Catriona has over twenty-five years’ experience of working in the nonprofit / charity sector and has managed local, regional and national organisations. A graduate of UCC, University of Pisa and School of Philanthropy Indiana University, Catriona has reported to Boards as a senior staff member and has had a number of CEO roles. She has provided professional advice to Boards nationally and internationally over the many years of working in the sector.
From a governance perspective Catriona has a vast range of experience, from the small local volunteer led groups to national organisations such as Charities Institute Ireland. In 2018 Catriona completed a review of Charities Institute Ireland Good Practice Certificate course. In 2017 she wrote in collaboration with Mason Hayes & Curran the Charities Institute Ireland Fundraising Codes of Good Practice. She has also facilitated many training programmes on behalf of Charities Institute Ireland and the Department of Justice. She was a member of the implementation group for the Statement of Guiding Principles for Fundraising. She has also provided training for The Wheel.
Catriona was an assessor for the National Good Governance Awards 2023 and a judge for the awards in 2024. She also judged the awards in 2025 and chaired one of the judging panels.
Catriona provides professional advice, training and mentoring to charities and not for profits on all aspects of governance, strategy, fundraising, compliance (in particular with Charity Regulator requirements and applications), regulation and best practice. Catriona has sat on the HR and Governance committees of various charities as an external advisor and has advised finance sub committees also. She has experience of consulting with stakeholders such as the HSE, TUSLA and other statutory bodies / funders when completing reviews and carrying out work for other charities.
In recent years Catriona has advised a number of Irish based Philanthropic Foundations, in particular family foundations. She has experienced at first hand the challenges and frustrations that these foundations as registered charities have experienced in order to be compliant with regulations and follow best practice.
She is however a firm believer in the benefits of regulation and the very positive way best practice adherence advances an organisation.
Catriona has mentored CEO’S /Managers and Chairs of Boards of trustees on carrying out their roles and responsibilities and appreciates the challenges they face. She has written strategic plans for various organisations and has also conducted reviews of charity Boards and their performance.Organisational reviews of various organisations have also formed the basis of Catriona’s work for many years.
Catriona believes passionately in the nonprofit sector in Ireland and embraces and welcomes transparency, accountability and good practice. Catriona was a trustee of Suicide or Survive, a volunteer with the Irish Guide Dogs for the Blind and a committee member of Cork Chamber of Commerce. She has recently stepped down, after two years as a Board member of Scoil Na Nog in Co Cork (where all Board meetings are conducted through Irish).
Recent Projects
Recent project work involving governance, compliance, adherence to best practice, Board training, Governance reviews, Board evaluations and Board training for trustees has been a core part of Catriona’s work.
Recent clients have included
De Paul Ireland
Philanthropy Ireland
SVP
Irish Cancer Society
The Irish Charity Regulator
FRC Carrigtwohill
St Joseph’s Foundation
Aiseanna Na hOige
Retired Civil and Public Servants Association (RCPSA)
CUH Foundation
Slaney Foundation
Clarissan Missionary Sisters - Dublin
