liz McConnell
Board Member
Liz is Head of Development with Kylemore Abbey. Liz is a native of Ballinrobe, Co. Mayo. She has over 25 years’ experience in the field of university advancement, philanthropy and public affairs.
From 2003 to 2019 she worked in the Office of the University President at NUI Galway, serving as Director of Public Affairs, during a period of exponential growth and development. In 2019 she took a career break from NUI Galway to work with The Kylemore Trust on philanthropic development at Kylemore Abbey.
Prior to 2003 she held the roles of Assistant Director of Development at Trinity Foundation (TCD, 1996-1998) and Deputy Director of Galway University Foundation (NUI Galway, 1998-2003) working in the area of fundraising and alumni relations. Educated at NUI Galway and UCD, she graduated with a BA (English and Philosophy) and completed an MA degree by thesis on the works of Irish writer, George Moore, before training as a librarian at Trinity College Library Dublin and UCD.
She serves on a number of non-profit boards including Music for Galway, Philanthropy Ireland, The Galway Steinway Trust and the Board of Management of Salerno Jesus & Mary Secondary School, and was a member of the board of Druid Theatre Company from 2015 – 2020.
Caroline McLaughlin
Board Member
Caroline McLaughlin is a social impact, philanthropy and partnerships executive with over 25 years’ experience building and leading networks, partnerships and collaborations to drive meaningful social change. She is the Founder of Heriot Row Advisors, supporting organisations, non-profits and philanthropic networks to unlock their potential through strong partnerships, network development and strategic collaboration. Until 2022, Caroline was Chief Partnerships Officer at AVPN, where she led global partnerships, grants and sponsorship strategies, significantly growing membership, revenue and impact across Asia. She brings deep experience across philanthropy, social investment, fundraising and governance, and currently serves as the Chair of Alliance Publishing Trust and is a trustee of the Risk Pool Alliance and Amala Education. Caroline has held senior leadership and board roles internationally, with a particular focus on gender equality, education, livelihoods and building effective, mission-aligned networks for impact.
Maurice McQuillan
Board Member
Maurice McQuillan was CEO of Lifes2Good Foundation from 2017 to 2025, helping to establish and shape the Foundation from its inception, leading its strategic development, and overseeing a transition to an environmental focus under its second strategic plan while continuing programmes supporting women and children. Prior to this, Maurice spent 14 years in the international development and humanitarian sector, serving as Global Security Manager with Catholic Relief Services and previously as Head of Humanitarian Programming with Trócaire, roles that involved extensive work in contexts including Haiti following the 2010 earthquake, as well as Syria, Somalia and Afghanistan, and delivering training at board and senior management level. Earlier in his career, he worked in Irish politics, spent a year in post-war Bosnia with the EU as a Political and Humanitarian Monitor, and served as an Irish Army officer with experience in border operations during the Troubles and UN peacekeeping missions in Lebanon, Somalia and Bosnia. Maurice enjoys all sports, particularly Irish rugby, and is, for his sins, a Leeds United soccer fan.