Academic biography

My profile is a combination of expertise in interprofessional and intersectoral collaboration, implementation science and practice, speech and language therapy, structured literacy, and inclusive education. I am a CORU registered Speech and Language Therapist. I hold a PhD in Education (DCU) and a postgraduate qualification in Implementation Science (TCD). Prior to joining academia full time in 2023, I led the development and implementation of a range of prevention and intervention programmes across primary and post-primary schools, supporting educational and socioemotional outcomes for children and young people who are most at risk of exclusion from formal education. I worked as a full-time Pobal funded Researcher at the Educational Disadvantage Centre in 2005-2007. I have been a member of the Educational Disadvantage Centre since and more recently of the newly established Centre for Inclusive Pedagogy.

In 2024, for my work leading the development of national guidance on Participation of Disabled Children and Young People, I received DCU President’s Award for Engagement.  

As a researcher, I have a strong track record of influencing national policy and practice frameworks, through leading research funded by the Department of Education; Department of Children, Equality, Disability, Integration and Youth; Tusla Education Support Service; Childhood Development Initiative; and working on research commissioned by national charities (e.g., AsIAm). My research has also been funded by Research Ireland (previously Science Foundation) and through DCU seed funding. I am an experienced consultant and facilitator with many years of experience working as an Associate Quality Specialist at the Childhood Development Initiative, where I have delivered a range of capacity-building projects for practitioners and organisations in both public and not-for-profit sectors.

I am currently co-chairing a European Implementation in Education subgroup of the European Implementation Collaborative.

In the School of Inclusive and Special Education, I teach across a range of postgraduate programmes, including Master of Education in Specific Learning Difficulties (MSpL)/ Dyslexia, Graduate Diploma in Inclusive and Special Education, Professional Diploma in Inclusive and Special Education, and at doctoral level.