Be the Change
CHI are excited to announce two events taking place early March during the week of International Women’s Day. This year, CHI are focusing on Women in Leadership. Leadership has many strands, at home, in communities, business, politics and wider society.

Join our Wood Quay event

11am-1pm, Wednesday, 8th March 2023

If you are interested in being the change that you want to see in your community then this is something for you!

On Wednesday 8th March, CHI invites you to its Women in Leadership forum in the Wood Quay Venue, Dublin. This forum will have two panel discussions. The first will be from CHI Members who embody what it means to be women in leadership. The second panel discussion will be from external support agencies, that want to share their experience and support others to be the change they want to see in their communities. The event will be an opportunity to celebrate women in our CHI community and build connections.

We’re delighted to have Near FM partner with us to deliver this event to a wider audience. The panel discussions will be MC’d by Sabrina Ryan of Near FM 90.3 and recorded for broadcast on Friday 10^th March at 3:30pm.

Please note that this event is free and available online and in-person. 

Panel information

MC Sabrina Ryan has volunteered with Near Media Co-op for 10 years as both a presenter and on the committee of managers. Sabrina works as a trade union official and is active in local politics.

Panel 1 — Inspiring CHI leaders 11:00am 

Frances Kawala, although now retired, uses her arts background to find creative ways to encourage community involvement working with several local organisations to promote the needs of seniors, including their housing needs. She lives in a CHI home in Birr, Co. Offaly.

Mamy Nzema Nkoy holds a BSc from TU Dublin in Medicinal Chemistry and Pharmaceutical Sciences and a level 8 degree in Analytical Chemistry (Environmental, Forensic, and Pharmaceutical). She is highly involved in her community and was awarded leader in the community by the Ballyfermot Chapelizod partnership for promoting education.

Caoimhe McCarthy is the owner and creator of Sitto Z, a small family-run business making their own signature artisan chilli sauces, dry rubs and juices. The inspiration for Sitto Z came from a passion for good food, fascination exploring culinary culturalism and the amazing individuals Caoimhe has met along the way.

Marianne Ward-O'Leary Maughan is married with five kids and two adorable grandkids. Marianne moved from a halting site to her forever home in Kilcronan Court in 1996. Being a Traveller, she says she will always have her sense of culture and traditions but she chose to live in a house for her family. Marianne was recently voted onto the national board of CHI and is the chair of the Members Association in Kilcronan Court.

Panel 2— Supporting Women in Leadership 11:50am 

Evanne Kilmurray is the founder and CEO of Inner City Enterprise.
She has been a Board Director of Enterprise Ireland, Telecom Eireann and An Post. She has also been on the Boards of Dublinia and of Micro Finance Ireland.
She is currently Vice Chair & Secretary of INOU as well as Vice Chair of Dublin City Community Co- op.

Rosemary Kunene is a community activist and a social entrepreneur. She is the founder of Dignity Partnership, a work integration social enterprise delivering personal development programmes that foster integration for people from a refugee and asylum-seeking background.

Sharon Hughes is manager of The Leadership Academy, run through The Wheel, Ireland's association for the nonprofit sector. The Leadership Academy is a dedicated space for leaders from Irish charities, community organisations and social enterprises.

Bernie Walsh is the founder and Board Member of Sunflower Recycling and founder of Eco Mattress recycling. She is a community development activist who has been involved in setting up cooperatives and Social Economy business for more than 30 years. She was a founding member of Sunflower recycling and although retired now is still very active within the community and Social economy supports.

Linda Blake
Linda is the Chief Executive Officer of Aspire, with over eight years’ management and leadership experience within the Charity, Education, Homeless Residential and Family Support Sectors.

Aoife Smyth
Aoife Smith is CEO at The Great Care Co-op (GCC) Ireland's first homecare workers cooperative. GCC was established to provide better terms and conditions of employment for women working in care and to tackle discrimination of migrant women in the sector by creating a radically new approach from a human rights and equality perspective.