The Team

Karen Charnley, Director

As Director, Karen provides strategic leadership for All Ireland Institute of Hospice and Palliative Care (AIIHPC) Institute including brokering relationships between the Institute’s 26 partners (universities, hospices, health and social care organisations and charities), funders and key stakeholders. Karen leads the Institute Team and oversees the delivery of the Institute’s Business Plan across education, research, policy and practice, service user and carer engagement and raising awareness. Karen also represents the Institute on key regional and national fora and contributes to palliative care policy and strategic discussions.

Karen has significant leadership and management experience in a range of sectors including housing, economic development and offender management. She was previously a Programme Manager within the Institute where she led on the development of the Palliative Hub.

Brendan O’Hara, Programme Manager

In January 2016 Brendan returned to AIIHPC as Programme Manager where he is supporting implementation of key elements of the Institute’s work programmes. This includes continuing to partner with services users,Brendan carers and communities; and networking with AIIHPC partners and care organisations, government departments and agencies, education institutions, voluntary and statutory sectors agencies and international organisations, to advance the provision of palliative care nationally and internationally.

Dr Cathy Payne, Programme Manager

Cathy joined AIIHPC as Programme Manager in May 2016 and is based in Northern Ireland. Along with the other programme managers she supports the Institute partners in the development and delivery of best palliative care to those facing incurable and life-threatening illness; building and nurturing close working relationships between clinicians, researchers and educationalists across the island of Ireland and beyond. In particular, Cathy is supporting the ongoing development of the Palliative Hub, Online learning programmes and modules and the AIIHPC Partners Education Network.

Cathy was the first AIIHPC Doctoral Fellow, supported by the Health & Social Care Research & Development Division of the Public Health Agency (Northern Ireland). Her PhD, entitled “Rehabilitation in Palliative Care: A Novel Exploratory Study” focused on people with advanced inoperable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) and the potential role of palliative rehabilitation in the symptom management of this condition. She was worked within specialist palliative care since 2004, as a clinical dietitian, a lecturer and a researcher. Before taking up her current post, Cathy chaired the PCRN Early Career Researcher Forum and worked as a Palliative Care Educator in Our Lady’s Hospice & Care Services, Dublin.

Dr Mary Rabbitte, Programme Manager

Mary joined AIIHPC as a Programme Manager in April 2017 where she leads on the Institute’s research programme and supports the continued strategic development of the Institute’s Palliative Care Research Network (PCRN). As well as working collaboratively as part of the AIIHPC team on the strategic and operational implementation of the Institute’s programmes.

Mary is an experienced and creative researcher and educator who has managed, developed and delivered research, education and consultancy programmes in the academic, health care and business sectors. As a clinician she has also worked psychotherapeutically with people with life limiting illnesses with special focus on people with Motor Neurone Disease (MND). Her research master’s focussed on identifying psychological and psychotherapeutic approaches for people with MND and her doctoral thesis is in Chemistry. She has a particular interest in identifying people’s needs in relation to palliative care and empowering people to feel competent in providing best practice care.

Marie McKeon, Project Manager

Marie joined AIIHPC as a Project Manager in April of 2017. Marie is responsible for knowledge dissemination, knowledge transfer and exchange activities and initiatives associated with the Palliative Care Research Network, the Early Career Research Forum, and The Palliative Hub. Supporting the Programme Manager, Dr Mary Rabbitte, Marie is directly involved in the development and delivery of educational and skills training around knowledge transfer and exchange, and planning and coordinating AIIHPC’s communication activities and research-related events.

Marie has a strong commercial background and extensive marketing, project management and consumer educational experience from working in the private sector acting as a Brand– and New Product Development- project manager for the past decade. She has worked with highly innovative and recognisable health food brand leaders. Marie holds a degree in Business Management complemented by a Professional Diploma in Education and Digital Marketing. Also, Marie completed a course focused on dissemination and implementation science hosted by University College Cork – developed in collaboration with the Training Institute for Dissemination and Implementation Research in Health.

Dr Ann Leahy , Project Manager

Dr Ann Leahy, Project Manager

Dr Ann Leahy has a legal background having trained and worked as a Solicitor in a commercial practice early in her career. She subsequently moved to the voluntary sector and worked for over a decade as the Assistant CEO of Age & Opportunity where she was responsible for the organisation’s arts work, public affairs and policy. She has a Master’s degree in Social Justice and Public Policy and has undertaken a variety of research projects, particularly within the community and voluntary sectors on a range of areas (such as poverty, unemployment and education). In June 2018, she completed a PhD on ageing and disability at the Sociology Dept., Maynooth University with support from the Irish Research Council. Her thesis examines policy and services in disability and ageing and also subjective experiences of physical and sensory disability with two groups of older people – those ageing with long-standing disability and those first experiencing disability as they age.

Mary Kearns, Office Manager

Mary manages the day to day running of the office and provides operational support to the Head of Institute, ensuring that effective communication is in place at all times. She also supports the Council of Partners and the Finance and HR Sub-Committee. In addition, she works with the Director on the Institute’s funding and granting activities. Mary previously worked in the Ombudsman for Children’s Office.

Bernadette Pirihi, Administration Support

Bernadette Pirihi – Administration Support

As Administration Support Bernadette plays a key role in AIIHPC, providing reception duties along with administrative support to the Office Manager, Head of Institute and Programme Managers. She assists the Office Manager and senior staff in the planning and implementation of a variety of projects. Bernadette also has responsibility for financial aspects and is the main contact person for invoicing and payments at the Institute.

Dr Jackie Boylan, Project Manager

Jackie Boylan, Project Manager

Dr Jackie Boylan is Project Manager for the Palliative Care Research Network. She has a strong background in health and health services research, with vast experience in both quantitative and qualitative research methodologies. Following completion of a degree in Psychology, Jackie studied for a PhD, with her thesis examining psychosocial factors associated with disordered eating. Post PhD, Jackie has been a post-doctoral research fellow at Queen’s University Belfast, collaborating with many colleagues in health and health services research, assisting with project development, data collection and analysis whilst also writing journal articles and assisting with funding applications. The most recent research Jackie was involved with was advance care planning with older adults who are receiving renal dialysis. Jackie is also a qualified project management professional.