Valerie Lewis announced as chairperson of 80:20

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.

Gráinne McGettrick announced as chairperson of 80:20

Human rights and social policy advocate Gráinne McGettrick has been announced as the new chairperson of human rights and development education non-governmental organisation 80:20 Educating and Acting for a Better World.

Gráinne was appointed on June 12th, 2018 and takes over the role from Gerry Duffy, who has acted as chairperson since 2006.

As with all 80:20’s Board roles, the position of chairperson is undertaken in a voluntary capacity.

Gráinne has been a member of 80:20’s Board since 2015 and has been involved with 80:20 since 2002 on 80:20’s study visit to Brazil, on the Finance Sub-Committee and as Staff Liaison on the Board between 2002 and 2011.

Speaking on her appointment, Gráinne said that she was “delighted” to take on the role.

“It’s an honour to be appointed chair of 80:20 with a history of education and active citizenship on human rights, underdevelopment and action in this context – now 20 years in the making.

I’ve been a supporter and member of the Board for many years and look forward to strengthening our governance to the highest standards as a small NGO which is a priority for the organisation in order to continue building trust and confidence with the public, donors and supporters.

“I am also hugely thankful to our outgoing chairperson, Gerry Duffy, whose leadership on the Board as chair of the Northern Ireland Sub-Committee, chairperson of 80:20 and as an educationalist has left its mark on the Board, on the organisation and programme work, particularly in the context of engaging young people and communities north and south of the border in Northern Ireland in creative human rights education interventions”.

Tony Daly, co-ordinator of 80:20 Educating and Acting for a Better World, added:

“Gráinne’s in-depth knowledge, experience and strategic approach to long-term thinking has been a rich source of support for us in 80:20 over a number of years. This is an exciting period for the Board and the organisation under Gráinne’s stewardship as we grapple with unjust finance, human underdevelopment and ongoing contradictions and challenges in realising the Sustainable Development Goals over the next five years under our strategic plan 2018-2022.”

Gráinne is currently policy and research co-ordinator with Acquired Brain Injury Ireland.  Prior to this post she worked for more than ten years as policy and research manager with The Alzheimer Society of Ireland. Spanning over two decades, Gráinne has worked for a variety of advocacy and human rights campaigning organisations in the community and voluntary sector in the fields of disability, older people and dementia.

See more about 80:20’s current Board of Management here.