Meet the Team

Sinead Duffy is a public affairs, sustainability and communications specialist with over 25 years experience in the corporate sector. She is former Director of Global Public Affairs and Sustainability at Bayer and she currently works with purpose-driven organisations to support sustainable development. She is a Board Member of Energy Cloud, supporting people in energy poverty, a member of Business Fights Poverty’s Global Expert Network and a Member of European Women on Boards. She has an educational background in psychology (UCD and communications (DCU) as well as further education in Sustainability (Cambridge University) and Corporate Governance (Columbia University).

She is an Erasmus Mundus MA in Women’s and Gender Studies (GEMMA) student in the Central European University in Vienna and the Universidad de Granada and a BA European Studies graduate of Trinity College Dublin. Mairéad has been a board director since April 2023 and is also a member of the Programmes Subcommittee. She has been a member of the Plan International Ireland Youth Advisory Panel (YAP) since January 2021.

Patrick Scott has over 25 years leadership experience in executing strategy and managing business operations, including 15 years at IBM for clients in IT, Telco & Financial Services across Ireland, Europe and the US. He has over 10 years of board governance service for non-profit institutions in education and children’s welfare, in Mexico, Ethiopia and Ireland. He holds an International Executive MBA from Instituto de Empresa, Madrid, and a Bachelor’s degree in Law from Trinity College Dublin and is a graduate of the Chartered Director programme of the Institue of Directors in Ireland.

Mr. David O’Leary helps companies, governments & profit for purpose organisations to drive and sustain strategic innovation, digitalisation and excellence. He built his own advertising agency before exiting in a sale to a global marketing agency. He manages the world’s largest mass participation sports event for women; The Women’s Mini Marathon. David joined the Board of Plan International Ireland in September 2021. He has been on our Marketing & Fundraising Committee since early 2020. David holds an MBA from the UCD Smurfit School. He is a graduate of The Institute of Directors Chartered Director programme. David is active in his local community with Faughs GAA Club & St. Agnes’ Credit Union. He competes in masters athletics with Dundrum South Dublin Athletics Club.

Jessica Feary is a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants Ireland and has worked in finance roles for the past 14 years. She holds a Bachelor of Business – Accounting from the Technological University Dublin. She was appointed as a director in KPMG’s audit practice in 2021, previously working as manager and then senior manager and works there to date. She has been with KPMG since 2012. During this period, she has gained significant experience working with a large number of financial institutions and service organisations in asset management. Prior to joining KPMG, Jessica has also worked in various finance positions across retail and pharmaceutical entities.

Tara Bedi is an Assistant Professor in Development Practice in the Department of Geography at Trinity College Dublin. Prior to this she was a research fellow, a Marie Curie postdoctoral researcher (CAROLINE) and Irish Research Council PhD student in development economics at Trinity College Dublin. She also holds a master’s degree in Public Administration in International Development from the Harvard Kennedy School. She focuses on the evaluation of large-scale field projects on gender empowerment and poverty reduction. She is conducting research in Ethiopia, India, Malawi, Mauritania, Kenya and Ireland. Tara has worked in local and international NGOs on development, as well as international organisations and with refugee settlement in the US. She grew up in rural India around her parent’s work on rights and development.

Charles Keane, is a graduate of University College Dublin with a Degree in Commerce and a post graduate Diploma in Development Studies. Most of his career has been in the Banking and Finance sphere specialising in the small business sector both in Ireland and overseas. He was previously Managing Director of ICC Consulting where he managed numerous projects on behalf of various international development agencies primarily in developing countries. Most of his international experience has been gained in Africa and Asia. He presently works in Dublin as an independent consultant to the SME sector.

Eleanor Flew is the Director of Philanthropy and Partnerships at the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland (RCPI), where she leads strategic philanthropy and partnership development. She is currently leading a major capital campaign to establish Ireland’s first publicly accessible medical museum at No. 6 Kildare Street, an initiative designed to preserve and celebrate the rich history of medicine in Ireland.

Prior to joining RCPI at the end of 2025, Eleanor served as Director of Fundraising and Communications at Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services, overseeing fundraising income generation, brand growth and supporter engagement across its Harold’s Cross, Blackrock and Wicklow hospice sites. Since joining the organisation in 2014, she played a pivotal role in strengthening income, expanding visibility and deepening stakeholder relationships for Ireland’s largest specialist palliative care provider.

Eleanor is a graduate of NUI Maynooth and the UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School. Her earlier career in the non‑profit sector includes roles with Focus Ireland and UNICEF Ireland, spanning both domestic and international programme functions.

Before moving to the non‑profit sector, Eleanor worked in advertising across a broad range of sectors including technology, FMCG, retail, telecoms and charity. This experience provided a strong foundation in creative strategy, brand development and stakeholder engagement, all of which continue to inform her leadership in philanthropy and partnerships.