Our team

The Misean Cara team combines a commitment to supporting those furthest behind with deep professionalism and long experience in international development. Meet the individuals who work with our members that seek to empower the most marginalised people achieve a better quality of life:

Management team

John Moffett

Chief Executive Officer (CEO)

John was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Misean Cara in April 2020. He has worked in international development for over 25 years, his most previous post being as CEO of TREE AID, where he developed and led a 5 year strategy delivering organisational growth and deepening impact. John was previously Programme Director with Self Help Africa where he led the implementation of programme strategy targeting smallholder farmers in sub-Saharan Africa. John brings a strong track record in leading geographically dispersed teams to design and implement impactful programmes and growing institutional funding.

Séamus O'Leary

Project Funding Manager

Séamus has been involved in overseas development for many years. He previously worked in Romania and Albania with a Wexford-based charity providing support to Missionaries of Charity care centres in Eastern Europe. Séamus spent three years with the Columban Lay Mission Programme in Lahore, Pakistan. He has worked on programmes in India and the Philippines with Trócaire as Asia Programme Officer and the Integration Centre on cultural diversity in Ireland. Seamus has a Diploma in Development Studies from Kimmage DSC, a Master’s Degree in Rural Development from UCD and a Degree in Non-Profit Sector Management through the Open Training College. He is married to Geraldine and they have four children.

Jennifer Donovan

Donor Engagement Manager

Jennifer has worked in the non-profit fundraising sector for almost 20 years, with over 10 years’ experience at a senior executive level and as a fundraising consultant for 5 years. Some of her previous posts included fundraising for Dublin Simon Community, Coolmine Therapeutic Community, The Model Arts Gallery, Suas Educational Development and Aiséirí. Her work includes all aspects of fundraising with a strong focus on strategic development through relationship building. Jennifer holds a Master’s Degree in Leadership and Management for the Community and Public Sector and guest lectures on Fundraising and Philanthropy. When not working Jennifer enjoys spending time with her family in the West of Ireland where she lives.

Seamus Collins

Learning & Development Manager

Seamus joined the Misean Cara team in March 2017. He holds a Master’s Degree in Development Studies, and has been working in the international development arena since 1987. He has lived and worked in Sudan, Lesotho and Mozambique. Prior to coming to Misean Cara, Seamus spent 17 years with the Irish agency Trócaire. In Misean Cara, as part of the Learning and Development team, he has produced a series of Learning Briefs based on Misean Cara project evaluations. Other responsibilities include managing project evaluations and making monitoring visits to Misean Cara projects.

Fergal Molloy

Financial Controller

As Financial Controller, Fergal is a member of the Management Team and is responsible for producing monthly Management Accounts, annual Financial Statements, budgets and managing Cash Flow. He also provides leadership and direction to the Finance and IT team and oversees the implementation of finance/IT policy and procedures, accounting controls and reporting protocols. In addition, he reports to the Board and the Financial Oversight, Risk & Audit Committee on all matters financial and risk related.

Fergal comes to Misean Cara from an extensive career in Finance and Accounting, including management roles within the Insurance brokerage, technology and retail sectors and as a consultant, where clients included Irish Life & Permanent plc, Basketball Ireland and the Football Association of Irelant (FAI). He has also lectured in Accounting, HR and Management with Dublin Business School and Blanchardstown Institute of Technology. Fergal’s overseas experience includes a two-year post in Pakistan as Finance Director for Aer Rianta International. He holds a BA in Business Studies from Trinity College Dublin and an MBA from UCD’s Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School.

Safeguarding

Valerie Philpott

Safeguarding Advisor

Valerie is a qualified Social Worker and holds membership with the Social Work Registration Board of Ireland (CORU). She has extensive experience working with many marginalised groups within the non-profit and statutory sectors. Valerie is passionate about child welfare and children’s rights. Prior to taking up the position of Safeguarding Advisor here at Misean Cara, she spent 6 years in Australia working in Child Protection. She has also worked as a Social Worker in Ireland in the area of fostering. Valerie has qualifications in Anthropology and Social Policy and she holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work from University College Cork.

Project Funding team

Séamus O'Leary

Project Funding Manager

Éamonn Casey

Project Officer - Human Rights & Policy

Don Lucey

Project Officer - Livelihoods

Don’s focus is on Income generation activities and livelihoods (jobs) projects. Don is also involved in the members’ Sector Interest Groups. He supports member organisations by assessing funding applications, liaising with Development Mentors, and taking part in monitoring field visits. Don has a Degree in Civil Engineering from Dublin Institute of Technology and a Master’s Degree in Charity Management from Dublin College University (DCU). After completing his Master’s Degree Don started the Carmichael Centre Ethiopia to build capacity of local charities in Ethiopia.

Mary O'Connell

Senior Project Officer - Member Capacity Development

Mary joined Misean Cara in April 2017 to manage the Members Capacity Development scheme. Mary has a BSc (Hons) in Science, Technology and Society from Middlesex University that included a year with the Department of Community Medicine at the University of Zimbabwe undertaking research on capacity development within the function of District Medical Officers. Mary has since worked in international development for over twenty years including eight years as the Policy Officer for Capacity Development in the advocacy team at WaterAid in the UK. She has travelled extensively in Africa and South Asia. Mary returned home to Ireland from London in 2012 keenly interested to bring her skills and experience to the development sector and now to Misean Cara.

Niamh Caffrey

Project Officer - Health

Niamh’s focus is on Misean Cara Health projects across the world, in which she supports members to access funding opportunities, monitors the progression of projects, evaluates completed projects and takes part in monitoring field visits. Niamh has lived and worked in Kolkata, India for approximately four years. In India, she worked with The Hope Foundation, an organisation focused on providing emergency care, healthcare, education and protection to vulnerable children and communities living in Kolkata’s streets and slum areas. Niamh has a Degree in International Development and Food Policy from University College Cork and a Master’s Degree in Nutrition for Global Health from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.

Orla Duke

Project Officer - Education

Orla is the Education Project Officer with Misean Cara, working with members on projects that uphold the right to quality education. Orla has considerable experience in the International Development sector working previously for Scholars at Risk Europe at Maynooth University on an EU-funded project aimed at supporting academics and scholars under threat, and with Trócaire to provide programmatic and organisational advice and support to missionary and local partner organisations working on humanitarian, human rights and livelihoods programmes across Africa, Asia, the Middle East and Central America. She has also worked with Sightsavers International, Irish Aid and the European Commission’s Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations office (ECHO) in Brussels. Orla holds a MSc in Humanitarian Action from the University College Dublin and a BA in Public Administration from the University of Limerick.

Learning & Development team

Seamus Collins

Learning & Development Manager

James Lima

Data Analyst & IT Support Officer

James joined Misean Cara in 2023 in the role of Data Analyst & IT Support Officer. He has worked in Data Analysis and Sales Order Management for over eight years with positions in industry sectors and businesses including Supply Chain Analysis with Danone’s Early Life Nutrition division in São Paulo, Brazil, and Sales Order Management Analyst with Glen Dimplex, Ireland. James holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration and Management, with further qualifications in Systems Evaluation, Data Modeling and Forecasting. In his free time, James dedicates himself to studying music.

Jenny Ackermann

Monitoring & Results Measurement Officer

Colm Allan

Learning & Development Officer

Colm joined Misean Cara as Learning & Development officer in 2022. He has over 20 years applied experience in the Global South, primarily in Southern Africa. His focus has centred on how to strengthen the realisation of human rights and needs via improved public service delivery. He has worked in the areas of social accountability, public resource management, improved government oversight, and monitoring and evaluation. He established and directed a number of university-based research, monitoring and capacity building interventions in South Africa, and previously lectured in sociology. He has also worked on how to strengthen national mechanisms for reporting and follow-up to (UN) international human rights instruments. Colm has an MA from University of Warwick and an MPhil from Ulster University.

Rachna Shanbog

Learning & Development Officer

Rachna joined Misean Cara in 2022 as the Learning and Development Officer. She has worked on various development issues in the South Asian context with organisations such as the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women (UN Women), The Hunger Project, and other organisations in India. Her experience in Ireland includes teaching at the International Development Department at Maynooth University and working as a Research Assistant at Dublin City University. Rachna holds a MA in Social Work degree from Jamia Millia Islamia (New Delhi, India) and a PhD from the School of Law and Government, Dublin City University, Ireland.

Development mentors

Michael Osei Nkrumah

Development Mentor, West Africa

Michael is bilingual (English and French), a trainer consultant by profession and has worked with several development organisations including MDF Training and Consultancy West Africa. Michael’s thematic areas include results based management, project management, monitoring, evaluation and learning and institutional development and organizational strengthening. As Misean Cara Mentor for West Africa, Michael works with member organisations at project level, helping project plan, implement and reflect on their development projects and outcomes. He also intervenes in reporting and member capacity development through 2 – 3 day training programs and on-the-job mentoring/coaching. Michael is originally trained in business having completed an MBA program, a Bachelor of Science Degree in Economics and Business Administration and several post graduate diplomas in development studies.

Paul Njeru Gichuki

Development Mentor, Eastern Africa

Paul joined Misean Cara in May 2014, as Eastern Africa Development Mentor. He develops the capacity (Institutional, Organisation and Human Resource) of Misean Cara member organisations and their local partners in enhancing quality of planning, monitoring, learning and reinforcing sustainability. Paul accompanies project personnel in their journey of transforming the lives of communities through greater project cycle management understanding and development of skills. Paul has a Master’s Degree in Governance and Development from the Institute of Development Studies (Sussex) and has been working in international development since 1997. Prior to Misean Cara, Paul spent 8 years with the Irish agency Trócaire, as East Africa Programme Officer. He is particularly interested in Human Rights, citizen participation and governance.

Finbar O'Brien

Development Mentor, Southern Africa

Finbar joined Misean Cara in August 2020. He accompanies project personnel in the Southern Africa region to develop their capacity in project cycle management, results-based management, and to assist in organizational strengthening. He also facilitates reflection and learning within and between projects. Finbar has worked in West, Central, East and Southern Africa with civil society, bilateral and multilateral organisations. He holds Master’s Degrees in International Development from University College Cork and Development Management from Open University. Much of his career was spent with the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs where he was a senior manager with Irish Aid and he also served as Irish Ambassador to Zambia and Uganda.

Patricia Ynoñan Garcia

Development Mentor, Latin America

Patricia is bilingual (Spanish and English) and has worked with several development organisations including CARE Peru, World Vision and Instituto Salud y Trabajo. Patricia’s thematic areas include results based management, project management, monitoring, evaluation and learning and institutional development and organisational strengthening. As Misean Cara Mentor for Latin America, Patricia works with member organisations at project level, helping project plan, implement and reflect on their development projects and outcomes. She also supports in reporting and member capacity development through 2 – 3 day training programs and on-the-job mentoring/coaching. Patricia has a bachelors degree in sociology, masters degree in social management and diploma in gender studies. In her spare time, Patricia is a foodie who loves to visit new restaurants and read books.

Finance team

Fergal Molloy

Financial Controller

Ciara Bevan

FInance Officer

As part of the Finance team Ciara works closely with the Financial Controller on accounting projects and supporting members with financial aspects of project funding. With qualifications in Marketing, Administrative Management and Accounting, Ciara’s career has primarily been in the private sector, in particular spending a number of years with both IBM and CIPD. Ciara loves to travel and getting to know a bit about other cultures and ways of life. She has wide tastes in music, theatre and cinema, and is a big sports fan.

Donor Engagement & Communications team

Clare Matthias

Marketing and Communications Officer

Originally from the United States, Clare’s 20-year career in communications and marketing has spanned sectors such as global affairs programming, biomedical and consumer product manufacturing, branding & design, and the contemporary arts, and has included roles at the American Red Cross and the World Affairs Council of Oregon. Her professional background includes an extensive business communications portfolio and credentials and experience in digital marketing, public relations, and project management. She has also worked as a freelance journalist and copy-editor. Clare holds a Master's Degree in the History of Art and Professional Certificates in Project Management and Digital Marketing, and is a member of the Marketing Institute of Ireland. She joined Misean Cara in 2020.

Jennifer Donovan

Donor Engagement Manager

Renaud Contini

Fundraising and Grants Officer

Renaud is the Fundraising and Grants Officer at Misean Cara. He previously worked in Geneva, Switzerland within the international development sector, in NGO roles developing partnerships with new donors at Swiss, European and international levels. He has also held positions in communications, both in NGOs and in the Irish public sector. In his free time, Renaud enjoys reading, creative writing, and table tennis. He holds an M. Sc in International Politics from Trinity College Dublin and a Ph.D in Intellectual History from Maynooth University.

Admin team

Mića Bowers

Office & HR Administrator

Mića joined Misean Cara in 2023 as an Office and HR Administrator and works closely with both members and staff. Mića has qualifications in HR, strategic management, counseling and administration. A dedicated people person, Mića has a decade of volunteering experience with Saint Vincent De Paul, including seven years as local conference treasurer providing support and essential services to families in crisis. In her free time Mića loves to explore the world, exercise and unwind with a nice cup of Yorkshire Tea.

Meaghan Higgins-Coyne

Administrator