Test Alumni

2019 Alumni Awardees

Outstanding Achievement Awardees

Shay Walsh

Outstanding Achievement Award for Innovation and Technology

Shay Walsh
BEng Electronic Engineering, DCU, 1993

Shay is Managing Director of BT Ireland, the country’s second largest provider of fixed line communication services and solutions, employing over 650 people. Since joining BT (then Esat Telecom) in 1995, Shay has amassed a wealth of experience in leading successful teams across multiple divisions within the company including the networks, wholesale and business functions. He was promoted to Managing Director in 2015 and since then the company has achieved year on year revenue and profit growth and is now a market leader in serving the global communication needs of Irish based multinationals and major domestic organisations. Shay is passionate about the role that organisations should play in cultivating a diverse, inclusive and socially responsible society. In 2018, under his leadership, BT Ireland became one of only 33 companies in Ireland to be formally recognised as one of Ireland’s most responsible businesses under the ISO 26000 standard. The company also achieved recognition as one of Ireland’s Healthiest Places to Work, an employee led survey that highlighted BT Ireland’s positive workplace culture. Shay is a member of the 30% Club and a board member of the Young Scientist & Technology Exhibition and the Valentia Island Cable Foundation.

James Brunton

Outstanding Achievement Award for Diversity and Inclusion

Lorraine Twohill
BA in International Marketing and Languages, DCU, 1992

Lorraine currently serves as Google’s Chief Marketing Officer, managing a global team responsible for telling the evolving story of Google’s brand, driving revenue growth, and bringing Google’s products to life for billions of users everyday. Her team oversee global marketing across all Google products and services, such as Search, Chrome, Android, YouTube and Hardware. Lorraine is also responsible for driving Google’s societal impact focus on education, economic opportunity and inclusion, and for the company crisis response strategy.Previously, Lorraine led marketing for Google in Europe, the Middle East and Africa. She has been named Adweek’s Grand Brand Genius, Business Insider’s Most Innovative CMO, one of the world’s 50 Most Powerful Moms, and most recently Cannes Creative Marketer of the Year.Lorraine graduated from Dublin City University with a joint honours degree in International Marketing and Languages. It’s at DCU where Lorraine first learned the value of building strong teams that, above all else, focus on what users care most about. She’s drawn on these lessons and experiences throughout her career.Lorraine is a native of Carlow, Ireland and now lives in the San Francisco Bay Area with her husband and two children.

Gaye White

Outstanding Achievement Award for Leadership

Enda Kenny TD
NT, St Patrick's College, 1970

Born in Castlebar in April 1951, Enda Kenny has enjoyed a long and distinguished career of public service. Educated at St. Gerald’s Castlebar and St.Patrick’s College, Drumcondra, he was first elected as a TD for Mayo West in 1975, in a by-election, caused by the death of his father, Henry. Enda is the father of the Dáil, having been elected in twelve subsequent general elections in a row, and was elected leader of Fine Gael in June 2002.With the party at a particularly low ebb after that year’s general election, he successfully set about rebuilding Fine Gael over the course of the next few years. His perseverance and leadership qualities paid off when, at the general election of February 2011, he led Fine Gael to its largest ever number of seats in its 78 year history as 76 party members were returned to the 31st Dáil.In 2016, Enda became the first ever Fine Gael leader to form a government after two successive general elections. Though very unassuming in manner, Enda’s legendary stamina, organisational abilities, and extraordinary leadership qualities helped steer the Irish state through an extremely challenging period during his years as Taoiseach between 2011 and 2017.

Jim Moore
Outstanding Achievement Award for Societal Impact

Sr Orla Tracey
B Rel Sc Mater Dei Institute of Education 1995 MA School Chaplaincy/Pastoral Care 2002

In the years following Orla’s graduation from Mater Dei she taught in the four provinces of Ireland, and joined the Loreto Sisters, inspired by their life and witness. In 2005, Orla volunteered with other Sisters to start a mission in Rumbek, South Sudan, in a culture where girls are forced into marriage and only 2% receive a secondary education. Guided by their foundress, Mary Ward’s belief that “women in time to come will do much,” the Loreto Sisters started a girls only boarding school with 35 students. Today, Orla serves as the Head Administrator of the Loreto Rumbek Mission, overseeing a boarding secondary school for 300 girls, a co- educational primary school with over 1,000 boys and girls, and a women and child-centric primary healthcare facility. Orla is a part of a diverse multinational team of religious sisters, educators, nurses, and other support staff, who all share a vision for improving the lives of the most vulnerable in the community – women and children. She continues to work in faith, striving for a world in which girls are not forced into marriage and are able to pursue their dreams.Back to top

Brian Smyth

Outstanding Achievement Award for Sport

Lindsay Peat
B.Sc Physical Education and Biology, DCU, 2015

Lindsay is a current member of the Irish Senior Women’s Rugby team. Having been introduced to sport by her mother to help keep her out of trouble this unexpectedly opened the door to a world that would play a key component in moulding her into the person she is today. Sport has been one of the key components in the journey of her life so far having the honour of representing her country at underage soccer and basketball during which she was co-captain. Lindsay has also played inter-county football with her beloved Dublin from 2009 - 2014 winning an All-Ireland in 2010. Lindsay returned to education as a mature student in 2011 to complete a degree in Physical Education & Biology at DCU and enjoyed continued sporting success throughout her four years at DCU. Lindsay is a true believer that sport is for everyone and hopes people can reap some of the rewards that she has through sport both on and off the field. When she eventually retires her goal is to try and play a key role in developing and progressing the role of women in sport.

David Dowling