Meet Our Board

Family Carers Ireland is governed by a voluntary board of directors reflecting a mix of family carers, specialist expertise and general management background. All directors give their time free of charge to support the mission of Family Carers Ireland.

The board of directors is responsible for oversight and governance of the charity and comprises individuals with expertise in the areas of caring, management and relevant professional skills. To support the board in the performance of its function, a number of board sub-committees have been established as follows:

Finance & Organisation Committee
Audit & Risk Committee
Member Services & Engagement Committee
Quality & Safety Committee
Research & Policy Committee
Marketing & Fundraising Committee

Quick Links

Annual Report
Strategic Plan
News & Campaigns
Help Us

Our Board of Directors

Robert Anderson (Chairperson)

Robert Anderson is recently retired Head of the Social Policies unit at Eurofound, where he has worked as research manager since 1988 on a range of topics relating to living conditions and quality of life, including several international research projects exploring aspects of family care across Europe. Prior to joining Eurofound, Rob worked as Programme Manager at the WHO European Office in Copenhagen, with responsibility for the European Regional Programme in Health Promotion. He studied human sciences at Oxford University and sociology as applied to medicine at Bedford College, London. Rob served as President of Eurocarers from 2009 to 2012. Rob has been appointed chairperson of the new Research & Policy committee.

Veronica Baylon

Veronica is a carer to her 31 year old daughter who has a diagnosis of moderate learning disability and Asperger's. She has been dealing with behavioural issues, etc. since her daughter was very young. Veronica has been part of Family Carers Ireland in Monaghan/Cavan for the past 12 years and volunteers in the charity shop and drop-in centre.

Angela Briggs

Angela is a mum to five wonderful children. Her 17 year old daughter was born with physical disabilities and apart from being her mum, she is also her full-time carer. Over the years, her daughter has struggled in accessing services of health care, education, transportation, mental health, operations, financial issues and much more. Angela has been and continues to be her voice and her advocate in fighting for her rights.

Richard Hammond

Richard Hammond S.C. is a Senior Counsel (being in the first coterie of solicitors ever to be elevated to that status by the Government of Ireland on 1st September, 2020). He practises as a solicitor with his spouse Joyce A. Good Hammond at Hammond Good LLP, Solicitors & Notaries Public, in Mallow, Co. Cork where he is a partner. He is a self-described "succession law enthusiast" who also specialises in professional regulation, having served in roles with a number of regulatory bodies for different professions. Richard teaches regularly at the Law School of the Law Society of Ireland. Both he and his spouse have experience of family care. Outside of professional activities and academia, Richard's interests include country walks with his spouse and children, reading, current affairs, supporting Cork's GAA teams and Liverpool Football Club.

Tom Jordan

Tom Jordan has been an Executive Coach for the past decade with a long list of blue-chip public and private clients at CEO and Director level. He was a board member (2007-2010) and Chairperson (2010-2016) of CORU (the Health and Social Care Professionals Council). He led the establishment of unrelated bone marrow full testing in Ireland in 1988 – this had become world standard by 2000. Tom currently chairs NAHVI which is a National Housing Association for visually impaired with intellectual disabilities.

Cora Long

Cora Long has been a carer from an early age, caring for her father who had emphysema and her mother who had a stroke. In her early married years she also cared for her mother in law who had many health issues. She also looked after her husband for 9 years and now looks after her 85 year old sister in law who has multiple health issues. Cora served on the board of Caring for Carers before and during the merger years. Presently she is chairperson of the East Clare support group and a member of the Member Services and Engagement Committee.

Kara Madden

Kara Madden is from Co. Cork and is carer to her son who has had mental health issues for 20 years. She is also a former carer for her mother who had dementia. She has been involved with mental health issues and has been working with mental health professionals for years. Kara is a volunteer on the National Panel and in recent years has been involved with Patients for Patient Safety Ireland which works with the WHO. She is currently involved in their campaign around medication without harm.

Peter O’Connell

Peter has had a successful corporate career in sales and marketing internationally, having worked internationally in Europe and Latin America, in addition to being accountable for leading consumer brands globally. He has been based in the UK, Belgium, The Netherlands, Mexico and Ireland in key head of function and board positions. He currently runs his own business, Career Development Associates. Amongst the businesses that he has worked with are: Executives Online Ireland / Irish Search Partners; Musgrave Cash & Carry, Irish Distillers / Bushmills with Pernod Ricard Ireland (Jameson Irish Whiskey and Bushmills Irish Whiskey); R&A Bailey and Co. (Baileys Original Irish Cream), a division of Diageo; BOLS BV (Bols Liqueurs, Bols Vodka and Bols Brandy), then a division of Remy-Cointreau; and Casa Cuervo (Cuervo Tequila). Peter cared for his mother for the last three years of her life with the support of home care workers.

Johanne Powell (Vice Chairperson)

Johanne was caring for her daughter Siobhan since she was born on the 9th February, 1984 to her recent passing in August 2020. Siobhan was born with a rare chromosome disorder. She was intellectually and physically disabled, requiring 24/7 care. Johanne and her husband Alan were devoted to Siobhan who was their only child and spent years lobbying on behalf of Siobhan for the provision of services to cater for her needs.