Coaching for Success

Inspiring Women
For Success

itag’s Digital Women’s Coaching for Success

We have developed a free structured coaching for the female community covering many areas in all business environments.

This coaching assistance will be tailored to the specific needs of each person requiring a coach through a detailed and actionable support system.

The itag Coaching for Success Program is a process to promote effective communications in a relationship between people with lots of peer to peer learning. This structure enables knowledge and skills to be transferred to transform your business culture, performance, value position and often positively impacts on your financial position through highlighting your strengths.

The purpose of this coaching is to tap into the existing knowledge, skills, and experience of high performing employees and transfer these skills to newer or less experienced employees in order to advance their professional development and career pathway.

Fiona Neary, NUI Galway and Maureen Kelly-Hardiman, DXC Technology took part in an interview for itag Podcast to discuss the progress of the ‘Coaching for Success’ program. Click on the link below to have a listen.

Purpose for the Mentee:

Professional Development & Direction.
Enhance skill development outside of comfort zone
Networking and building your own group
Enhance Problem-solving techniques and utilising your coach as a sounding board

The vision of this programme is to provide support to enable the growth and development of females aspiring to develop their skills and progress personally and professionally. Our coaches act as a confidential sounding board, advising Mentees on how to best navigate barriers they may be facing.

The coaching on offer has been divided into 4 sections. The coach will provide support in one of these areas for you.

This matching in part of the application process below.

Soft Skills

Emotional Intelligence
Adaptable to Change
Conflict Resolution
Team Player Attitude
Self-Awareness
Empathy

Communication Skills

Presentation Skills
Pitching Perfection
Active Listening
Openness to Feedback
Verbal/Non Verbal Communication

Time Management

How to use your time effectively
Scheduling & Planning Work
Managing Meetings
Delegate Effectively

Transitioning to Leadership

Career Pathway
Goal Setting
Leadership Skills
Influencing Skills & Behaviours

How the itag Coaching for Success programme works

Apply online

itag review application & assign coach

Coachee kick off call

Coaching Sessions

1 per month for 6 months
90 minute duration

Complete program evaluation

Join Our Coaches

If you feel you have the right experience, desire to give something back and you wish to provide coaching in any area, please join our coaching panel.

All applications will be subject to review by the itag Coaching Advisory Group.

Get Coaching Support

If you feel you are in need of a coach to help you learn and progress in a certain area, please join our Coaching for Success programme.

All applications will be subject to review by the itag Coaching Advisory Group. Applications for coaching are now closed for our initial programme.

Meet Our Facilitators

Caroline Costello

Caroline attended NUIG to study commerce, with the downturn in the economy she decided to do a master’s in information systems management in NUIG. Since then she has worked across a number of industries including Pharma, Telecoms, Public Sector and now Financial Services in Fidelity Investments.

Her roles included consultancy, QE Lead, Systems Analyst, and the past number of years Product Owner/Manager.

Caroline is extremely passionate about advocating for women and seeing them reach their full potential!

Caroline is a committee member of the itag Digital Womens Forum.

Areas Caroline can help you:

Facilitator for Coaching for Success 2024 programme

Valerie Huguet

As a Customer Success Specialist at MathWorks, Valerie is passionate about facilitating the use of MATLAB and Simulink with academic customers. With more than 5 years of experience in this role, she has helped hundreds of educators, researchers, and students access, deploy, and utilize these powerful tools for teaching, learning, and innovation.

Valerie’s core competencies include customer relationship management, sales coordination, licensing management, and cross-functional collaborations. She has also leveraged her background and credentials as an ESL teacher to communicate effectively with diverse and global audiences, and to create engaging and informative content and presentations.

Areas Valerie can help you:

Facilitator for Coaching for Success 2024 programme.

Meet Our Coaches

Arik Elberse

CEO & Founder of Ancient Oak Ventures. Arik is passionate about Technology, People, Customers & UX/CX. Various global executive Business and Technical roles in ICT over 20+ years. International Coaching Federation accredited business coach.

Arik Elberse previously held the position of Global Director for Cisco’s Connected Transportation and IoT Smart City Solutions.

Arik’s previous responsibilities include Director of Collaboration Systems and Solutions Engineering and Architecture and Director of Product Management for Video and Desktop Unified Communications. He has 25+ years’ experience in ICT and has held a variety of senior positions, incl. CTO for Contact Center and Multimedia Applications with Nortel (now Avaya).

Arik also held the role of Managing Director and master franchisee of Ology Ireland, an international Business Consultancy and Coaching franchise. As part of this, Arik qualified as a professional Business Coach with Adler Coaching in Canada.

Arik was born in Utrecht, the Netherlands and moved to Ireland with his parents at a young age. He now lives in Galway, where he and his family enjoy the wonderful surrounding nature and outdoor activities like photography, kayaking and hill walking.

Areas where Arik can help:

Time Management: How to use your time effectively, Scheduling & Planning Work, Managing Meetings, Delegate Effectively
Communication Skills: Presentation Skills, Pitching Perfection, Active Listening, Openness to Feedback, Verbal/Non Verbal Communications.
Transitioning to Leadership: Career Pathway, Goal Setting, Leadership Skills, Influencing Skills & Behaviours
Soft Skills

Imelda Fallon

Imelda holds the position of Inside Sales Manager at The MathWorks in Galway. A native of the Netherlands, she commenced her professional journey in Ireland in 1996 at the IBM Sales and Service Centre in Dublin. Throughout her career, Imelda has embraced a variety of roles, including Sales, Technical Support Manager, and Project Manager, while also dedicating time to her family.

Her tenure in sales has been marked by a commitment to exceeding customer expectations and fostering mutually beneficial outcomes, ensuring that each sale achieves a balance between customer satisfaction and return on investment. In her managerial capacity, Imelda thrives on nurturing both personal and professional development, aligning her team’s growth with the company’s strategic goals.

Imelda is part of the Galway Women in Tech group at MathWorks which inspires, empowers, and enables group members to reach their potential and achieve their professional goals through the power of peer support. It promotes development of future female leaders and promotes MathWorks Galway as a diverse and inclusive place to work. Imelda is a strong communicator; listens well, focuses on resolving issues and believes everyone has a right to be successful while navigating their career.

Areas where Imelda can help:

Soft Skills
Communication Skills: Presentation Skills, Pitching Perfection, Active Listening, Openness to Feedback, Verbal/Non Verbal Communications.
Transitioning to Leadership: Career Pathway, Goal Setting, Leadership Skills, Influencing Skills & Behaviours

Gilles Varette

A journey spanning from university drop-out, serving as an NCO in a paratrooper regiment, transporting specimens for a medical laboratory, leading to managing a global virtual team for a Nasdaq listed company. Gilles brings in more that 25 years experience in IT management, communication and leadership.

With strong interests in Personal Development, Communication, Organisational Behaviour and Leadership, Gilles believes in the concept of growth Mindset and as such continue to upskill in his fields of Interest.

Gilles is an alumnus of the IMI and UCC where he completed a Masters in Business Practices along with post grad diplomas in Innovation, Leadership and Management, and graduated from Kingstown College with diplomas in Personal Leadership & Executive coaching, and Wellbeing & Mental health coaching.

Gilles is a certified and accredited (EMCC) coach, Chair of Helplink Mental Health for the last 6 years, and a mentor as part of the Carmichael mentoring program.

Areas where Gilles can help you:

Soft Skills
Communication Skills:
Time Management
Transitioning to Leadership

Aoife McNena

Aoife Mcnena has over 17 years’ experience working as HR professional across public and private sector organisations. She is a qualified Executive Leadership Coach and certified SHL and DISC personality and ability assessor.

Aoife holds a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Legal Studies, H.Dip in Business and Masters in Corporate Strategy and HRM.

Currently working as a Head of People & Culture with Intuity Technologies her focus in on High Performance Culture and utilising a coaching mindset to achieve same. In addition, Aoife is trained in Team Coaching Models as a student of Professor David Clutterbuck.

Areas where Aoife can help:

Transitioning to Leadership: Career Pathway, Goal Setting, Leadership Skills, Influencing Skills & Behaviours.
Soft Skills, Communication Skills, Time Management, Transitioning to Leadership.
Delivering and receiving feedback with the benefits of solution focussed approach.
Team Performance and team coaching for Managers. How I can be more effective as a Manager.

Andrea Manning

Andrea is an entrepreneur and draws on an extensive career in Marketing and Business. A continual learner, and proof that its never too late to upskill or retrain, she graduated from NUI Galway in 2019 with a BSc in Information Systems. She founded her own consultancy for Data Protection and Cybersecurity and is in the early stages of building a cybersecurity startup. From presentations to pitches to training, Andrea has developed her communication and relationship building skills. Andrea is a strong advocate for diversity and inclusion in the tech sector and through her work with Cyber Ireland works to inspire more women to consider the many varied roles opening up in cybersecurity.

Andrea provides mentoring for the ITAG Cyber Forum and Local Enterprise Office, and is is currently on the Enterprise Ireland New Frontiers accelerator program developing a cybersecurity product for the SME sector.

Areas Andrea can help you:

Soft Skills: Building confidence and self awareness
Communication skills: Confident presenting and pitching
Leadership: Goal setting and reimagining your career path
Leadership: Managing a younger team: how gen Z thinks

Dr. Sandra Ganly

Dr. Sandra Ganly Co-founder, BioInnovate, Senior Research Fellow, NUI Galway, Chief Technology Officer, Contego Ltd.

Dr. Ganly is a Biomedical engineer with 14 year industrial & innovative product design experience in the Medical device industry.

She has conducted her PhD research in Next Generation Stents for the treatment of heart disease. She brings a wealth of experience in innovative product design with a clinical need validation.

Since 2008, Sandra has maintained a role at the interface of academic, business and clinical communities, successfully managing multi-disciplinary projects for the benefit of the Medtech sector.

She is a co-founder of the BioInnovate Medical Device Innovation programme in NUI Galway (www.bioinnovate.ie). Sandra is also the Chief Technology Officer for her own technology start-up, focused on developing innovative solutions for unmet clinical needs in Sports-acquired Brain Injury.

Siobhan Calpin

Siobhán is a Senior Public Relations Manager, with expertise in digital and content strategy, brand development, PR and media relations. Currently completing an MA in Professional Leadership, Siobhán has over 15 years’ experience helping clients with their internal and external communications to include crisis management, media relations and presentation skills.

Siobhán began her marketing career with WHPR of Ogilvy & Mather in Dublin before moving to Galway and opening her own Marketing and Communications Consultancy . Siobhán joined Intuity Technologies, a managed IT, managed print and IT & Data Security business in 2015 where she leads the marketing & communications function. Throughout her career she has worked across multiple sectors with global brands such as Masterfoods, Diageo, Smurfit, Axa, Bank of Ireland, ESB and Reuters. She is a firm believer in finding opportunity in change and is a big fan of creative “outside of the box” thinking.

Areas where Siobhan can help:

Communication Skills: Presentation Skills, Pitching Perfection, Active Listening, Openness to Feedback, Verbal/Non Verbal Communications
Time Management: How to use your time effectively, Scheduling & Planning Work, Managing Meetings, Delegate Effectively.

Beatriz Galindo Garcia

Beatriz is currently working as a Principal Systems Analyst in Fidelity Investments.

She started her professional career as a Junior Analyst/Programmer in 2003, and since then she has served in a variety of Technology and Product roles across different companies in Spain and Ireland.

She joined Fidelity in 2015. Beatriz is deeply passionate about personal and professional development, having completed a Masters’ Degree in Coaching with Emotional Intelligence and Neuro-Linguistic Programming (NLP) in 2022. She is involved in providing coaching support for multiple initiatives within Fidelity, including early careers programs and manager development training programs.

Areas where Beatriz can help:

Identifying your leadership style
Exploring strengths and improvement areas
Defining SMARTER goals (even smarter than SMART!)
Exploring options, developing skills, working through challenges
Defining next steps and following up on execution

Jarlath O'Shea

Jarlath is a passionate technology professional with over twenty years’ experience spanning multiple roles in the travel, mobile gaming, and financial services industries.

Jarlath’s current position is ‘Senior Manager, Software Development’ at Fidelity Investments in Galway. Since joining Fidelity he has held several roles, including Senior Software Engineer, Product Owner, and Scrum Master. Prior to joining Fidelity, he was a software developer at Traventec, then he moved to a mobile gaming start-up called Nephin Games where he worked on the back-end of their social platform.

In his current role he spends a great deal of time working with associates across multiple disciplines (including Software Engineering, Analysis, Testing, etc) on their career planning. This includes developing career plans and identifying career paths and training needs.

Jarlath has a B.Sc in Software Development and a P.Dip in Innovation Management from NUIG.

Areas where Jarlath can help:

Soft Skills, Communication Skills, Time Management, Transitioning to Leadership
Communication Skills: Presentation Skills, Pitching Perfection, Active Listening, Openness to Feedback, Verbal/Non Verbal Communications
Time Management: How to use your time effectively, Scheduling & Planning Work, Managing Meetings, Delegate Effectively
Transitioning to Leadership: Career Pathway, Goal Setting, Leadership Skills, Influencing Skills & Behaviours

Catherine Carolan

Catherine is a UCD graduate with a PhD in Life Sciences and 19 years’ experience in IT. She spent 15 years as a software developer in Compaq, HP, The Marine Institute and HPE before taking up her current role as a Scrum Master in HPE Galway. She has completed Advanced Scrum Master training and works with international teams in a Scaled Agile Environment.

Catherine is an articulate communicator, facilitator and motivator with a proven track record of delivering multiphase projects on time. She focuses on developing cross team relationships based on collaboration and trust and has successfully implemented cross team process change.

Catherine has received extensive training in coaching and mentoring and has many years’ experience in coaching face to face as well as online.

Areas Catherine can help:

Increasing your confidence in presentations
Widening your sphere of influence
Building your brand
Adapting to and managing change
Resolving conflict
Prioritising your goals
Encouraging others to reach their full potential

Rachel O'Donnell

Rachel has been working in UX for the past 13 years, working towards cross functional collaboration between teams, by injecting Design Thinking and Design Sprints into product organisations. She joined Genesys in 2019 after enjoying remarkable success with her self-founded, award-winning design agency ‘The UX Studio’ which applied human centred design methodologies to solve critical problems for some high profile clients, including Medtronic.

The last few years have been a testament to Rachel as she achieved multiple design and business awards and was a finalist in Ireland’s Best Young Entrepreneurs of 2019, as well as winner of Best Emerging Start-up in the SFA Awards. She’s also an accomplished public speaker who has become known for her raw honesty that fuels positive change.

Areas Rachel can help you:

Facilitator for Coaching for Success 2023 programme

Irene Cunningham

Irene is a UCC Science graduate with over twenty years’ experience in multiple roles across the Life Sciences and Financial Services industries before taking up her current role as a Squad Lead at Fidelity Investments.

Irene is a passionate advocate for women in technology and is involved in a number of initiatives which inspire, empower and enable Women to reach their potential and achieve their personal and professional goals.

One such program is the PropelHER program which aims to promote the development of future female leaders within the organization.

Irene is a committee member of the itag Digital Womens Forum.

Areas Irene can help you:

Facilitator for Coaching for Success 2023 programme.

Seán Morris

Seán Morris is CTO at TitanHQ, with responsibility for leading TitanHQ’s Product Management, Technology Delivery, Customer Support and Security / IT Operations teams.

Before joining TitanHQ in 2020, Seán served as Senior Vice President of IT Enablement for Fidelity Investments, where he was instrumental in initiating and leading transformational programs to drive DevSecOps and Agile transformation for Fidelity globally.

Previously, Seán has held several senior leadership positions at Fidelity Investments, TerraNua, and Nortel Networks. For over twenty-five years, Seán has been involved in technology leadership, strategy definition and driving transformations, and has worked with many global brands including BMW, COLT, Xerox, Lamborghini, and T-Mobile.

Seán brings a holistic, business led approach to bear on diverse areas such as Leadership Development, Cyber Security, Machine Learning, Product UX design, Agile, Data Strategy and Digital Transformation in scale up companies.

Seán holds an M.Eng in Computer Systems from UL and a B.Sc in Physics from NUI Galway.

Areas where Seán can help:

Soft Skills,
Communication Skills: Presentation Skills, Pitching Perfection, Active Listening, Openness to Feedback, Verbal/Non Verbal Communications
Time Management: How to use your time effectively, Scheduling & Planning Work, Managing Meetings, Delegate Effectively
Transitioning to Leadership: Career Pathway, Goal Setting, Leadership Skills, Influencing Skills & Behaviours

Gabrielle Kennelly

Gabrielle co-founded NetFort in 2002. The company developed software for network and user activity monitoring market, built up an impressive portfolio of customers around the world, and was acquired by Boston-based Rapid7 in 2019.

Gabrielle previously worked as European Director of Technology Management at Mallinckrodt, a medical device company, leading a team of 50 IS professionals in nine countries and had responsibility for designing, building and managing the infrastructure for 4,000 users in 40 locations across 18 countries.

Gabrielle also worked in various IT and engineering positions with Digital Equipment Corporation in Galway

Gabrielle graduated from the University of Limerick with a B.Eng. Degree in Electronic Engineering (1988) and M.Eng in Computer Systems (1994).

Areas where Gabrielle can help:

Soft Skills, Communication Skills, Time Management, Transitioning to Leadership
Communication Skills: Presentation Skills, Pitching Perfection, Active Listening, Openness to Feedback, Verbal/Non Verbal Communications
Time Management: How to use your time effectively, Scheduling & Planning Work, Managing Meetings, Delegate Effectively
Transitioning to Leadership: Career Pathway, Goal Setting, Leadership Skills, Influencing Skills & Behaviours

Annette Cosgrove

Annette is a lecturer in computing at ATU, Galway and is currently a team member on a regional digital education project that involves developing online and blended learning opportunities in Higher Education Institutes in Ireland and internationally.

Annette has been a member on the organisation committee of many local ITAG events, including women in STEM initiatives, and has worked alongside ITAG for a number of years on various school/college promotional STEM events. Many of GMIT’s computing graduates are employed in local tech companies, and numerous students have also undertaken work experience programs with ITAG companies.

Annette has developed & worked on a number of mentoring programs at GMIT and has vast experience working with students from first year to masters level . She has many years of experience working in the local IT industry and ,more recently has been involved in numerous start-up companies at LIBC, GMIT, through students project work and placements.

Qualifications : Masters in Computing (NUIG) BComm (NUIG) PDip in Systems Analysis & Design (NUIG) Postgraduate Diploma in HE Teaching & Learning (AIT) Also working towards a PhD on the impact of Digital Teaching & learning in Higher Education, a very relevant topic at the moment !

Chris Hill

Chris Hill is an Engineering Director leading Public Cloud Platform & Operations at Avaya

Leading a global engineering team responsible for an innovative Global Cloud SaaS Platform

Chris has worked in the IT industry for 25 years specializing in Software Engineering & Delivery, R&D, innovating in Telecoms, Manufacturing, Warranty, Financial, and Supply Chain software systems.

Chris has worked at Misco, HP Labs, HP Enterprise & DXC spanning across roles in Architecture, engineering, R&D Labs, Solutions divisions and held various leadership positions in the UK & Ireland. Prior to joining DXC he worked in Misco based in London.

Chris holds an honors degree in Computer Science & Systems Engineering, Masters in Computer Information Systems and is a Certified Security & Privacy Professional.

Areas Chris can help you:

Soft Skills, Communication Skills, Time Management, Transitioning to Leadership

Michelle McHale

With 20 years’ experience spanning various tech industries, Michelle has undertaken many roles in her career across the disciplines of Agile Transformation, Project and Product management including Developer, Project Manager, Scrum Master, Product Owner, RTE and Delivery management.

She has a BSc in Information Technology from NUI Galway, a Diploma in Project Management and holds a SPC SAFe certification. Having benefitted from this programme herself, she is passionate about helping others seek out their potential and find their paths forward in their career.

Michelle is currently a Senior Director of Retail Payment Solutions at Planet. She is responsible for the Retail Payment Solutions product intake, involved in the Retail roadmap strategy and manages a team of product owners to maintain the retail roadmap.

Areas where Michelle can help:

Soft Skills, Communication Skills, Time Management, Transitioning to Leadership
Communication Skills: Presentation Skills, Pitching Perfection, Active Listening, Openness to Feedback, Verbal/Non Verbal Communications
Transitioning to Leadership: Career Pathway, Goal Setting, Leadership Skills, Influencing Skills & Behaviours

Louise Gallagher

Louise is a Security Research Specialist at Bank of Ireland. Before moving to the Financial Sector she worked in the IT Industry for many years, with her experience spanning multiple roles across both the Cyber and Physical Security domains.

Louise has experience at all levels from an intern to a Senior Manager of a Global Team. She is passionate about helping others achieve their own career goals and succeed on their personal journey.

Louise holds two Masters in Software Design with Cybersecurity from Tús and Information Systems Management from NUIG. She currently supervises students completing the Engineering Team Project from the same MSc in Tús.

Areas Louise can help you:

Soft Skills: Emotional Intelligence, Adaptable to Change, Conflict Resolution, Team Player Attitude, Self Awareness, Empathy.
Time Management: How to use your time effectively, Scheduling & Planning Work, Managing Meetings, Delegate Effectively.
Transitioning to Leadership: Career Pathway, Goal Setting, Leadership Skills, Influencing Skills & Behaviours

Fiona Neary

Fiona is an NUIG graduate with 28 years’ experience in business and academic environments. Previous positions in industry include Covidien (now Medtronic) and Avia before moving to NUIG 17 years ago supporting industry and academia in engagement and start up activities. Extensive experience in the start-up space, a coach and mentor to the entrepreneurial community, delivering commercial road maps for new business ideas, from concept stage to commercial market ready products.

“I deliver comprehensive training in advancing your innovation, building your team, presenting your idea, becoming pitch perfect, validating the business opportunity, applying for grants to support innovations and getting the right investment to progress.”

Areas Fiona can help you:

Validate your innovations, new ideas and defining the right path for you in business.
Coaching to improve your communication and delivery skills, it’s all about telling your story and perfecting that pitch.
Mentoring to build your confidence in communicating effectively.

Orla Collins

Orla Graduated with an MSc in Software Engineering, began her IT career as a Software Quality Engineer with Ericssons in Athlone. With 15 years of experience, Orla currently works as an Escalation Manager for the Artificial Intelligence (AI) Applications business unit in IBM Galway. As part of this client-facing role, Orla identifies automation opportunities and leads the creation of AI automation requirements driven by the early identification of client impacting issues. Orla also leads the AI tooling education amongst the global IBM Cloud Delivery Services’ teams that span across Canada, China, the US, Brazil, Australia, and Ireland. As a member of IBM’s global women in technology program, Orla strongly believes in empowering people to drive their own route to success and advocates for more women in the thriving technology sector. Orla has successfully completed the itag Galway Management Excellence Program.

Areas Orla can help you:

Sounding board to identify and progress interests to determine actionable next steps in your career.
Building confidence and striving to excel in the workplace.

Maureen Kelly-Hardiman

Maureen has 25 years experience in working for a number of multi-national companies. Her background is in sales where she worked for Gateway,O2 & Alphyra (now Payzone). At present she is working for DXC Technology as UK & I Graduate Manager mentoring the early careers team on a 2 year graduate program.

Maureen key skills are her ability to build relationships, problem solve & multi task. Maureen has many years experience of building relationships and account managing expertise.

Areas Maureen can help you:

Business soft skills – Emotional Intelligence, Conflict Resolution, Self Awareness & Empathy

Ruth Lennon

Ruth has over 20 years’ experience in business and academic environments. Ruth has been mentoring and managing teams within the ACM and IEEE for many years. Ruth’s provides training for industry partners through LYIT and provides mentoring through Craobh Technology Consulting. Ruth provides industry mentoring on aspects relating to scaling up your business, the application of standards, applying DevOps principles to ensure lean processes and risk management. Ruth provides individual mentoring for those wishing to move up within their industry or to simply to be heard.

Areas Ruth can help you:

Team management: get the best from your team.
Moving Up: be heard in a crowded meeting.
Find allies: be proactive in finding allies.
Communicate clearly: identify and improve upon your communication skills
Action: create an action plan with clearly defined milestones

Teresa Lawless

Teresa Lawless is Director of Sales EMEA for Vistatec and Development Director for the Think Global Forum.

After starting her career in publishing in London, where she was instrumental in launching a successful awards ceremony and a Publisher for popular B2B emerging technologies magazines, she moved back to Ireland, focussing on Localisation with Business Development & Account Management roles at Merrill Brink, EC and Argos Multilingual.

Since joining Vistatec, a leading global solutions provider, helping some of the world’s most iconic brands to optimise their global commercial potential, she has been working directly with customers, managing content, introducing change, solutions and technologies for greater success in this digital world.

Teresa also promotes awareness of the industry through Think Global Forum, bringing together a community of senior leaders in the business of going global.

Teresa is an alumnus of NUIG, where she majored in Arts, English, Sociology and Politics.

Areas where Teresa can help:

Transitioning to Leadership: Career Pathway, Goal Setting, Leadership Skills, Influencing Skills & Behaviours.
Soft Skills, Communication Skills, Time Management, Transitioning to Leadership.
Delivering and receiving feedback with the benefits of solution focussed approach.
Team Performance and team coaching for Managers. How I can be more effective as a Manager.

Nigel Moss

A seasoned with 15 years experience as a highly successful and dynamic Client Account Manager, fully conversant with client-needs strategies and highly experienced in Sales, Finance, Operating Profit and Customer Care globally. Strategic thinker who demonstrates substantial success in capitalising on market opportunities and delivering first-rate results in b2b markets. Effectively builds and nurtures long-term productive customer relationships with executive-level decision makers and C-Suite leadership. A highly productive professional in constantly changing and challenging multinational corporate environments, consistently building relationships and generating sales. Substantial Sales Specialist & Consultancy experience in IT services, software and complex solutions, partnering with clients to transform, digitise and modernise their business. Experienced in driving proactive campaigns to build sales pipeline and closing rewarding opportunities. Exhibits strong leadership skills, leading and developing a team of high-performance sales, operations and finance personnel. Track record in delivering key Digital programs including Process Digitization, IT Digitization and Automation. An analytical approach and ability to develop and execute sales and operations strategies and drive to success.

Areas Nigel can help you:

Navigate complex and challenging environments whilst delivering success
Communication and delivery skills, it’s all about telling your story and perfecting the solution
Build your confidence in communicating effectively
Building and managing a team of highly intelligent professionals
Understanding the corporate eco system and identifying the positives and negatives
Manage client engagements
Build and grow a sales pipeline

Lorna Smyth

Lorna has 10 years’ experience working in IT roles across various industries having graduated from Business Information Systems in NUIG. In Lorna’s current role in SmartBear she specializes in Test Automation solutions and delivers webinars, technical demonstrations and training as well as carrying out industry research and participating in global software testing conferences. Lorna has a passion for presenting and communicating, she made her international speaking debut at the StarWest Testing Conference in Los Angeles last year. She has also spoke at Tech Meetups around Ireland.

Lorna is an advocate for Women in Tech and is very active in the Galway Tech community through hosting and planning tech events both internally in SmartBear, and externally with itag and The PorterShed. Lorna is also very active online (LinkedIn, Twitter, etc.) and realizes the importance of having an effective professional online presence. Lorna recently won the Highly Commended ‘STEM’ award presented by Network Galway.

Areas Lorna can help you:

Communication Skills; Presentation Skills, Pitching Perfection, Online Social Platforms, Active Listening, Openness to Feedback, Verbal/Non Verbal Communication.
Time Management; How to use your time effectively, Scheduling & Planning Work, Managing Meetings, Delegate Effectively.

Taryn Schuller

Taryn has over 20 years’ experience working in IT and Finance within various industries including Technology, Media, Entertainment, Pharmaceutical and Electrical industries. She is an Advanced Certified Scrum Master (Scrum Alliance) / Project Manager (Prince2) with extensive experience in global software development implementations – inclusive of agile, traditional, and hybrid approaches. Taryn is currently working for Kneat Solutions Ltd as a Scrum Master where she is helping drive agile adoption within their expanding R&D teams.

Taryn has enjoyed training and coaching teams of different sizes within various countries, ensuring that she is coaching to the current maturity level of the team. She is also certified in Change Management and uses her awareness that changes impacts individuals differently. “Organisations don’t change. People within organisations change”. Taryn values her teams, building a strong level of trust and respect with each team member to collaborate through change.

Areas Taryn can help you:

Business Soft skills – Emotional Intelligence, Adaptable to Change, Team Player Attitude, Self-Awareness, Empathy

Time management – How to use your time effectively, Scheduling & Planning Work, Managing Meetings, Delegate Effectively

Florence Higgins

Florence has 15+ years experience of unprecedented record setting performance in high profile, global sales positions for world class telco and software companies. She has in the last 2 years returned to Galway having spent most of her career in Dublin. At present she is working with SmartBear Software in Galway leading, mentoring and coaching a high performing Sales Team for the EMEA region.

Areas Florence can help you with:

Customer Relationship Management
Contract Negotiations
Active Listening
Training & Development
Communications & Analytical Skills
Territory Management
Leadership Skillss an NUIG

Carla Croissant

Carla has worked for more than 25 years in HPE, leading complex global projects, including: infrastructure deployments, user application migrations, program design, and service introductions. She has proven experience communicating at the executive level as well as externally to service partners.

Carla fosters effective collaboration in teams with diverse technical ability, functional specialties, and management levels. She is recognized for supporting her teams to navigate the challenges of remote working, cultural gaps, multiple time zones, and managing competing priorities.

Areas where Carla can help:

Soft Skills, Communication Skills, Time Management, Transitioning to Leadership
Communication Skills: Presentation Skills, Pitching Perfection, Active Listening, Openness to Feedback, Verbal/Non Verbal Communications
Time Management: How to use your time effectively, Scheduling & Planning Work, Managing Meetings, Delegate Effectively.

Eve Daly

Eve is a Compliance Program Manager with 15 years experience across multi-national industries running programs of various sizes. She is a graduate of UL, specialising in Process Design and Organisational Psychology, and a graduate of UHG where she completed a HDIP in Software Design & Development.

Her initial career in the UK as a graduate engineer focused on large assembly; first a R+D power generation product working directly with government customers while at Cummins, and then leading a manufacturing team to make Diggers (Backhoe Loaders) and other construction equipment at Caterpillar UK. Eve would later move on to work as a business process analyst representing manufacturing for her division for Caterpillar and was the technial lead/program lead/trainer for new software to roll out work instructions that would integrate with the new SAP ERP system. After moving back home to Ireland in 2016, she worked at Merit Medical as a Manufacturing Project Engineer for Medical Devices, supporting line transfers into Ireland, new product introductions, equipment and product validations.

Eve then did a HDIP to reskill for IT at UHG, and started at Avaya as an intern as part of the program, and held various roles such as as Scrum Master, Project Manager, Solution Program Manager, and is currently specialised in Compliance Programs.

Area’s Eve could help:

Soft Skills

Communication Skills

Time Management

Marian Metcalfe

Marian is a graduate of UCC and NUIG, in Psychology and Software Engineering respectively, Marian works at MetLife Galway as Manager of the Business and Systems Analysis Department. She has worked in a variety of organizations from start-ups to service companies to large multinationals, including programming, analysis, design and architecture.

Marian’s current role involves acting as the expert in the functional understanding of the business requirements and then leading teams to design and build solutions that support those business functions. Passionate about education and training, Marian has led the establishment of a BSA Centre of Excellence, and has worked with LYIT to develop a HDip Business & Systems Analysis & Design. She has mentored as part of the Business in the Community program and as a technical trainer for return to work programs.

Areas of interest: Understanding cognitive and behavioural patterns; using them to influence and communicate effectively

Using analytical and critical thinking to solve problems

Negotiating and advocating for yourself.

Area where Marian can help:

Time Management and Transition to Leadership

Leadership

Marion Long

My name is Marion Long. I work for Optum Ireland and am based out of the Letterkenny office. My background is technical and in the last two years I have moved away from technical roles and am now a project manager/scrum master.

Marion informally provides career coaching and encouragement to my fellow colleagues by reviewing cvs and helping with interview prep.

Marion is also involved with our Women in Technology group who promote technology and leadership to existing female staff and to potential graduate recruits. Marion has some excellent experience with creating presentations and presenting to different audiences including senior leaders and that’s why Marion has volunteered for that Communication Skills.

Marion would enjoy the opportunity to coach and to learn from that experience and bring some of that back to my own workplace.

Areas Marion can help you:

Communication skills: Presentation Skills, Pitching Perfection, Active Listening, Openness to Feedback, Verbal/Non Verbal Communications

Elma Carew

Through her person-centred approach, Elma Carew brings awareness by empowering clients to look at things differently, so that they can create a clear path and move forward with confidence. Elma is an ICF certified Career, Life, and Business Coach, she is a certified emotional intelligence practitioner and also a Chartered MCIPD accredited Senior HR professional with almost 20 years’ experience in a range of sectors including IT/software, medical device, financial services, manufacturing, aviation, shared services, construction, agriculture, and not for profit sectors.

Elma’s qualifications include a Professional Diploma in Creativity, Innovation & Leadership (Level 9), a BA in Personnel Management (CIPD accredited), a BSc in Business Studies, a Diploma in Personal
and Business Coaching (ICF Accredited), an Advanced Certificate in Career Coaching, an Advanced Certificate in Relationship Coaching, an Advanced Certificate in Addiction Coaching, Mental Health & Wellbeing Coach training, Train the Trainer and Emotional Intelligence Certification.

Areas where Elma can help: