Leadership Academy Breakfast Club!
Leadership Academy Breakfast Club!
Many leaders have mentors that have supported their journeys, or people they look up to, but what role do leaders have for people coming behind them? We don’t know, but we found some people who do!
It is well known in leadership parlance the value of having mentors on your journey, supporters and allies, champions and coaches.
But we don’t talk as much about the impact we have as leaders on people coming behind us. What's our role and responsibilities to people navigating the same challenging environments that we have had to navigate.
Our two speakers at this event have both had interesting paths to where they are today, and they both maintain an unwavering commitment to support and advocate for the people coming behind them
- You can book places for yourself and/or colleagues by clicking the button below.
- This event will take place on Zoom.
- Closed Captions can be enabled by participants.
- Please email matthew@wheel.ie if you have any special requirements.
Meet Our Speakers:
Dr Jennifer Okeke is the Chairperson of the National Women Council (NWC) and the Anti-Trafficking Coordinator with the Immigrant Council of Ireland. Jennifer is a sociologist and has lectured on race and ethnicity in both Maynooth University and DCU. She is a community activist and former chairperson of a migrant women’s organisation based in Ireland. Jennifer is a board member of the European Network of Migrant Women (ENoMW), based in Brussel and Age Action, Ireland. Her area of expertise is on issues of GBV, anti-trafficking, human rights and migration (refugees, asylum seekers, direct provision). Jennifer has contributed as subject matter expert on documentaries that look at black women in the labour market and recently on RET series on human trafficking (The Case I Can't Forget)
Dr. Jennifer’s PhD research was on the experience of African women trafficked into/through Ireland for sexual exploitation. She holds a Master's in International Relations, from the School of Law and Government, DCU and a BSC from University College Birmingham.
Damien Quinn is the founder of Spéire Nua (New Horizon) which is an award-winning social enterprise start-up. Spéire Nua has developed a new Strengths Based Model of Disclosure to support people exiting a life of crime in their search for opportunities. Spéire Nua has a national remit providing educational services to all prisons in Ireland and is a project that is being incubated by Amicitia, an award-winning social enterprise in Athenry, Co. Galway in which Damien sits as a Director on its Voluntary Board of Management. Damien also works with Galway Rural Development on the SICAP programme as their Community Youth and Ability Officer. He also managed their Social Enterprise Regeneration Programme. Damien also lectures part time with Equal Ireland and for the Technological University of the Shannon.
Meet your facilitator
Sharon Hughes is the Leadership Academy Manager in the Skills Team of The Wheel. Sharon has been involved in membership organisations for over 20 years. Before working for The Leadership Academy, she was C.E.O. of a nonprofit. Her background is managing member Events and Communications. Sharon is a qualified Coach, is a member of the Teaching Council of Ireland and is currently studying Psychology. She is low-key obsessed with Leadership. If you are interested in learning more about the Leadership Academy or you have a great idea you would like to share, please email her at sharon@wheel.ie or feel free to connect with Sharon on LinkedIn.
Supported by:
Testimonials from previous attendees
For me personally, the benefits of the Breakfast Clubs are many, key are the value of think-time, the cross sectional networking and having a product to offer staff looking to consider upskilling – in this regard promoting the breakfast club internally in Trócaire, in particular to my own team, is very relevant to the area of continuous leadership learning and development. - K. Casey, Head of Community Engagement & Outreach, Trócaire
The Breakfast Club created a networking space that feels open to all leaders, future and established, so that we can meet and make connections. Sharon encourages the early career professionals in the room to be the leads for discussion and she connects people with such ease who may have been too shy to make an introduction before. I have found The Leadership Academy events extremely interesting and engaging, having enjoyed the variety of topics covered at the sessions and the space to network freely. I would encourage anyone who is thinking of attending a Leadership Academy breakfast to attend and get involved. - A. Ennis, former Recruitment Coordinator at 2into3
The Leadership Academy is a wonderful initiative and space to foster leadership and personal growth for those of us working in the nonprofit sector. It is great to be able to not only share insights but also to learn and gain new insights from fellow participants at the events. I really enjoyed my involvement as a panellist on a Leadership Academy event, which was wonderfully organised by Sharon with great support from her colleagues in The Wheel. Would highly recommend getting involved and responding positively if asked to be a speaker, panellist or facilitator at one of the Academy events. Ní neart go chur le chéile – There is no strength without unity. - D. O’Corrbuí, CEO Carmichael