Generation Change: Embracing New Horizons (2025)

Áine Kerr (MC & Panel Moderator)

Entrepreneur and Broadcaster, Chair of Gaisce Council

Áine is chair of the Gaisce council, the organisation overseeing the President of Ireland’s Award, chair of Rethink Ireland (109 million euro social impact fund) and chair of The Shona Project. She is a member of an advisory committee to focus on women and women’s stories in the national cultural collections, appointed by the Department of Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media.  

In 2018, she graduated as a Fellow of the Sulzberger Leadership Program in Columbia University in New York City. She has a Bachelor of Education (B’ED), a Masters of Journalism (MAJ) with Dublin City University [DCU] and Masters in Business Science (MBSc) with University College Cork. She has certificates with Cornell University and Harvard University in financial accounting and project management, an Advanced Diploma in Leadership and Executive Coaching with Kingstown College. She was a participant in the Boston College Irish Institute Program; a U.S. State Department Sponsored Exchange Program.  

Awarded Woman of the Year in Media 2018 by Irish Tatler Magazine, the VIP Eir Power of Women award in 2022 for digital and technology and a Woman of Vision award for business and technology in 2023. Her Alma Mater DCU recognised her with an Alumni Award in 2020.  

She has spoken at major conferences and events world over. Judge with The Pitch by Samsung and Image. Host of her own show, Reignite on RTÉ Radio One (six summer seasons) and occasional stand-in host of RTÉ’s The Business and other shows.

Sean Kinsella (MC & Speaker)
Speaker, Mentor and Person with Lived Experience

Sean Kinsella is a speaker, mentor, and lived experience leader. After overcoming addiction, prison, and homelessness, he now uses his journey to empower others through real, honest conversations and practical support. As founder of SK Life Balance, Sean works with prisons, schools, services, and corporate teams delivering talks, workshops, and mentoring that sparks change. Sean’s message is simple: transformation is possible, and everyone deserves a second chance. 

Avril Ryan (Speaker)
Chief Executive Officer at Gaisce – The President’s Award

Avril is the Chief Executive of Gaisce – The President’s Award, appointed to the role in March 2023. She joined Gaisce in 2017 as Operations and Development Manager and went on to serve as Head of Operations and Development from 2020, leading key initiatives that strengthened the organisation’s reach and impact. Avril brings extensive leadership experience across the not-for-profit sector. Before joining Gaisce, she held a number of senior roles, including General Manager at The Ark, Ireland’s dedicated cultural centre for children, as well as working as a theatre line producer, theatre manager, and film producer. Throughout her career, Avril has contributed her expertise to various boards and advisory groups within the arts and youth sectors, reflecting her strong commitment to empowering young people and supporting creative, inclusive opportunities for all.

Marion Irwin-Gowran (Panel Moderator)
Project Manager at Gaisce – The President’s Award

Marion Irwin-Gowran is a Project Manager with Gaisce-The President’s Award, The National Youth Award Programme from the President of Ireland to young people between the ages of 14-26. Marion is responsible for supporting the development of the Gaisce Award programme in Youth Justice settings in Ireland and in the Irish Prison Estate. Marion has been working for the Gaisce Award for many years and is passionate about the transformative effect a positive pro-social programme like Gaisce can have on young adult prisoners and their families.

Edel McSorley (Panellist)
Operations Director at MrPrice Branded Bargains

Edel is Operations Director at MrPRICE Branded Bargains, a rapidly expanding discount retailer with over 70 stores across Ireland. With 25+ years in retail leadership, she is known for her expertise in operations, change management, and fostering inclusive workplaces. Under Edel’s leadership, MrPRICE has received numerous national awards, including the People’s Choice Award (Charity Excellence Awards 2022), Talent Acquisition Strategy Award (Irish HR Champion Awards 2023), Advancing Disability Equality and Advancing Social Inclusion Awards (National Diversity & Inclusion Awards 2023 & 2024), ERG Leader of the Year (Business Post Leadership Excellence Awards 2024) and Inclusive Workplace at Newstalk Changemakers Business Awards 2025 . 

Richard Donovan (Panellist)
MrPrice Staff Member

Richard joined MrPRICE as his very first job and from day one he’s been nothing short of impressive. He’s one of those sales assistants who doesn’t just do the job, he makes the whole experience better for customers and colleagues alike. You can see the pride he takes in what he does and the way he connects with people is genuine. Richard has his eye on managing a store one day and honestly, we can’t think of anyone more suited to that goal.

Damien Quinn (Panellist)
Founder of Spéire Nua

Founder of Spéire Nua – New Horizons, which supports people who were previously incarcerated to integrate back into the community and in their search to secure opportunities.

Damien also works with Galway Rural Development on their Social Inclusion team and is the Assistant Team Leader, working in areas of youth and disability.

Damien was on the organising group for the Generation Change Event.

Ruthanne Barry (Panellist)
Lived Experience Expert, Consultant & Advocate

Ruthanne is, first and foremost, a mother.  A role that grounds her and inspires her purpose. She is a Lived Experience Expert, consultant, and advocate working across justice reform, sport, and wellbeing. Ruthanne now uses her journey to empower others to rebuild their lives with purpose and resilience.

Ruthanne serves on the Penal Reform International, Probation Advisory Council and the Department of Justice Employers Network Committee, bringing her lived experience into policy, practice, and reform. She is also a colleague of Speire Nua contributing to work that creates opportunities for people with lived experience.

Through her coaching in athletics, running, and handball, Ruthanne helps individuals find confidence, discipline, and self-belief. Passionate about change, she continues to champion hope and transformation proving that our past does not define our potential.

Robert Cullen (Spoken Word)
Person with Lived Experience

Robert Cullen is a Masters Student in Criminology at University College Cork. Throughout his time in custody he managed to end a long drug addiction, embarked on an in-depth journey of self-discovery and worked toward a degree in Social Science where he later focused primarily on Criminology.

Robert managed to heal by engaging fully with every service and initiative offered within the prison. This involved multiple sessions and workshops with the prison psychology service and also many one-to-one sessions with an addiction councillor from Merchants Quay addiction services. Robert attributes the main source of his  growth to his engagement with the education unit in Mountjoy where he met some of the most wonderful and compassionate people.

Having this positive experience of education changed his life and it has opened his mind to the power of education as a vehicle for self-exploration.

Education has provided the concepts and theoretical frameworks to finally understand and articulate the difficult things he had experienced and this is what now drives him forward. Robert’s goal is to use what he has learned to help others understand the process that has led him and others to do the things that they have done, whilst also facilitating people to achieve growth and healing in order to re-engage in society in a meaningful way.

sally.eley@cipd.co.uk

Sally Eley (Speaker & Panellist)
Head of CIPD Trust

Sally is Head of the CIPD Trust, which was established to tackle the barriers to work today and create inclusive workplaces by giving individuals and organisations the people expertise they could not otherwise access. She has been instrumental in leading CIPD’s work to support people with convictions successfully enter the workplace.

Before joining CIPD, Sally was the Director of the City & Guilds Foundation. In this role she was responsible for developing the philanthropic activities of City & Guilds bringing to life the organisation’s skills development purpose. During this time she launched the Princess Royal Training Awards, the Future Skills Commission for Prisons and embedded an Impact Framework to measure the societal value of City & Guilds.

Prior to City & Guilds, Sally had a successful career running her own business as a communications consultant with clients in the education, training and care sectors and was Communications Director for UK Skills.

Sally is passionate about supporting under-represented groups in society and helping people reach their potential.

Caroline Jones (Panellist)

People Engagement Manager at SOLAS

Caroline Jones is a people specialist with over twenty years’ experience working in various management roles in the Public Sector. Caroline is currently People Engagement Manager at SOLAS. She is a values led individual who believes passionately that everyone has potential if they are given the right supports, and environment. Caroline has led a range of initiatives that have been central to transforming the culture of SOLAS over the past six years. Her work has received national recognition and led to being awarded several accolades including the National Diversity and Inclusion 2025 ‘Public Sector Organisation of the Year’ Award in February of this year. 

Anthony Breen (Panellist)
Irish Red Cross and Person with Lived Experience

Anthony’s life underwent a profound transformation during his time in prison, which he used as a turning point for personal growth and development. He graduated from the Irish Red Cross CBHFA prison programme, becoming a volunteer peer facilitator and finding a way to redeem his time by helping the prison community.

​After his release, Anthony pursued extensive therapeutic work to address the root causes of his addiction and early trauma that led him to the justice system. Now, as the Lead Facilitator for the Irish Red Cross Prison to Community Project, he delivers peer-led workshops and provides mentorship. He is passionate about creating safe spaces for others to connect, share experiences, and achieve transformation.

​Anthony is a passionate advocate for Lived Experience, offering a unique dual perspective—as a former inmate and now a professional working within the justice system. His story is one of inspiration and hope, embodying the change he is determined to foster in others. He uses his deep understanding to advocate for his peers and innovate new ways to meet their needs.

Leon Dunne (Spoken Word Piece)
Poet

A Dublin-based poet, Leon’s work focuses primarily on giving a voice to topics outside the mainstream conversation. Coming from a working-class background, and after studying English and Film at University College Dublin, he engages in language and rhythm with high energy to draw the listeners in.

As Leon puts it, “I write poems and stories for people that may feel left behind by the mainstream culture”. In November 2022 the artist won The All-Ireland Poetry Slam Championship held in Cork and in March 2023 he performed at Trafalgar Square, in front of 15,000 people, as part of London’s St. Patrick’s Day Festival.

In November 2023, the artist co-founded Rising Tide- an events company working in partnership with UNESCO- to provide performance spaces that celebrate both Irish and international culture. In January 2024, the artist competed in Belgium at the European Poetry Slam where he placed as a finalist and most recently competed at the World Poetry Slam held in Togo, Africa in November 2024.

Leon Dunne is a co-host of The Poetry’s Dead Podcast. He was the 2022 All Ireland Poetry Slam Champion and is the JCSP Writer in Residence for 2023–2025.

scafferty@pobal.ie

Siobhán Cafferty (Panel Moderator)
Funder Liaison & Business Delivery Manager at Pobal

Siobhán Cafferty is currently the Funder Liaison & Business Delivery Manager, with a special interest in social enterprise and social innovation, working in Pobal. Until the end of 2023, Siobhán was the Social Enterprise Project Manager for the Criminal Justice Sector in Ireland working on behalf of the Department of Justice. Having co-developed the ‘Working to Change social enterprise and employment strategy 2021- 2023’ for the Department, she led out on its implementation. Siobhán is dedicated to improving the infrastructure to support social enterprises to ensure those furthest from the labour market are afforded the opportunity to work. In recognition of her work, Siobhán was named on the Top 100 list of women in social enterprise in Europe as part of the Euclid Network.

Prior to these roles, Siobhán was the CEO of the Bridge Project, a Probation funded community-based organisation working with adult male violent offenders in the Liberties, Dublin. Siobhán has dedicated her career to ensuring those most marginalised from education and employment, for whatever reason, are afforded opportunities to make sustainable changes to their lives and become active citizens.

Caron McCaffrey (Panellist)
Director General at the Irish Prison Service

Caron McCaffrey was appointed Director General of the Irish Prison Service in December 2018, becoming the first woman to hold this position. She is responsible for the leadership, management, and strategic direction of the Irish Prison Service, which operates 13 prisons and employs over 3,500 staff and manages a significant budget of €525 million. Under her direction, the Service is committed to providing safe and secure custody, upholding the dignity of care, and promoting the rehabilitation of prisoners to contribute to safer communities across Ireland.

Caron has over two decades of experience in the justice sector. She began her career in the Department of Justice and Equality in 2000, before joining the Irish Prison Service in 2006 as Press and Programme Manager. She was promoted to Director of Corporate Services in 2008 and held responsibility for a range of portfolios including Human Resources, Finance and Estates prior to her appointment as Director General. Caron McCaffrey leadership exemplifies innovation, dedication, and a commitment to excellence in one of the most challenging areas of public service.

In 2019, Caron joined the board of the European Organisation of Prison and Correctional Services (EuroPris), and served as President between October 2021 and September 2025. The aim of the organisation is to improve cooperation among Prisons and Correctional Services across Europe, to improve the lives of prisoners and their families, enhancing public safety and security; reducing re-offending; and advancing professionalism in the field of prisons.

Caron holds a BA from NUI Maynooth, an MA in International Relations from Dublin City University, an Advanced Diploma in Applied Employment Law from the King’s Inns, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Corporate Governance from UCD Smurfit Business School.

Richard Good (Panellist)
Director at the Turnaround Project

Richard Good is Director of The Turnaround Project, a registered charity whose mission is to “work with society to enable people who have served sentences to turn around their futures”.  Turnaround engages and advocates around the challenges faced by people on that journey, equips people with the tools and skills they need to pursue their own goals, and enables employment, including transitional jobs in its own social enterprises.

Prior to his current role Richard worked for twenty-five years in politics, public affairs and public service in Northern Ireland, in both partisan and non-partisan roles.  These included eight years as Adviser to the Speaker of the Northern Ireland Assembly, and six years as Special Adviser to Northern Ireland’s Minister of Justice.  These periods covered many of the most significant stages of the development of the political and peace process in Northern Ireland, and the establishment of the power-sharing political institutions.

He has also worked in a freelance capacity with a range of public, private and voluntary sector organisations, specialising in public policy and public affairs.  Among his projects was the establishment of ‘Pivotal’, a new public policy think tank for Northern Ireland.  He was also appointed by the First Minister and Deputy First Minister to serve on a Commission established by the Northern Ireland Executive to identify a fresh approach to dealing with the complexities of flags, identity, culture and tradition in the context of a divided community.

Una Doyle
Acting Director at the Probation Service

Una Doyle has been working in the Probation Service for over 30 years. She currently holds the post of Acting Director.  Prior to this she was Deputy Director, which she has held for the past 10 years. As Deputy Director Una has held various roles in the organisation, including Director of Corporate Affairs, Director of Operations, and more recently Director of Effective Practice. Throughout her lengthy career in the Probation Service, Una has held various probation service roles across the range of probation practice and as such brings a wealth of frontline experience to her leadership role. Una is a qualified registered social worker. 

Jim O’Callaghan (Speaker)
Minister for Justice, Home Affairs and Migration