EIL Intercultural Learning

The work of EIL Intercultural Learning is overseen by a Board of 12 volunteers who meet on a regular basis throughout the year. All members of the Board have previously participated on EIL programmes and do not receive any payments or emoluments for their work. Board members are elected each year by the members of EIL.

The members of the Board are:

Judy Roche - Chairperson: "I am from Ballinasloe, Co. Galway and am currently working as a solicitor in Dublin.  I first became involved with EIL in 2000 when I was fortunate enough to be selected for a travel award to Ecuador. It was the beginning of a great adventure for me and I have made wonderful friends and had a number of fantastic experiences with EIL as a participant, group leader and member of the network and Board of EIL.  For example, I acted as group leader for the Hong Kong / Ireland Youth Exhange Programme and have attended annual meetings of the EIL Federation. I am delighted to serve on the Board - it is inspiring to be at the heart of an organisation that is genuine in its pursuit and support of intercultural exchange and awareness,  active citizenship, development education....and so much more".

Daire Hickey - Vice Chairperson: Originally from Cork, Daire first became involved with EIL while president of the Union of Secondary Students. Having failed to make the cut for an EIL travel award, Daire persevered and was elected to the board of EIL in 2006. He has since travelled to Morocco with EIL and led groups to Washington and Hong Kong. Daire graduated in Economics from Trinity College in 2009 and has since worked for RTE and as a freelance journalist for The Journal.ie, Mail On Sunday, Irish Independent and Examiner. He currently works on the Dublin Web Summit and F.ounders events. 

Katy Dobey - Treasurer: "I recently graduated from Trinity College, where I studied English and Irish. I work as a Primary School Teacher in Dublin. I’ve been involved with EIL since 2006, when I won a Travel Award to Washington DC. I became part of the Board in November of the same year. Since then I have travelled to Hong Kong and Vermont on EIL programmes. I am particularly interested in the Development Education aspect of EIL and am delighted to see this element of the organisation grow over the past few years".

Gill Carter:  "I’ve been a member with EIL since taking part in the Global Awareness Programme in South Africa, since then I’ve kept active by co-ordinating an awareness campaign in Ireland regarding HIV/AIDS and helping out with EIL at volunteer fairs. I am currently studying International Development and Food Policy and  have lots of experience with working in committees. I have served as Chairperson of UCC International Development Society ’10-’11, and more recently as UCC Amnesty International society events officer and UCC Student’s Union Gender Equality Officer".

Paul Conway:  "I became infected with the EIL virus after a Homestay in Communist Poland in 1986. Following this I was asked to represent EIL on the National Youth Council. When the EIL Board was established in the late 1980s, I was elected and have been a member continuously since then. I served as Chairperson from 1991 to 1995 and again from 2002 to 2008. I have had the honour of representing EIL Ireland at home and abroad, developing and supporting our links with many countries and organisations. In 2009 on the recommendation of the Board I became a member of the EIL Trust". Paul comes from Dublin and works in the Operations Dept of a European Logistics Company. He is married to Brenda and has three children. He is also an active member of the Red Cross, a registered E.M.T. and an instructor in several first aid and emergency skills.

Maria Cronin: "My name is Maria Cronin. I am 26 years old and from Dublin. I have a great passion for volunteering both in Ireland and abroad and have been a member of EIL since 2008 when I volunteered in Mexico. I have also been on the interview panel for the EIL travel awards in 2009 and 2010. Being part of EIL has been a most rewarding experience which I wish to grow and expand. Currently I work for Vodafone in Business Customer service dealing with the general public and their issues. In my spare time I enjoy reading, going to the cinema, theatre and concerts".

Hollie Kearns: "I've been involved with EIL and the volunteer network for almost 10 years since I won a travel award to go to Japan in 2001. At the moment I am working within the arts, having studied art history in UCC and to MA level at the University of Leeds. I previously sat on the Board of Directors during 2007-2009".

Seanai Kiely: "I am from the Gaeltacht of Ring in Waterford. In 2008, I won a scholarship with E.I.L to live in Germany for two months. This time in Germany, influenced me so much so, that I am now studying Law and German in Trinity College Dublin. I am class rep for Law and German and therefore, I am a sitting member on the Trinity College Law School Committee and on the board of the highly acclaimed Trinity College Law Review.  I have represented EIL on the Youth Advisory Group of The National Youth Council’s Development Education Programme for the last 2 years.  I feel a strong duty to give something back to E.I.L, as to date I directly and indirectly owe most of my achievements to them".

Mark Moore: "A native of Limerick and currently residing in Dublin I've been involved with EIL since receiving a Travel Award to Hong Kong in 2008. Over the past couple of years I have come to know many of the volunteers and staff of EIL and am always inspired by their trojan work and common ideals. As a member of the EIL Development Education committee I'm part of a wider team of volunteers dedicated to increasing awareness and ubiquity of development issues both in EIL programmes and amongst the wider public". 

Kate O’Regan: "I first became involved with EIL in 2003, when I won a scholarship to attend the Future World Leaders' Summit in Washington DC. In January 2009 I was invited to return to D.C. to attend the inauguration of President Barack Obama. I have a B.A. in French and English Literature from Trinity College Dublin and an MSc in Conflict Studies from the London School of Economics. Passionate about experiencing new cultures, I have lived in New Zealand, France and the UK. I am currently a stagiaire with European Movement Ireland".

Kieran Phipps: "I am 23 years old and from Cork. I recently graduated from the University of Limerick and I am currently a French and Spanish teacher in Limerick. I first became involved with EIL in 2008 when I was one of the recipients to win a travel award to Hong Kong. Since then, I have stayed in contact with EIL by attending the network weekends whenever possible and I also assisted with the interviews to Hong Kong in 2009. I would like to continue to give back to EIL and having been a founding member of UL International Society and President for two years I hope that I could assist in continuing the progression of EIL as an organisation".

Paul Quinn: "My name is Paul Quinn and I’m from Cavan. I have a masters in International Relations and in Law. At the moment I’m pursuing my PhD in Politics and International Relations at UCD, as the Irish Government’s Dept. of Foreign Affairs Conflict Resolution Scholar. I became involved with EIL in 2009, when I volunteered on a Human Rights project in Nigeria. I’ve stayed involved with EIL as an active member of the Board and the Development Education Committee for the last two years. I participated on EIL’s Global Awareness Program, working on a HIV/AIDS project in South Africa last year and recently began representing EIL on the National Youth Council’s Development Education Advisory Group".