Membership Profiles

David FitzPatrick (President of Technological University Dublin)

	Professor David FitzPatrick is the inaugural president for TU Dublin following its designation as a Technological University on the 1st of January 2019. In addition to his highly regarded leadership as Principal of the College of Engineering & Architecture and Dean of Engineering at University College Dublin (UCD), TU Dublin President Professor David FitzPatrick has excellent academic credentials, considerable experience at executive level, a significant international profile and extensive industry experience, having managed the product development and research of orthopaedic devices. Prior to assuming his role as president of TU Dublin, Professor FitzPatrick was recently Principal of the College of Engineering & Architecture and Dean of Engineering at UCD, with responsibility for the strategic planning, personnel management and budgetary performance of the faculty. Since 2014 he has also served as a member of the University’s executive team. Prof. David FitzPatrick holds a bachelors degree in Engineering from Trinity College Dublin, and a doctorate in biomechanics from the University of Oxford. After receiving his doctorate, Prof. David FitzPatrick worked in the orthopaedic industry, initially with Howmedica International Ltd. in Limerick, followed by a career with DePuy International in Leeds. His work with DePuy International included managing product development, strategy and research programmes for knee, upper limb, trauma and spinal product lines. In 1998, Prof. FitzPatrick returned to Ireland to UCD’s Department of Mechanical Engineering and was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2005, Associate Professor in 2010 and full Professor in 2012. He served as Head of the School of Electrical, Electronic and Mechanical Engineering from September 2005 to August 2011, followed by a period as Vice Principal for Internationalisation & Development in the College of Engineering and Architecture. Following his appointment as Provost of the Beijing-Dublin International College in 2012, he led the development of Ireland’s largest dual-degree programme initiative in China and has continued in that role since becoming Principal of UCD’s College of Engineering & Architecture, and a member of UCD’s University Management Team, in 2014.

Professor David FitzPatrick is the inaugural president for TU Dublin following its designation as a Technological University on the 1st of January 2019.

In addition to his highly regarded leadership as Principal of the College of Engineering & Architecture and Dean of Engineering at University College Dublin (UCD), TU Dublin President Professor David FitzPatrick has excellent academic credentials, considerable experience at executive level, a significant international profile and extensive industry experience, having managed the product development and research of orthopaedic devices.

Prior to assuming his role as president of TU Dublin, Professor FitzPatrick was recently Principal of the College of Engineering & Architecture and Dean of Engineering at UCD, with responsibility for the strategic planning, personnel management and budgetary performance of the faculty. Since 2014 he has also served as a member of the University’s executive team.

Prof. David FitzPatrick holds a bachelors degree in Engineering from Trinity College Dublin, and a doctorate in biomechanics from the University of Oxford. After receiving his doctorate, Prof. David FitzPatrick worked in the orthopaedic industry, initially with Howmedica International Ltd. in Limerick, followed by a career with DePuy International in Leeds. His work with DePuy International included managing product development, strategy and research programmes for knee, upper limb, trauma and spinal product lines.

In 1998, Prof. FitzPatrick returned to Ireland to UCD’s Department of Mechanical Engineering and was promoted to Senior Lecturer in 2005, Associate Professor in 2010 and full Professor in 2012. He served as Head of the School of Electrical, Electronic and Mechanical Engineering from September 2005 to August 2011, followed by a period as Vice Principal for Internationalisation & Development in the College of Engineering and Architecture. Following his appointment as Provost of the Beijing-Dublin International College in 2012, he led the development of Ireland’s largest dual-degree programme initiative in China and has continued in that role since becoming Principal of UCD’s College of Engineering & Architecture, and a member of UCD’s University Management Team, in 2014.

Justin McCarthy (Chairperson)

	Justin McCarthy is a senior executive at Microsoft with a background of Global and International leadership roles. Having been based in Europe, Asia, US and most recently Ireland, he currently leads a large international team helping Microsoft Customers with their digital transformation across Europe, Middle East and Africa. He has a passion for Customers, Business Transformation, People and Diversity & Inclusion. Justin is also the Chair of the Governing Body Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee. Read more at Justin McCarthy \| LinkedIn

Justin McCarthy is a senior executive at Microsoft with a background of Global and International leadership roles. Having been based in Europe, Asia, US and most recently Ireland, he currently leads a large international team helping Microsoft Customers with their digital transformation across Europe, Middle East and Africa. He has a passion for Customers, Business Transformation, People and Diversity & Inclusion. Justin is also the Chair of the Governing Body Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee.

Read more at Justin McCarthy | LinkedIn

Valerie Bistany

	Valerie Bistany is a professional arts manager, producer and events coordinator with over 25 years of international experience in Ireland, England and the USA working with organisations such as Dance Ireland, Dublin Youth Theatre, the Abbey and Pavilion Theatres. She is currently the Director/CEO of the Irish Writers Centre where she has worked since 2013. For the best part of her career prior to this, she worked in a freelance capacity in programming, strategic vision planning, as an independent evaluator and as a creative mentor in the professional arts and voluntary sectors with The Ark, Tivoli Training Centre, DIT and with various artists and arts offices, amongst others. Also a certified mediator, Valerie began mediating as part of a political dialogue facilitation team working with Northern and Southern Irish politicians at Glencree Centre for Peace and Reconciliation and has since worked family, community, workplace and elder mediation, both on a professional and a voluntary basis. She was a founder member of Facing Forward, a restorative justice NGO that promotes and offers training in victim-offender mediation. Originally from Lebanon, she has lived and worked in England, Italy, Spain and the USA, but has made Dublin her home these last 29 years. Valerie is currently a member of the Governing Body Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, and the Governing Body Nominations and Process Committee.

Valerie Bistany is a professional arts manager, producer and events coordinator with over 25 years of international experience in Ireland, England and the USA working with organisations such as Dance Ireland, Dublin Youth Theatre, the Abbey and Pavilion Theatres. She is currently the Director/CEO of the Irish Writers Centre where she has worked since 2013.

For the best part of her career prior to this, she worked in a freelance capacity in programming, strategic vision planning, as an independent evaluator and as a creative mentor in the professional arts and voluntary sectors with The Ark, Tivoli Training Centre, DIT and with various artists and arts offices, amongst others.

Also a certified mediator, Valerie began mediating as part of a political dialogue facilitation team working with Northern and Southern Irish politicians at Glencree Centre for Peace and Reconciliation and has since worked family, community, workplace and elder mediation, both on a professional and a voluntary basis. She was a founder member of Facing Forward, a restorative justice NGO that promotes and offers training in victim-offender mediation.

Originally from Lebanon, she has lived and worked in England, Italy, Spain and the USA, but has made Dublin her home these last 29 years.

Valerie is currently a member of the Governing Body Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Committee, and the Governing Body Nominations and Process Committee.

Susan O’Shaughnessy

	Dr Susan O’Shaughnessy is a lecturer in German and Erasmus Academic Coordinator in the School of Languages, Law and Social Sciences and the Year 3 coordinator for programmes in the Department of Languages, currently based in the TU Dublin City campus at Kevin Street. Susan has degrees in French and German, Spanish and Humanities, an MA in German and a doctorate in higher education (EdD) from the University of Sheffield. Susan has taught German, European Studies, Communications and Professional Development in the Bolton Street campus and Spanish in Cathal Brugha Street, as well as English for Academic Purposes to Erasmus and international students across the City campus.

Dr Susan O’Shaughnessy is a lecturer in German and Erasmus Academic Coordinator in the School of Languages, Law and Social Sciences and the Year 3 coordinator for programmes in the Department of Languages, currently based in the TU Dublin City campus at Kevin Street. Susan has degrees in French and German, Spanish and Humanities, an MA in German and a doctorate in higher education (EdD) from the University of Sheffield. Susan has taught German, European Studies, Communications and Professional Development in the Bolton Street campus and Spanish in Cathal Brugha Street, as well as English for Academic Purposes to Erasmus and international students across the City campus.

Yvonne Galligan (Director)

	Yvonne Galligan is Director of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and Professor of Comparative Politics in Technological University Dublin. She was founding director of the Centre for Advancement of Women in Politics in Queen’s University Belfast and is now founding director of RINCE. She is a past Vice President of the International Political Science Association, past President of the Political Studies Association of Ireland. She is serving a second term as Honorary Treasurer of the Political Studies Association. Yvonne has served, and chaired, a range of public boards, including the Parliamentary Commission to Consider the Consequences of Devolution on the House of Commons (The McKay Commission, member), the Women in Science Task and Finish Group, Wales (member), the Equality and Diversity Advisory Panel for the UK Research Assessment Framework (member) and The Markievicz Commission (chair). Yvonne has led three successful institutional Athena SWAN Silver applications, and has advised many institutions in Ireland, the UK and North America on their Athena SWAN (or equivalent) applications. She has extensive experience of reviewing institutional equality plans as part of research council funding applications, and of reviewing full applications, for the European Commission, NORFACE, the Swiss and Belgian research councils, the Academy of Finland, the Canadian Research Council, among others. Yvonne has produced over 100 publications on gender equality, including reports for governments, international organisations, and scholarly outputs. In recognition of her commitment to advancing gender equality in public life and in the academy, Yvonne received an OBE, Honorary Fellowship of Trinity College Dublin, an honorary doctorate from the University of Edinburgh, and elected a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences. She is also Honorary Professor at Queen’s University Belfast.

Yvonne Galligan is Director of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion and Professor of Comparative Politics in Technological University Dublin. She was founding director of the Centre for Advancement of Women in Politics in Queen’s University Belfast and is now founding director of RINCE. She is a past Vice President of the International Political Science Association, past President of the Political Studies Association of Ireland. She is serving a second term as Honorary Treasurer of the Political Studies Association.

Yvonne has served, and chaired, a range of public boards, including the Parliamentary Commission to Consider the Consequences of Devolution on the House of Commons (The McKay Commission, member), the Women in Science Task and Finish Group, Wales (member), the Equality and Diversity Advisory Panel for the UK Research Assessment Framework (member) and The Markievicz Commission (chair). Yvonne has led three successful institutional Athena SWAN Silver applications, and has advised many institutions in Ireland, the UK and North America on their Athena SWAN (or equivalent) applications.

She has extensive experience of reviewing institutional equality plans as part of research council funding applications, and of reviewing full applications, for the European Commission, NORFACE, the Swiss and Belgian research councils, the Academy of Finland, the Canadian Research Council, among others. Yvonne has produced over 100 publications on gender equality, including reports for governments, international organisations, and scholarly outputs. In recognition of her commitment to advancing gender equality in public life and in the academy, Yvonne received an OBE, Honorary Fellowship of Trinity College Dublin, an honorary doctorate from the University of Edinburgh, and elected a Fellow of the Academy of Social Sciences. She is also Honorary Professor at Queen’s University Belfast.