Voice - 25th anniversary - 1997 - 2022

Meet the Team

Chief Executive of VOICE Ireland

Mindy O’Brien

With 25+ years toiling to improve our environment and trying to share our message to bring politicians, civil servants, companies, communities and individuals along with me, I think we are starting to make a dent.

I believe that the only way to secure positive change is through a top down (ambitious policy change) and bottom up (empowering individuals to make positive change in their communities and work environments) engagements. This dual approach gives us the tools to pivot to a new way of consuming without depleting the Earth of its precious natural resources and contaminating it with excess waste and hazardous chemicals.

My biggest achievement: My biggest achievement over the past 10 years is putting together an amazing waste busting team, going from 2 part-time employees to building a team of 8 incredible individuals We have expanded our reach and have created and delivered so many effective programmes, as you can see from our website. My ultimate goal is to remove the word ‘waste’ from our vernacular and through the lens of the circular economy, we will live in a world without waste!

Communications Director

Lyndsey O’Connell

As Communications Director I develop comms strategies and campaigns, and help to support the VOICE team in communicating their efforts and wins.

I also lead on the development of two campaigns here at VOICE focused on consumption and production. As coordinator I build bridges between business, individuals, academics, communities and policy makers in a bid to justly transition to a real and robust circular economy.

Fun Fact: You will find me on the beach.

Finance Manager

Leonard Dowling

I am delighted to join Mindy & the Voice team and am enjoying supporting the team in the delivery of their key projects. I look forward to enhancing my environmental knowledge in the new role.

After a Finance & Business career in Ireland across the Financial Services & Payments sectors. I spent the last 8 years working internationally in the Middle East and Asia.

Fun fact – Music, History, and Sport are my key interests, with Hurling being my sporting passion.

Picker Pals Programme Manager

Angela Kenny

I am the programme manager of Picker Pals, our primary school campaign bringing litter-picking tools to every school in the country hopefully!

I love interacting with the kids from classrooms all around the country and have recently developed a new skill of TV presenter – for our Picker Pals TV Show. There is never a dull day in Pickerupolis and seeing pictures of kids out on litter-picking adventures, changing the mindset in their family and community is such a great reward. 

Biggest Achievement: My biggest achievement to date was having the courage to walk away from my career of over 20 years to start all over again working on issues I really care about. It makes getting out of bed so much easier in the morning!

'Upgrading Shared bin Experience' Project Manager

Tad Kirakowski

Tad Joined VOICE in 2017 as part of the Recycling Ambassador Programme (RAP) where he helped to deliver 700 workshops across Ireland.

Since RAP Tad has run the Recircle Project and the Upgrading Shared bin Experience project, as well as manning the communications for a number of years. I love working for VOICE, working with a team of passionate people to achieve a goal of a greater future with less waste.

Biggest achievement: I try to celebrate small and big achievements in every day, but I’ve fond memories of the work we did with the RAP campaign engaging with communities all over Ireland, and of course there’s always another victory just around the corner to look forward to.

'Return for Change' and 'Dublin's #CircleCity' Project Manager

Colin O’Byrne

I joined VOICE at the tail end of 2019 and am very happy to be part of this wonderful organisation.

I have spent much of the last 20 years working for various NGO’s in Ireland and have always endeavored to foster the understanding that we are a part of nature, not apart from it. Working with VOICE provides the platform to promote this philosophy on the ground, as the concrete actions we engage in affords people the opportunity to link their actions as individuals to outcomes in their community and indeed to the planet as a whole.

Biggest Achievement: When the 2018 World Cup rolled around, I managed to get some crowd to pay me to write about and watch every single game of the tournament. Getting paid to watch football – for a sports fan, it doesn’t get much better than that.

Project Manager and Programme Developer

Abigail O’Callaghan-Platt

I manage the No Plastic Period Campaign, the Sustainable Communities Training Programme, the Zero Waste Communities Programme and the Ditch the Disposables workshops.

Through these programmes I work on sustainability issues with both communities and school groups. It’s amazing to get to work on issues that really matter to me and take action towards a better future!

Fun fact: In my spare time I work on LGBTQI+ advocacy for the West Cork based group, BROD. 

Programme Creator and Manager

Patrick Jackson

When I came across a seagull tangled up in fishing line on the pier in Howth, I never imagined that it would lead to Picker Pals, a nationwide litter-picking programme involving thousands of primary school children.

But that's what's happened thanks to being a part of the VOICE family.

Fun Fact: I have a cloak covered in 'treasures' I found on the beach. I wear this on special occasions and it stops people in their tracks. It's my attempt to raise awareness of what we are doing to our environment. 

Picker Pals Programme Administrator

Gary Jones

I love working with VOICE because it gives me the opportunity to focus on my passion, which is environmental education for young people. My mission is to help create lots of little environmental activists!!

Fun Fact: In the early days of my former career as a primary school teacher, I undertook a series of lessons with my class on the life cycle of woodlice. An inspector was present for two of them and in his report, he noted the lovely resources, the children's high levels of engagement & understanding of the concepts being taught.....but cautioned against me getting "so excited that I forgot the rest of the curriculum".....noting that "Caring about woodlice is great, but the children still need to learn how to read!". I curbed my enthusiasm appropriately afterward!

VOICE Associate

Stephen Byrne

I wanted to join the VOICE team in order to learn about and contribute to sustainable development projects in Ireland. I am delighted with the opportunity to be part of a passionate team who aims to make Ireland a more sustainable country and economy for all.

Fun Fact: In my spare time, I will either be found training Brazilian Jiu – Jitsu or sailing on a Howth-17, one of the oldest racing boats in the world.

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