Our Leadership

Board Members

Eugene McCague, Chair

Eugene, a board member of ASI since 2018, is a very experienced and widely respected lawyer who retired as a partner with Arthur Cox in 2017, having worked with the firm for more than 30 years, including four years as Managing Partner and seven years as Chair.He has extensive governance experience, advising many public, private, and state boards. He has also served as a director of companies in the private, voluntary and state sectors – including seven years on the board of the HSE.

Peter Gray

Peter has deep corporate governance and finance expertise and is a fellow of the Institute of Chartered Accountants and a member of the Chartered Governance Institute and the Institute of Directors. He is currently the Corporate Secretary for J.P. Morgan Ireland. Before that, he held many governance, finance and business management roles in Aviva Life and Pensions Ireland, Bank of Ireland Group, and New Ireland Assurance. He has also worked for Deloitte in both London and Dublin. He has seen first-hand the impact of dementia within his family.

Noel Heeney

A self-employed shop owner, Noel has been active in local community affairs for many years. During that time, he has served on the board of Duleek Credit Union and is the current chair of the Duleek Development Association and Chairman of a local preschool group. He is a founding member and current President of Duleek AFC. He was a member of the board of directors of Drogheda United AFC from 2009 to 2013. Noel joined the fundraising committee of ASI’s South Louth Branch in 2015, and after quickly making a positive impact, he was asked to take on the role of Chair, a position he currently holds.

Niamh Marshall

An audit and advisory chartered accountant with over 30 years of experience, Niamh is a partner with the financial services division of KPMG. Niamh has been the head of KPMG Banking division for many years, having previously worked in Corporate Finance, Transaction Services and the IT divisions within KPMG. She has led the audit relationship for several large PLC clients and worked with the public sector, including a two-year secondment as financial adviser to the Secretary General of the then Department of Transport Energy and Communications. Niamh has been a member of the Board of KPMG Ireland. Previously, She was a director with the Institute of Advanced Studies, Unicef, and Connect Ethiopia.

Kieran McGowan

Kieran is a Director of Malin Plc and a member of the President’s Advisory Group at UCD. He is a former CEO of IDA Ireland and former Chairman of CRH Plc. He has served on a wide range of boards of Irish and international companies. He has been Chairman of the Governing Authority of UCD and Chairman and President of the Irish Management Institute (IMI).

James Nevin

James is a retired teacher of agricultural engineering and has been involved in the community and voluntary sector for more than three decades; and served as a Safety Officer at Ballyhaise College. James also served as Chairperson of the Professional Agricultural Officers Association branch of Impact for five years. James served as Chairperson, Secretary, and Treasurer of the Ballyhaise Development Association and led the building of the local community centre there. James is also Treasurer of the Cavan branch of the ASI.

Ann Twomey

Ann, a former Carer for her late husband, was Co-Founder of the K-CoRD project (Kinsale Community Response to Dementia), one of four Pilot Sites in the Genio Dementia Programme 2012-2015 and funded by the Atlantic Philanthropies. Ann represented K-CoRD, a partner in COLLAGE (Collaboration on Ageing), Ireland’s 3 Star Reference Site in The European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing (EIP AHA) in Brussels. Ann is a member of the Advocates Advisory Board of the Dementia-Neurodegeneration Network Ireland (DNNI) at the Mercer Institute, St James Hospital. Ann is a member of The Alzheimer Society of Ireland’s Dementia Carers Campaign Network (DCCN).

Cathy Reynolds

Over the course of her career, Cathy held many key managerial positions and went on to hone her skills in communications and PR, serving as a Director of Kennedy PR. Cathy left the workplace in 2007 to raise a family but returned for a time to work on some specific Public Relations and Marketing projects. Cathy holds a BA in Economic and Politics and a Masters in Business Studies (MBS) from University College Dublin (UCD). Cathy has a personal interest in dementia, borne out of her own experiences caring for loved ones in her own family. Cathy joined The Alzheimer’s Society Advocacy & Public Affairs Committee in 2018. Cathy is married and mother to three children.

Kate Irving 

Kate is a jointly appointed Professor of Clinical Nursing and Dublin City University and Community Health Organisation. Kate has a PhD from Curtin University Western Australia Entitled: A discursive case study investigation into the use of physical and chemical restraint use in acute medicine. She coordinated the FP7 funded In-MINDD study on dementia deterrence and has partnered in many more international research projects.  Kate has a particular interest in timely responses to dementia and nursing care ethics.   Kate also led a National Dementia Education Programme ‘The Dementia Skills Elevator’ , which continues to develop dementia champions in many health services across the country.  The central concept is that each member of society can go up one step on the elevator (from no awareness to some awareness or from low skills to higher skills) and then cascade their new knowledge to others in communities and workplaces.  The model was formally adopted by the National Understand Together Programme, which was formed following the completion of the dementia skills elevator project.

Helen Rochford-Brennan LLD

Helen Rochford-Brennan is a Global Dementia Ambassador who has significantly contributed to dementia advocacy and research. She has served in leadership roles in organizations like the Irish Dementia Working Group and the European Working Group of People with Dementia, and served as a Board member of Alzheimer Europe. Helen is involved in multiple initiatives, including the Alzheimer Europe Foundation, the WHO Global Dementia Observatory Knowledge Exchange, the International Advisory Board for Alzheimer’s Disease International, and European Brain Health. She also supports research projects and collaborates with organizations like the European Mental Health Commission, the Global Brain Health Institute, and the Global Coalition on Aging. Helen is known for her efforts to raise awareness of dementia and promote a rights-based approach. Before her dementia advocacy work, she had a successful business and community development career. Helen was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease in 2012 and has since shared her personal experience through writing. She continues championing the rights of people with dementia and actively contributes to research and educational programs. Helen has received numerous awards and has contributed to various publications. Her journey has been featured in documentaries and films, including the global documentary “Keys Bags Names Words.”

Sinéad McSweeney

Between 2012 and 2022, Sinéad was a senior member of Twitter’s public policy team, initially leading the regional team in Europe, the Middle East, and Africa and latterly heading up the global team. In 2016, she was appointed managing director of Twitter’s international headquarters in Dublin.
Before Twitter, Sinéad was Director of Communications for An Garda Síochána from 2007 to 2012 and before that was Director of Media and Public Relations for the Police Service of Northern Ireland between 2004 and 2007. From 1996 to 2004, Sinéad held various political advisory positions in the Irish government, including roles as Special Adviser to the Minister for Justice, Equality and Law Reform and at the Attorney General’s Office. A native of Midleton, she studied law at University College Cork and qualified as a barrister in 1993. She has recently returned to full-time education to study psychology at Trinity College Dublin.

Sean O'Keefe, a member of our ASI Leadership Team.

Sean O’Keefe

Sean is a Chartered Accountant who worked with KPMG for 37 years including 25 years as a Partner. During that time, he served as Head of Audit from 2019 to 2022 and served as a Board Member for eight years.  He worked with many of Ireland’s leading public, private and not for profit organisations in both an audit and advisory capacity advising on accounting, governance, and deal transaction matters. Sean has a law degree from Trinity College Dublin and is a Fellow of Chartered Accountants Ireland. 


ASI’s Code of Conduct for Directors is available to read here

Chief Executive

Andy Heffernan

Before joining The ASI, Andy was National Secretary of the Society of St Vincent De Paul, one of the largest voluntary charitable organisations in Ireland. Before this, he was Chief Executive of St John of God Community Services, an organisation providing services to those with learning disabilities and mental health issues across Ireland. He also served in the Defence Forces for 19 years serving both at home and abroad in the Middle East with the United Nations, Central Africa with Goal and the Balkans with the European Union.

Andy has a BSc from NUIG, an MSc from the University of Ulster and a certificate in Charity Law, Trusteeship and Governance from the Law Society of Ireland.

Board and Sub-Committees, CEO

CEO: Andy Heffernan

Company Secretary: Samantha Taylor

Audit & Risk  Committee: Niamh Marshall (Chair); Peter Gray (Director); Fiona Lawlor (Non Director Member)

Governance & Nomination Committee: Eugene McCague (Chair); Kieran McGowan (Director).

Remuneration Committee: Kieran McGowan (Chair); Eugene McCague (Director);

Quality Assurance & Safety Committee: James Nevin (Chair); Noel Heeney (Director); Cathy Reynolds (Director); Mark Morgan-Brown(Non-Director Member); Joyce Power (Non-Director Member).

Advocacy & Public Affairs Committee: Kieran McGowan (Chair);  Helen Rochford-Brennan (Director); Helena Quaid (Non-Director Member) ; Cathy Reynolds (Director); Ann Twomey (Director).

Fundraising Advisory Committee: Noel Heeney (Chair); Cathy Reynolds (Director); Ken Mahony (Non-Director Member); Laura Murphy (Non-Director Member); Eoin Gilley (Non-Director Member).

Patron: President of Ireland, Michael D Higgins.

Branch Network

The Branch Network is an integral part of The Alzheimer Society of Ireland.

There are branches operating throughout the country providing information and support at a local level to people affected by Alzheimer’s or dementia.

Our Branches operate with the dedication and commitment of The Alzheimer Society volunteers, if you would like to volunteer in your area, don’t hesitate to contact the branch nearest to you from the list below.

More info on our Branch Network here

Adare Branch Office

The Chairperson
C/O Adare Day Care Centre, Rathkeal Road, Adare, Co. Limerick

Cavan Branch Office

Woodvale
Farnham Road, Cavan, Co Cavan
Carol Beattie, Chairperson or Claire Finaly, Vice Chairperson

Clare Branch Office

The Chairperson
C/O Ennis Home Care Service, Cuan an Chlair, Cahercalla, Ennis, Co.Clare
065 686 8621

Cork Branch Office

The Chairperson
C/O Bessboro Day Care Centre, Blackrock, Co. Cork.
Deirdre Healy, Chairperson

Drogheda Branch Office

The Chairperson, Tredagh Lodge Day Care Centre, Order of Malta Services Unit, Donore Road Industrial Estate, Drogheda Co Louth.

Kildare Branch Office

Phone: 087 705 9366

Limerick Branch Office

The Chairperson
C/O Day Care Centre, Kilmurray Court, Garryowen, Co. Limerick

Longford Branch Office

The Chairperson
No 2 Earl Street, Co. Longford
Josephine Canning

Meath Branch Office

The Chairperson
C/O Navan Day Care Centre, 6 Liscarton Villas, Kells Road, Navan, Co Meath

Monaghan Branch Office

C/O Monaghan Day Care Centre, Threemile House, Co. Monaghan, Contact: Mae Murphy
047 575 08

North Louth Branch Office

The Chairperson
C/O “The Birches” Day Care Centre, Priorland Road, Dundalk, Co. Louth

North Tipperary Branch Office

The Chairperson
C/O Alzheimer Society of Ireland, 3A Ormond Court, Summerhill, Nenagh, Tipperary
067 412 78

Sligo Branch Office

The Chairperson
C/O Aughamore Day Care Centre, Aughamore Business Park, Carraroe, Co Sligo

South Dublin Branch Office

Eilis Walsh, The Chairperson
C/O The Orchard Day Care, Temple Road, Blackrock, Co. Dublin
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