Dr Eleanor Neff works in the Literacy Development Centre in South East Technical University. Eleanor has served on NALA’s Board since April 2022 and is the Chairperson of our Education, Training and Assessment Subcommittee. She became Chairperson in 2026.
Eleanor has worked in adult education for 21 years focussing on literacy for the past 14 years. As a tutor with Kerry Education and Training Board, she delivered a wide range of literacy courses and worked on the Refugee Resettlement Programme. In 2020, she worked with NALA’s Distance Learning team and Marking Progress project.

Patricia (Trish) Nolan became Vice Chairperson in 2026. She has worked in the public library service for over thirty years and has also worked as a volunteer literacy tutor. Currently she works as Executive Librarian with Carlow County Library Service and has an active interest in literacy. She is the Right to Read Co-ordinator for Carlow County Council and has led many initiatives including the Carlow – A Literacy Friendly County research project. Trish has served on NALA’s Board since April 2022 and is Chair of our Literacy and Staff Policies, and Governance Subcommittee.

Linda became NALA’s Treasurer in 2026. Linda has worked in financial services since 1997, across a range of roles from operations, learning and development, programme management, governance, leadership, executive coaching, and cultural and behavioural change. She is currently Senior Manager with the Irish Banking Culture Board (IBCB).

She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Management and Law from Dublin Institute of Technology, the Institute of Banker’s Certificate in Consumer Protection Risk, Culture and Ethical Behaviours, a first-class honours on the Diploma in Organisational Behaviour with the Irish Management Institute and most recently distinction in University College Dublin’s Professional Academy’s course in Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging.

Ciaran has served on NALA’s Board since 2020 and is a member of our Audit, Risk and Finance Subcommittee. Ciaran is Chief Customer Officer and Commercial Director at AIB (Allied Irish Bank) life. Prior to this he held a number of roles within AIB including Head of Digital Channels and Group Head of Deposit and Current Account Products. Ciaran is a Chartered Banker and Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA).

Elma has served on NALA’s Board since December 2020 and is the Chairperson of our Audit, Risk and Finance Subcommittee. She is a director in KPMG’s Financial Services Audit Department. She has 12 years’ experience providing audit, assurance, accountancy and advisory services to clients in insurance, investment management, banking and other sectors. Elma is an advocate of education and inclusion and diversity.
A chartered accountant, Elma also holds a Bachelor of Commerce degree from University College Cork.

Dr Michelle O’Driscoll was elected to NALA’s Board in 2024. She is a Lecturer in University College Cork’s School of Pharmacy and a Senior Postdoctoral Researcher with the National Suicide Research Foundation. She has collaborated on the development of a UCC/NALA Digital Badge for Health Literacy for Health and Social Care Professionals and is a strong advocate for health literacy.

Geraldine Mernagh joined NALA’s Board in 2025. She has worked within the field of adult literacy in Ireland for forty years, starting as an adult literacy tutor in adult education centres, youth and community programmes and the prison service with the former City and County Dublin Vocational Education Committee. She is a former Executive Director of NALA and with NALA co-founded the Literacy Development Centre (LDC) in the South East Technological University in 1997, where she taught, worked with, and learned from tutors from all around Ireland, until her recent retirement.

Mike Gogan was appointed to NALA’s Board in 2026. Mike is Head of Tone of Voice and Customer Language in Allied Irish Bank. He has been an advocate of plain language and of NALA for many years. He has worked for quite a few financial services brands where he has gathered a reputation for using simple language to engage customers in a way that makes them feel more comfortable and confident dealing with money. He also has experience of being on boards.

Paula Tiller has served on NALA’s Board since May 2023 and is a member of our Education, Training and Assessment Subcommittee. Paula is a Regional Literacy Coordinator for Kerry under the Adult Literacy for Life Strategy. Starting in 2001, as a volunteer adult literacy tutor, literacy teaching and advocacy has been a large part of her life since then. She has worked as a NALA distance learning tutor and has delivered workshops at NALA events. As well as her involvement in teaching, she has co-developed themed literacy programmes. She is an advocate for integrating literacy and Universal Design for Learning across the adult and further education sector.

Sarah Shaughnessey was elected to NALA’s Board in 2025 and has been a member of NALA’s Student Subcommittee since 2023. When she was diagnosed with Dyslexia at 42, a huge burden was lifted from her shoulders because she finally understood the reason for her learning difficulties.

After being made redundant from her retail job of 26 years, she up-skilled to improve her computer skills to upload assignments and use technology such as Zoom, Outlook and Teams. This is when she was first introduced to NALA.

Tadgh Quill-Manley was elected to NALA’s Board in 2026 and has served on NALA’s Finance, Risk and Audit subcommittee since 2024.
He holds several financial services qualifications and is currently studying law at the Kings Inn. He has served on the boards of the National Advocacy Service, Cork Centre for Independent Living, Cork Deaf Association and Irish Horse Welfare Trust.

Tom O’Mara served on NALA’s Board since April 2022 and is a member of our Education, Training and Assessment Subcommittee. Tom is Head of Digital Education in University College Cork, which provides support to staff around the best application of technology to learning.

An educator for over 27 years, Tom has worked as an English language teacher at third level in Ireland and abroad. He was also NALA’s Distance Education Coordinator for nine years. Tom led the design and development of www.writeon.ie and supported the development of the literacy television series on Raidió Teilifís Éireann