Board Members

Sean has a lifetime of positive engagement of assisting people throughout his career as a qualified Trainer, the Managing Director of a Training Company and a professional Union Official and a participant in a number of previous and current board memberships, detailed below.

His qualifications include a Master’s Degree in Education & Training Management, a degree in Personnel Management & Industrial Relations, and a diploma in Employment Law (Kings Inn).

Sean has previously been a board member of Skillnet Ireland, the Private Security Authority, and the Construction Workers Pension Scheme (+2 Billion Fund). He has also held Executive Council Memberships of the Learning & Development Institute (IITD) and the Irish Congress of Trade Unions (ICTU).

Sharon Owens has a diverse range of work experience in the finance and administration field. Sharon's most recent position was as the Deputy Head at Merchants Quay Ireland, a role she assumed in May 2022. Prior to that, she served as the Finance Manager for the same organisation from January 2016 to May 2022. Previously, Sharon worked as a Management Accountant at Certus from January 2011 to July 2015. Before that, she held positions at Bank of Scotland (Ireland) where she served as an Income Accountant from May 2009 to December 2010 and as an Assistant Accountant (Payroll) from October 2003 to May 2009.

Áine Ivers, BFA., HDipEd., MFA, has a background working with Education and Training Boards Community and Adult Education Service, Adult Literacy, English as a Second or Other Language and Art.

She currently supports Ukrainian and IPAS resident families in the greater Dublin area to secure the rights of primary and secondary school aged children to education.

She previously served as a Board Member of Gaelscoil Bhaile Brigín, Balbriggan, Co. Dublin.

Brian completed his electrical apprenticeship in 1994. He spent the following years working as a journeyman in the Electrical Contracting Sector before taking up his first role within the trade union movement as a full-time organiser.

Subsequent Union elections led to roles as the National Construction Official Mechanical and Engineering and his current position as Assistant General Secretary of Connect Trade Union.

Brian is a board member of the Private Security Authority and represents Connect on the Construction Industry Committee of the ICTU.

Brian is a long term member of the Boards of the CWHT and the CWBF and is the current Chairperson of both Boards.

Eileen has over 25 years’ experience in HR, organisation development, change leadership, and people strategy, supporting senior leaders and boards through periods of transformation and complexity. Her career spans work across the EU, United States, Australia, North Africa, and Sub-Saharan Africa, bringing a broad international and practical perspective.

Formerly a Senior HR Director in Pfizer Eileen held responsibility for 13 sites and approximately 14,000 employees across Europe, leading major cultural change, business turnarounds, and complex employee relations.

Having worked as a non-executive director, and advisor, Eileen understands the responsibilities of effective governance and strategic oversight. Eileen was previously a board member of a family resource centre. She has also lectured on MSc and MBA programmes at University College Cork and University College Galway.