People
Tara Heffernan
Technology Gateway Manager
Email: tara.heffernan@tudublin.ie
Tel: +353 1 404 2084
Tara brings over 20 years of experience in the food industry, having worked across Ireland, the United States, Australia, New Zealand, and the United Kingdom. She holds a First-Class MSc in Culinary Innovation and New Product Development from Technological University Dublin, which laid the foundation for a dynamic career spanning both research and industry.
At Teagasc, Tara played a pivotal role in delivering multiple collaborative industry projects and was a key contributor to the development of innovative technologies as part of the National Prepared Consumer Food Centre (NPCFC) in Teagasc Ashtown. In the commercial sector, she has led New Product Development (NPD) teams across various organizations, driving innovation and product excellence.