Board Members
Our voluntary board is responsible for providing effective governance and oversight to Team Hope. Our board members are recruited from around Ireland, and come from a variety of backgrounds, with a diverse set of skills which allow them to provide appropriate guidance and governance to our charity.
Meet the board
Jennifer Thompson
Jennifer Thompson is the chair of the TEAM HOPE Board. Jen lives in Dublin and works as a civil servant. She has previously worked for an international development agency and has travelled widely living in both South America and Cambodia.
Michael O’Connell
Mike O’Connell lives in Limerick and recently retired as Vice President of Limerick Institute of Technology. He is a Chartered Accountant and higher education consultant.
Dr. Kirstie McAdoo
Dr. Kirstie McAdoo lives in Dublin and has diverse experience in research, post-primary education, teacher training, curriculum formation and NGO leadership. Head of Education and Research at an urban farm she helps with making food and farming, research and educational opportunities available to all.
Pádraig Ó Ruairc
Pádraig Ó Ruairc lives in Kildare and works with the Irish Cancer Society. He has over 25 years’ experience both in Ireland and Overseas including work in Health, Finance, Community Transport, Development and emergency rehabilitation programmes, including extensive operational management. His passion is social inclusion and equality.
Vicky Leatham
Vicky Leatham specialises in charity compliance and governance with over a decade of experience in the social and charity sectors in Ireland. Vicky has done a range of voluntary work abroad including research in South East Asia for a Master’s degree in Humanitarian Action.
Marile van Eeden
Marile is originally from South Africa, but has been a permanent resident in Dublin since 2019. She is a finance and risk professional with experience in banking, consulting and big tech
Lorna Burt
Lorna is originally from Scotland and has a background in banking. For the past 25 years she has been involved in church ministry in Enniscorthy. She has been volunteering with the Christmas Shoebox Appeal in County Wexford for more than 20 years and been the local team leader for the past 10 years.
Cyril Otieku-Boadu
Cyril has a background in Humanitarian Action, Non-Profit Management, and Chemistry. He has over 19 years of experience working across academia, NGOs, and the health sector. Originally from Ghana, his expertise includes NGO governance, strategic management, and the localisation of humanitarian action.
Mark Groves
Mark from Dublin, is a Chartered Accountant and is Group Treasurer with an international engineering firm. He has and continues to work voluntarily both in Ireland and overseas with a number of charities focusing on children’s wellbeing and development.
Vicci Murphy
Vicci is a seasoned professional with 15 years experience in Tech and 9 years of experience in Trust and Safety across Instagram, Facebook & TikTok. Based in Dublin, Vicci has developed expertise in ensuring online safety and fostering positive, secure online environments for users.
Passionate about making a positive impact, Vicci is committed to supporting Team Hope’s mission to improve the lives of children in need.
Diane Ruddock OBE
Diane’s background is in communications, policy and advocacy. She worked for 37 years with the National Trust in Northern Ireland. She is a lay reader and actively involved in her local church. Married with two grown up children, Diane lives on a small farm in Co. Down.
Johan Willemse
Johan, based in Co. Wicklow, is a member of the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants with extensive experience across the Technology and Pharmaceutical sectors. He specialises in statutory financial compliance for complex, large-scale global operations. With a strong focus on process automation and innovative solutions, Johan is driven by a commitment to applying his expertise to address complex accounting challenges and deliver meaningful, positive impact.