Get Ahead Steering Group Profiles

Professor John Kelly was Professor of Chemical Engineering, Dean of the Faculty of Engineering & Architecture and Registrar of University College Dublin. A Fulbright Scholar to the University of Maryland, he was Director of the Irish Fulbright Commission. Professor Kelly is the Executive Director of the Ireland Canada University Foundation. Professor Kelly has been Chairperson of AHEAD since its inception. He has been centrally involved in the setting up of GET AHEAD.

Niamh Hayes is Project Co-ordinator of GET AHEAD.

Ann Heelan BA, H.Dip, MA in Education Training and Development
Ann Heelan has worked as Executive Director of AHEAD for the past three years. She is committed to Inclusive Education at all levels and believes that AHEAD is well placed to consolidate best practice currently taking place in higher education and to promote change within the higher education institutions. The traditional model of teaching must be broadened to ensure that disabled students experience the same quality of teaching and learning as other students while in college and are not disadvantaged academically by their disability. AHEAD is in the unique position of being able to work collectively with all higher education colleges and to bring staff together to share ideas, help each other and to find common solutions to many difficulties. Ann has previously worked as Training Manager with the National Training and Development Institute for nine years where she was involved in developing both employer based training and distance learning. A qualified teacher she has also worked in Adult Education in the UK and as a lecturer at Dundalk Institute of Technology.

Seamus Moriarty has worked as a Programme Officer with FAS’s Disability Policy and Advisory Unit since November 2003. His work centres on the development of new and existing initiatives for the employment of people with disabilities. Seamus is also involved in supporting other FAS divisions on delivering services to FAS customers who have disabilities. Seamus previously worked as an Employment Services Officer with FAS in Jervis Street. Before that he worked for 20 years as a Placement Officer/NRB Adviser with the National Rehabilitation Board.

Louise Milicevic studied English and Greek and Roman Civilisation at University College Dublin where she obtained a BA in 1996 and a Masters in Classics in 1998. After leaving UCD, Louise worked as a Journalist for four years. She worked on a freelance basis for a variety of publications including the Irish Times, Sunday Independent and Evening Herald as well as a number of magazines, which dealt with health, social and disability issues. Louise has also worked as a disability awareness trainer and facilitator predominantly for the public sector as her own experience of disability gives her a unique insight into the issues that arise for people with disabilities. Louise is currently working as Disability Awareness Trainer with Gandon Enterprises. She also liaises closely with people with disabilities who are seeking employment.

Caroline Casey founded The Aisling Foundation in June 2000 when she set off across India on the back of an elephant as a major fundraising initiative and to create public awareness on the ability of people with disabilities. The mission of the Aisling Foundation is unique. It makes a difference by raising awareness of what people with a disability can do. Its philosophy is to always focus on Ability. The Foundation aims to create inspiration through adventure, create awareness of ability, not disability and to encourage employment by working with the leaders of Irish Business. A former management consultant with Accenture Caroline now runs the Aisling Foundation full time while serving as a Board member to FAS and Comhairle. In recognition of her achievements she has been named one of the ESB/Rehab People of the Year 2002 to recognise her efforts to increase awareness of the issues facing people with disabilities; one of Junior Chamber Internationals Ten Outstanding Young People of the World 2002 and one of the RADAR (Royal Association for Disability and Rehabilitation) UK's People of the Year 2001.

John O' Dowd initially qualified as a primary teacher and then obtained a BA, HDip Ed and transferred to post-primary. He qualified as a Guidance Counsellor in 1978 and has been involved in Guidance & Counselling for the past 25 years John is a. member of National Executive of Institute of Guidance Counsellors for past 10 years. He is a former Vice-president of the IGC. John continues to represent the IGC at national and international level He is also a member of a number of Department of Education and Science committees. He was also a member of the subcommittee on Employment during European Year of People with Disability and he represents National Executive and Institute of Guidance Counsellors on their national project on disability.