Karen Ciesielski
CEO
Karen Ciesielski is the CEO of the IEN. With 20 years of experience in non-profit management, fundraising, communications, advocacy and campaigning, Karen works to promote the interlinked principles of environmental, social and economic sustainability by supporting IEN members. She also serves as the Coordinator of the Environmental Pillar.
Alanagh Tennanty
Senior Operations Officer
Alanagh brings a wealth of administrative expertise and a heartfelt dedication to environmental and grassroots action to her role as administrator for the Irish Environmental Network. With a robust background in administration and a passion for sustainability, she is committed to supporting the organization’s mission to protect and preserve Ireland’s natural environment.
Claire Knightly
Fair Seas Finance and Reporting Assistant
Claire is the Finance and Reporting Assistant for Fair Seas. With over five years of experience in both corporate and nonprofit environments, she brings a detail-driven approach to managing financial and reporting data. She is dedicated to ensuring that Fair Seas is supported by clear, accurate financial information and efficient operations.
Joe Boshell
Head of Finance and Operations
Joe is the Head of Finance and Operations. He has over 15 years experience across governance, operations and senior leadership within regulated financial services.
With a strong background in strengthening governance and regulatory compliance, he brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to IEN Operations. Joe is also voluntary director of North Leinster Money Advice and Budgeting Service, a charity supporting those in financial difficulties.
Jack O’Donovan Trá
Fair Seas Communications Officer
Jack O’Donovan Trá is the Communications Officer at Fair Seas. Jack is blending the art of good comms with marine science to bring the message of ocean protection to a wide audience in an engaging and impactful way. Jack is a marine biologist by training and moved into comms and campaigns in 2018, and has since worked with many large international environmental coalitions and campaigns across Europe.
Donal Griffin
Fair Seas Coordinator
Donal is the campaign coordinator for the Fair Seas Campaign. With a strong background in marine biology and ecology, Donal also has a wealth of policy experience from the UK, including coordinating a coalition of environmental NGOs focusing on MPA management and implementation.
Jenny Bortoluzzi
Project Coordinator
Dr Jenny Bortoluzzi is the Project Coordinator in Marine Biodiversity and ORE Capacity Building.
Jenny is a marine biologist by training with a PhD from Trinity College Dublin focusing the ecology and conservation of elasmobranchs and has a keen interest in finding meaningful and impactful solutions to our environmental crises which consider both nature and people.
She has worked with international organisations, such as the IUCN Shark Specialist Group and the Environmental Justice Foundation, as well as Irish NGOs, such as the Irish Basking Shark Group.
Ciaran Brennan
Head of Communications & Membership
Ciaran has many years’ experience as a journalist and as a public relations/communications specialist, having worked for the HSE, Samaritans Ireland and the Houses of the Oireachtas, as well as a number of national newspapers. He has a keen interest in environmental protection and advocacy and has worked with Wildlife Rehabilitation Ireland, written for the ThinkorSwim climate action blog and currently is working on a small rewilding/nature restoration project on his own land where he also runs his own forest school.
Aoife Ní Lochlainn
Head of Policy & Advocacy
Aoife is the Policy Officer at the IEN. Her work covers the UK Withdrawal agreement as it relates to the environment, as well as broader environmental policy and advocacy work to advance sustainable policy in Ireland on behalf of the NGO sector. She is a public policy analyst and researcher with over thirteen years of experience in economic, social and environmental policy.
Catherine O’Toole
Development Officer
As our Local Environmental Development Officer, Catherine is working to increase engagement in the Environmental College of the Public Participation Networks (PPNs). Working with those on the ground for the Irish environmental movement, Catherine works to educate and inspire people in their local communities by providing complimentary training opportunities to environmental representatives.
Fintan Kelly
Senior Landuse Officer
Fintan works to make Irish agriculture and land-use policies more sustainable for nature and people. He has a MSc in Environmental Biology from Utrecht University and a BSc in Environmental Science from NUI Galway. He specialises in Environmental Policy, Advocacy and Planning and has been working within the Irish eNGO sector since 2012, having previously worked for BirdWatch Ireland, An Taisce, SWAN and the Irish Wildlife Trust.
Oisin Coghlan
Policy Advisor focused on the Environmental Pillar’s EU Advocacy
Oisín facilitates and coordinates the Environmental Pillar’s engagement in EU Affairs. He is also the Environmental Pillar’s nominee on Government’s Just Transition Commission. Until 2025 he was chief executive of Friends of the Earth Ireland, where he led the 14-year campaign for a strong climate law which culminated in the 2021 Climate Act. Previously he spent 10 years working in overseas aid and human rights. He has BA in Sociology and Politics from TCD and an MA in International relations from DCU.
Iseult Cambay
Marine Policy and Engagement Officer
Iseult is the Marine Policy and Engagement Officer at Fair Seas, focusing on marine protected areas, marine conservation, and engagement with stakeholders at the Irish and EU level, including coastal communities. She holds an MSc in Marine Systems and Policies from the University of Edinburgh and has experience in environmental affairs with the United Nations Environment Programme. Her work sits at the intersection of science, policy, and law.
Ciara Fee
Project Officer CORE
Ciara serves as the Project Officer for the CORE project, bringing years of dedicated experience within the not-for-profit sector. She is passionate about driving sustainable, equitable and just environmental development.
Stephanie Anketell
Membership and Network Officer
Stephanie serves as the Membership and Network Officer at the IEN. With a background that bridges membership and stakeholder engagement, brand building and sustainability leadership, she is committed to working closely with IEN members in amplifying their voices, strengthening connections and supporting them in achieving their goals.
Sadhbh O’Neill
Project Manager for CORE
Sadhbh O’ Neill is the Project Manager for the CORE (Cross-border Opportunities for a Resilient Environment) project, funded under the PEACEPLUS programme. She has been working in environmental policy for 30 years, with roles in advocacy, policy research, communications and political engagement. She is a part-time lecturer in environmental policy at TU Dublin, and serves as the voluntary representative of Irish European Environmental Bureau members on the EEB Council. She is also a regular contributor to the Irish Times Opinion and Science pages.
Niall McGuirk
Project Officer CORE
Niall McGuirk is the coordinator of Coalition 2030, working with over 70 organisations for domestic and global achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, through multisectoral engagement and collective action. Niall is a former President of Fórsa Trade Union and was a member of the Global Solidarity Committee of both Fórsa and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU). He is the founding member of Dublin’s Hope Collective, an organisation promoting independently produced Art and Culture. He has published a number of benefit books for various groups. Prior to joining the Coalition Niall worked in the Civil Service as Head of IT in Department of the Taoiseach. He has a diploma in Human Rights and Equality and is a strong advocate for the Future Generations Commissioner campaign Coalition 2030 is firmly pursuing.
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