Board of Directors

Jonathan O’Grady

President

Jonathan joined the Board in May 2021, and was appointed President in December 2022. He is a recognised advocate on the subjects of independent living and disability rights. A lifelong wheelchair user, Jonathan established SMA Ireland, a patient advocacy group focused on people in Ireland affected by the genetic condition, Spinal Muscular Atrophy.

Jonathan has forged a successful career working with various investment and technology companies in the areas of corporate strategy and analytics, and currently works with the fintech, Assure Hedge. He has an MA in business and economics from Trinity College Dublin and an MBA from Harvard Business School.

Dermot Murphy

Chairperson

Dermot was appointed to the IWA Board in October 2020. Currently he is a self employed business consultant and non-executive director. He qualified as an accountant with Garland McDonald and KPMG before spending twenty years in the global food industry with both IAWS PLC and Aryzta.

Dermot held senior positions in both Europe and North America culminating with his appointment as CEO for Aryzta Europe. He has extensive financial, management, governance and strategic experience and skill, and believes people are an organisations best asset. Dermot is a Fellow of the Chartered Certified Accountants (FCCA).

Peter Smyth

Vice-Chairperson

Peter Smyth was appointed to the Board of Directors of IWA in November 2022 and elected Vice-Chairperson in October 2024. He has held senior business and technology leadership positions, most recently in Integrity 360, a cyber-security company, as Chief Operating Officer. Prior to that he worked in Version 1 for 7 years, where he led a team of 600 IT professionals and was accountable for digital application development and IT managed services. Peter worked for two decades in Eir in a variety of different roles. He was a member of the Eir Business management team and General Manager for Eir in Northern Ireland.

Peter is now self-employed and advises several growing technology companies. Peter went to UCD where he completed a B.Comm and a Masters in Business Studies.

Martin Kelly

Board Member

Martin was appointed to the Board of Directors in 2016. He has served as Treasurer, AFRC Chairperson and Board Chairperson, and has served as an ordinary member since 2024.

He is currently CFO of Monaghan Mushrooms and prior to this was the CFO for Airsynergy, an entrepreneurial renewable energy company. Martin also held various senior positions with Aryzta Plc, the international frozen bakery company.

He has extensive corporate governance experience and has been a Company Director of multiple legal entities in various countries including Ireland, UK, Belgium, France, USA, Canada, Hungary, India, Indonesia, and Saudi Arabia.

Martin is a Fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in Ireland and holds a PhD from the University of Limerick and an MBA from University College Dublin.

Ann Marie Connolly

Hon. Secretary

Ann Marie was appointed as Director to the Board of IWA in November 2022, and elected Hon. Secretary in 2024.

She is a retired public health doctor with over 30 years of experience working to improve health. She has spent all her career in the public sector, particularly in the NHS in the UK. Most recently she worked for Public Health England where she was Deputy Director of Health Improvement, which included leading the organisation’s work on inequalities in health.

Ann Marie gained her medical degree from University of Galway, is a Fellow of the Faculty of Public Health (FFPH) in the UK and also qualified as a GP. Her skills include health data analysis, using scientific evidence to design and commission good healthcare, strategic planning and managing health programmes.

Laura McDermott

Treasurer

Laura was elected to the Board in May 2019.

She is a solicitor with over 37 years’ experience in practice in corporate/financial law and 30 years as a partner successively in two leading Dublin firms. She has excellent management skills coupled with a strategic outlook and proven leadership ability.

She has been a member of the IWA Audit, Finance and Risk Committee since early 2018 which has allowed her to develop an understanding of the operations, key aims and indeed challenges facing the Association.

Her hobbies include Dublin University Ladies Boat Club, walking, hiking and speaking French and German.

Michelle Byrne

Staff Representative

Michelle was elected as the staff representative to the Irish Wheelchair Association Board in May 2019.

Michelle started her career with the organisation in January 2004, working as a personal assistant in the assisted living service. In late 2005, she moved into the Finance department and onto Payroll Manager in 2010. Michelle prides herself on doing a job well this is reflected in the quality of her work and in her positive attitude to work.

Michelle has three children who have grown up with Irish Wheelchair Association as the back drop to their lives – they attended its sports camps, community centre fun days, did their TY work experience in the Drogheda centre, played wheelchair basketball and they advocate for people with disabilities in their normal daily living.

John Fulham

Staff Representative

John is a Member of Irish Wheelchair Association for 39 years having become involved with the then Limerick Branch of the Association as a teenager. A native of Limerick City where he lived until moving to Dublin in 1991, John worked as a Bank Manager with AIB for 23 years before changing career to join Irish Wheelchair Association, supporting the work of an organisation and a cause he feels passionately about.

His current role focusses on Advocacy supporting people with disabilities in having their voices heard on the issues important to them including topics such as Inclusion, Equity, Realising their Rights under the United Nations Convention on the Rights of Person with Disabilities and the everyday challenges faced around attitudes and access. John previously worked in the Fundraising Department and is also currently Chairperson of the Board of UL Sport, University of Limerick, and Past President and Board Director of Paralympics Ireland. John is also a 4-time Paralympian.

Given his experience of living with a disability, aligned with a knowledge of Irish Wheelchair Association as both a member and staff viewpoints, John has a unique perspective which he can use as a voice for positive impact as the Staff Director on the Board of Directors. John is acutely aware of the difficulties facing people with disabilities every day alongside and passionate about making a difference.

John also feels privileged to work alongside the staff, people who share that passion and who are heart of the organisation, keeping things going day to day, as demonstrated through recent challenging times. John has an honest perspective on the challenges faced by Management and Staff in delivering our services and supports every day.

James McCarthy

Sport Representative

James was appointed as Director to the Board of the IWA in November 2022.

He is a career civil servant and has been employed in the Service since 1994 and with his current Department since 2002. He has been a previous Chairperson of the Mid-West Spina Bifida Association and was the Athletes Representative on the Board of Paralympics Ireland. This year he was elected Chairperson of the IWA National Sport Executive Committee.

James is a two time Paralympian having represented Ireland at shot putt in both Atlanta and London. He has represented Ireland in 6 different sports, most recently, at the Rugby League World Cup in November 2021.

Padraic Hayes

Board Member

Padraic was elected to the Board in May 2018.

He graduated with a Masters in Marketing from Limerick Institute of Technology and works in administration and finance. His passion lies in advocacy and he is the current Chairperson of the Clare Leader Forum, which is an independent group of people with disabilities.

At a national level Padraic has also continued to promote the rights of people with disabilities through his work with the Centre for Independent Living and through his role on the Value for Money (Transforming Lives) committee. Most recently Padraic was elected to the secretariat of the Clare Public Participation Network where he represents the social inclusion college.

In a personal capacity Padraic has been a keen member of the Irish Wheelchair Association and has worked one-on-one to promote self-esteem and confidence where people require assistance to use their voice. As a Personal Assistance Service user he is a strong believer in the Independent Living philosophy. He believes that appropriate supports are the lifeblood of independent living and vital to any progression for people with disabilities.

Iqura Naseem

Board Member

Iqura joined the Board in May 2021. She lives in South Dublin. She has recently graduated with an MA in Accounting at Maynooth University. She joined the IWA as a member in September 2018, and the Ability Programme in late 2020. She attends the IWA Lucan Centre.

During her time at Maynooth University, she was an ambassador to help prospective students with barriers such as a disability find out about third level. She believes that people with disabilities can achieve anything from having a good life to getting a degree and job, if given the accessibilities and opportunities.

Sean Bresnan

Board Member

Sean was appointed as Director to the Board of the IWA in November 2022.

He has over 20 years procurement and general management experience in large public sector organisations including Health, Central Government and Education. Currently he runs his own consultancy service specialising in providing supply chain and procurement services to both public and private sector clients.

Prior to this he held roles as National Director of Procurement in the HSE and Head of Professional Services Procurement in the Office of Government Procurement. He also had a spell as an Army Officer in the Department of Defence.

Mike Webster

Board Member

Mike was appointed as Director to the Board of the IWA in November 2022.

He was most recently founder and CEO of AI company Arvoia and is now a Director with Vertex Inc the international tax technology company. Previously he held CEO roles in technology, finance, and travel companies.

Mike is passionate about utilising technology for social good and working to ensuring access to transformative technology is open to all. He holds a Bachelor of Technology degree from University of Limerick, an MBA from Smurfit Graduate School of Business, University College Dublin and also completed a business strategy course at Harvard Business School.