Valerie was appointed on July 1st, 2020 and takes over the role from Gráinne McGettrick who has acted as chairperson since 2018.
As with all 80:20’s Board roles, the position of chairperson is undertaken in a voluntary capacity.
Valerie has been a member of 80:20’s Board since 2019 and has been involved with 80:20 since 2012. Speaking following her appointment, Valerie said she is “honoured” to take on the role.
“I am delighted to be appointed chair of 80:20, an organisation who sees education as fundamental to human development. I look forward to working on continuing to build on the principles and values that underpin their excellent work, particularly as we navigate the current global challenges.
80:20’s commitment to highlighting human values, human rights and human dignity through active and innovative educational methods as well as building communities through education, are core standards which will continue to influence the improvements we make.
I am very grateful to our outgoing chairperson Gráinne McGettrick, whose leadership has strengthened the organisation and provided a strong foundation as we head towards the next stages of growth and progress in the development education sector.”
Valerie has over twenty years of experience in the Irish education arena at post-primary and tertiary level, working across a range of sectors including in the Global Citizenship Education section and Public Information and Communication section of Irish Aid, in the Department of Foreign Affairs.
Tony Daly, co-ordinator of 80:20 Educating and Acting for a Better World, added:
“As someone who has been involved with 80:20 for twenty years, Gráinne’s energy, knowledge and critical engagement on issues at the interface of education, human rights and social policy has been a constant both on and off the Management Committee. I am personally grateful to Gráinne for her many contributions and interventions she made as chairperson in leading major programme innovations and governance reforms in 80:20.
Valerie’s commitment to the power of education to challenge and change the way things are to what they could be has been a hallmark of her work for many years both as a trustee of 80:20 and in her wider work in post primary education contexts in teaching, researching and policy development capacities. In this challenging period ahead, I am delighted to welcome Valerie into her new role on the Management Committee on behalf of everyone in the 80:20 community.”
Valerie is currently the Post Primary Educational Policy and Development Officer for Education and Training Boards Ireland (ETBI) and joined the 80:20 Management Committee in 2019. She also works with a variety of organisations, both in Ireland and at European level, developing education and training materials.
See more about 80:20’s current Management Committee here.
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About
80:20 Educating and Acting for a Better World is an Irish-based registered charity that promotes popular education on human development and human rights.