Caitríona Ryan is Head of Access Policy in the HEA.  Working with the Department of Education and Skills, Caitríona has responsibility for several projects in the implementation of the National Access Plan, 2015 – 2019.  Caitríona has worked in the HEA for 14 years and was formerly Head of Policy & Planning.  Previously, she held positions in Deloitte & Touche Management Consultants, the Department of Enterprise and Employment and the Department of Health and Children.

Dr Vivienne Patterson is Head of Skills, Engagement and Statistics at the Higher Education Authority. The section has responsibility for the management of the both the Springboard+ Programme, and the provision of national apprenticeships in higher education. Her role in the HEA involves active strategic engagement with agencies such as EI, IDA, IBEC and AmCham to strengthen the relationship between higher education promotion and future employment and innovation. Vivienne played a key role in the development of the National Student Engagement Survey and the National Employers Survey and while leading the Statistics Section was responsible for several publications including “What Do Graduates Do?”, “Key Facts and Figures”, “A Study of Non-Progression in Irish Higher Education” and “Higher Education System Performance: Institutional and Sectoral Profiles”.  Before joining the HEA Vivienne worked as a Senior Researcher in the Skills Initiative Unit and as an Education Consultant with the Skills and Labour Market Research Unit of SOLAS where she implemented the education arm of the National Skills Database.

Gerry O’Sullivan is Head of International Education at the Higher Education Authority in Dublin.  He has served the Authority in many areas including as Head of Communications for the organisation. He has addressed many international fora and conferences including the Education and Culture Committee of the European Parliament; the FAUBAI Conference in Brazil and many meetings in Germany, Brussels, the UK, Jordan, Russia and Austria. He is currently the Chair of the Erasmus+ Working Group on Persons with Disability and has been a member of the Bologna Working Group on Internationalisation and Mobility.  He is also a member of the European Higher Education Area Advisory Group on International Co-operation and the EHEA Working Group on New Goals.

Gerry holds a Bachelor Degree in European Studies from the University of Limerick, a Master Degree in Communications and Cultural Studies from Dublin City University and a Professional Diploma in Irish from University College Dublin.

Padraic Mellett is a Head of Corporate Affairs and is responsible for HR, governance, IT and the HEA’s own finances. He is also Secretary to the Authority. He graduated from UL with a BA in European Studies and subsequently UCD (MBA) and DCU (MBS-HR). He is an Associate Member of the Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators and a Chartered Member of the Institute of Personnel and Development.