Our Board

Chairperson (outgoing)

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“Ireland is experiencing a reawakening of our capacity to create change, and Common Knowledge is playing a crucial role in that by putting skills back in our hands. “

Jess is an organisational psychologist with an insatiable curiosity for helping people solve problems at work - particularly when they are attempting something that’s never been done before. Having enjoyed many career u-turns - from HR consulting in professional services, to organisational design in NGOs, to learning design for a Berlin tech start up and academic programmes development for universities - the one that’s held her curiosity for the longest has been setting up The Brave Lab with Lucy Mc Kenna to bring a unique brand of learning, innovation and strategy consulting to clients across the globe. With a BA in Psychology and an MSc in Organisational Psychology, Jess has a strong evidence-base to work with in terms of understanding humans at work. She continues to follow her research interests in behavioural neuropsychology, creative thinking, high-pressure decision making and problem-solving. With her background in HR, Jess is also passionate about setting up, regularising and embedding positive people practices which make for safe and sustainable working cultures, and we are delighted that she will bring this to the Common Knowledge board, in addition to her experience as a founding Board Member of Dublin City Farm. Jess is most excited about Common Knowledge’s potential to light a spark inside people that will help them to take control of their lives and surroundings in a sustainable way. Jess is an avid hiker, gardener and pebble-collector who is happiest outdoors. One day she will figure out how to compost properly and will keep chickens in her garden.

Director & Secretary

“Common Knowledge empowers us to take control of our lives with the skills, knowledge and confidence we need to play a part in Ireland’s progress towards a sustainable, equitable and inclusive future.’

As Enterprise Liaison Officer with Sustainable Futures UCC, Tanya is responsible for working with industry and enterprise on the development of educational offerings focused on Sustainability.

Developing and managing relationships with some of Ireland’s largest companies, Tanya has extensive experience in business development and learner centric approaches to education. She has previously worked in the community sector developing Sustainability Training offerings for individuals, businesses and community groups.

A champion for sustainability and lifelong learning, Tanya is passionate about empowering individuals and businesses to move to a more sustainable society. Tanya has significant experience managing relationships with senior business executives in addition to management in public sector organisations and has facilitated working groups sessions, focus groups and interviews with such individuals to understand their training and educational needs.

Tanya has also worked in the administration of funding for businesses and community groups in her role as a Development Officer on the LEADER Programme for a number of years.

Director & Treasurer

Padraic is a chartered accountant by profession, working in the technical accounting department of a ‘big four’ audit firm. In anticipation of the recently adopted Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive (that will, in time, compel ~50k corporates in the EU to report on sustainability metrics), Padraic is part of the firm's efforts in preparing its clients for the impending reporting on sustainability.

Separately, Padraic is pursuing a postgraduate degree in Bioeconomy and Business and was recently part of a delegation from "Bioeconomy Ireland" that travelled to northern Italy to explore and share ideas with their counterparts in the Lombardy and Piedmont regions.

On the community front, Padraic set up a non-profit with a number of other parents in Dublin 8 to run a playgroup for children in the area.

Director

“At a time of multiple crisis, Common Knowledge empowers us to rediscover our potential to build a better future.”

Niall is a transdisciplinary designer, researcher and educator with a background in social impact. Working with a range of clients on their most complex problems, he has surpported the UK Ministry of Justice to help young offenders break the cycle of crime, Oxfordshire CCG to integrate people with complex needs safely back into their communities, and many more from Vodafone and BCG-Digital Ventures to The British Design Council. Niall is a serial social entrepreneur, with a focus on education. In 2014 he founded Project 42 in the UK, a holistic programme of open-ended immersive learning experiences for young people that help them develop their confidence, empathy and problem-solving. Across all his work Niall pushes an inclusive and future-focused agenda, forging unlikely partnerships and collaborative ideas Niall holds an M.A. in Service Design from the Royal College of Art in London and a B.A. in psychology and English from Trinity College Dublin.

Director

“We go through our lives surrounded by things we don’t understand, and it can make us miserable. Common Knowledge gives us back our agency.”

Mick is founder of GIY, a social entrepreneur, author, TV presenter and hacker grower.

He worked in the IT industry for 10 years before starting GIY in 2008 after a chance encounter with a pesky bulb of Chinese garlic in a supermarket. In the time since he’s most proud of working with an amazing team of changemakers to build GIY in to a leading social enterprise, and build a home for the movement at GROW HQ in Waterford.

He co-presented/produced 3 series of Grow Cook Eat for RTE which is now watched around the world on Amazon Prime. He is an Ashoka Fellow, a member of The Irish Food Writers Guild and a board member at ChangeX. He has written 4 books and columns on food for The Irish Times, The Irish Independent and Food & Wine Magazine. He was the 2017 Local Food Hero in the Food & Wine Awards.

He lives in Dunmore East with his wife Eilish and two young GIYers.

Director

“Common Knowledge teaches us to see new ways of being in the world and increases both our personal and collective independence”

Manchán Magan is a writer and documentary-maker. He has written books on his travels in Africa, India and South America and two novels.

He writes occasionally for The Irish Times on culture & travel, presents the RTÉ podcast The Almanac of Ireland, and is author of the award-winning, best-selling Thirty-Two Words For Field, and Tree Dogs, Banshees Fingers and other Irish Words for Nature. His new book, Listen to the Land Speak is due Oct 2022.

He has made dozens of documentaries on issues of world culture for TG4, RTÉ & Travel Channel. He lives in an oak wood, with bees and hens, in a grass-roofed house near Lough Lene, Co Westmeath

Manchán also sits on the board of other incredible organisations including Téach Damsá and Hometree.

Director

“We need skills and confidence to take more control of our own living situations - Common Knowledge does this in tangible, affordable and sustainable ways.”

As head of the business law team in Reddy Charlton Solicitors, Elaine has extensive experience advising companies of all sizes and sectors on all aspects of corporate and commercial law and helping clients navigate the increasingly complex corporate environment. Her areas of expertise include corporate transactions, commercial contracting and intellectual property.

Elaine is a registered trademark attorney. She regularly lectures in the Law Society and contributes to CPD courses for other bodies on various legal topics. She also a board member of renowned theatre company, Anu Productions.

Director

“Facing an increasingly overwhelming world, Common Knowledge helps us to build agency and confidence, providing energy and hope for our shared future.”

A committed sustainability and climate action adviser, advocate, and activist, Ali has spent her career working as a sustainability practitioner across the private, public and NGO sectors in Ireland as well as the UK and Netherlands. She currently works with the Fossil Fuel Non Proliferation Treaty as Head of Corporate Engagement. Ali held the role of Country Sustainability Manager for IKEA Ireland where she was responsible for the delivery of the People and Planet Strategy focusing on circular economy, carbon reduction, healthy and sustainable lifestyles, and stakeholder engagement. Ali spent several years in the food industry as Sustainability Manager for Bord Bia and has also held roles in Bearingpoint and Green-Schools. Ali has lectured and designed sustainability modules for a number of universities in Ireland, and sits on several sustainability working groups including Codema’s Zero Together Transition Team for Dublin, the Advisory Board of the DCU Centre for Climate & Society, and as Engagement Officer for Maynooth Sustainable Energy Community

Director

Creative Entrepreneur. Bio-Leadership Fellow 2023. Board Member Common Knowledge. Inventor & Co-Founder of Sugru. I believe in the power of imagination and community to solve the big challenges of our time. Jane ni Dhulchaointigh is an Irish Creative Entrepreneur. Over the last almost 20 years, she has led Sugru from a playful idea, through technology invention to business and community growth.