The Irish Kidney Association delivers a broad range of services ranging from the individual, such as holiday dialysis, counselling, sport and patient support to the community, such as supporting our Branch network and advocacy on behalf of the renal community. The Association also plays a leading role in the delivery of the organ donor programme in Ireland.
We currently have a team of 10 full-time and 14 part-time staff to deliver these services. You can see everyone below and their areas of responsibility.
To contact any of our staff, you can call our office on (+353) 01 620 5306 or email info@ika.ie and we will put you in touch.
Patient Support & Services
Counselling Co-ordinator
(Full-time)
Aoife is a fully accredited humanistic integrative psychotherapist, working in private practice since 2008. She was also a specialist care representative in the healthcare industry for twenty years, during this time gaining invaluable experience working in chronic illness in the form of diabetes, respiratory diseases, and pain management. These combined careers have given her a wide range of knowledge both medically and therapeutically allowing her to fully support our patients here at the Irish Kidney Association.
Fun fact: Aoife has an amazing ’little black book’ of contacts; she always knows someone who might/can do something!
National Advocacy & Projects Manager
(Full-time)
Colin initially joined the IKA staff in 2005 to develop the sports programme. His areas of interest have since extended to include social media, public and patient education, event management, writing and advocacy. Passionate about patient empowerment and motivated by his wife’s diagnosis with End Stage Kidney Disease in 2001, Colin brings great empathy to his role. Through extra-curricular activities allied to patient health and education as well as patient advocacy, Colin has developed a significant network of useful contacts.
Fun fact: Colin used to be a maths teacher and for good reason – his ability to do complex sums in his head could rival any calculator!
Holiday Co-ordinator
(Full-time)
Deborah has almost 20 years of experience with the Irish Kidney Association, specialising in co-ordinating dialysis for patients when they travel abroad. She has a wealth of knowledge and experience, and her insight over the years helps make holidays for dialysis patients as seamless and stress free as possible.
Fun fact: Deborah is our office sweet tooth; 3pm tea and chocolate is sacred!
Patient Support Assistant
(Part-time)
Edina Csibi
Patient Support Manager
(Full-time)
Fiona Aherne
Counselling Assistant
(Part-time)
Margaret Doyle
Renal Support Centre
Support Centre Assistant
(Part-time, Beaumont)
Agnes Matthews
Support Centre Assistant
(Part-time, Beaumont)
Frank Burke
Support Centre Renal Officer
(Part-time, Munster)
Sally Nagle
Support Centre Renal Officer
(Part-time, Munster)
Colette Hawe
Support Centre Supervisor
(Part-time, Munster)
Jennifer Barry
Support Centre Implementation Manager
(Full-time)
Sarah Buchanan
Office, Finance & Administration
Office Manager and Personal Assistant
(Full-time)
Ashling Hand
Finance Manager
(Full-time)
Gary Davitt
Finance Assistant
(Part-time)
Jacqueline Moore
National Volunteer and Organisation Development Manager
(Part-time)
Deirdre Markey
Administrator
(Part-time)
Lenny Ryan
Receptionist / Administrator
(Part-time)
Caroline Connolly
Communications and Fundraising
Media Relations
(Part-time Contractor)
Gwen is a Media Relations contractor who has worked with the IKA for two decades and will be a familiar face to anyone who has been part of our national campaigns and media work. She also helps produce our quarterly Support Magazine and organise our annual Service of Remembrance and Thanksgiving.
Fun fact: Her memory for names and faces is second to none; she has been called Erin Brockovich more than once!
Communications Executive
(Full-time)
Fundraising Manager
(Part-time)
Lisa joined the Irish Kidney Association part-time in April 2022. With her backround in Marketing, Events, PA and Travel she brings to the team, her strong logistical skills and expertise. Lisa herself received a Kidney Transplant in 2019 and is now putting her personal experience into helping Kidney patients get the best and most productive service from the IKA.
Fun fact: Lisa’s past in the travel industry gives her the unofficial title of Office Travel Agent; from recommending hotels to which deck to book on your cruise, she knows it all!
Fundraising Manager
(Part-time)
Sinead McDonald
Chief Executive
Carol Moore
Carol is a fellow member of Chartered Accountants Ireland with over 30 years’ experience working in private and public organisations in management and consultancy roles. She holds a Masters in Psychology, post graduate qualifications in social science, education and psychometrics and she is a qualified mediator.
Since joining the Irish Kidney Association in October 2020, Carol has introduced a new strategy and led a successful campaign to ensure kidney patients are prioritised for vaccination. She has also supported compliance with the Charities Governance Code while developing new patient and families services with a new peer support service being launched in 2023.
Fun fact: Carol can't wait for any excuse to celebrate or mark an occasion with cakes, cards and presents. Birthdays in the office are always celebrated with a cake or two!
Carol was a co founder of LIFEWISE, an online alcohol harm reduction service as well as Governance Manager with Mental Health Ireland, the national Mental Health Organisation with member branches all around the country.
She is also a co-founder of the registered charity Dual Diagnosis Ireland, the organisation for people who have the co-occurring disorder of both mental health issues and substance abuse.
Carol also helped co-found Mental Health Reform, the leading national coalition of mental health care in Ireland which has over 70 member organisations. She was a non-executive director with CORU, the state agency regulator for multiple health and social care which promotes high standards among health and social care professionals.
The mission statement of the Irish Kidney Association is to support people living with, or likely to be affected by End Stage Kidney Disease. We are here to help.