Our Board

Ian Dinan is an Organisational Scientist based in the Midwest, working in volunteer management, campaign management and strategic planning.

He has over three decades of experience as a volunteer in a diverse range of non-profit and voluntary organisations and has also worked in volunteer management and support roles for most of this period.

Having served on a variety of Boards in the voluntary and community sector, his interests include advocacy, equality and diversity, public policy and promoting an extra-urban perspective.

Ian holds Degrees in Community and Youth Work and in Applied Social Studies and a Masters in Organisational Behaviour.

• Date of appointment: 12^th February 2019, Chair: 10th September 2024

Francis is an Associate Director in the KPMG Corporate Finance team and his current focus is on Strategic Procurement projects within the Utility sector.

Francis is a Chartered Management Accountant and brings with him a range of experience in finance related appointments in IT, Health and Defence. As a former Commandant in the Irish Defence Forces senior officer, he gained invaluable experience working with the United Nations (Liberia, Kosovo and Lebanon).

Francis has completed a Bachelor of Commerce NUIG, MBS Strategic Procurement DCU and MSc Strategic Management Accounting, Smurfit Business School.

• Date of appointment: 12^th April 2016

Caroline Grant is a People Leader with over 30 years’ experience of HR and business transformation spanning several sectors including technology, financial services, and FMCG. Most recently she was part of the executive team at the Irish FinTech Fenergo, other roles include HR Director for Dell’s campuses in the UK and Ireland, and positions with Unilever and Marks and Spencer.  

Caroline is a member of the Board of Governors and Guardians of the National Gallery of Ireland and is on the board of the Irish Chamber Orchestra. 

She holds a Bachelor of Commerce from University College Dublin, a Diploma in Mediation from Maynooth University, and a Diploma in Leadership, Strategy and Governance from the Institute of Directors.  

• Date of appointment: 10th September 2024

• Date of appointment: Feb 2024

Jane has over 10 years of varied legal experience. She is currently the Group General Counsel for the Linesight Group. Harnessing her background as a criminal barrister and encompassing her more recent inhouse experience in the construction and finance industries to provide clear structure, advice and support to deliver fundamental change and improvement in legal strategy, process and compliance.

Jane holds a Bachelor of Civil Law from UCD, a Masters in Law, Medicine and Healthcare from the University of Liverpool, and a Barrister at Law Degree from The Honorable Society of King’s Inns.

A chartered accountant by profession, Michael Tyndall held senior financial and management positions in insurance and distribution businesses before joining An Post in January 1989 as Head of Financial Accounting. He was appointed Company Secretary of An Post in April 1998 and held that position until his retirement in March 2011. He was also Company Secretary of An Post National Lottery Company and several other companies in the An Post Group and was a Trustee of the An Post Superannuation Schemes. In addition to his role as Company Secretary, he had management responsibility for the Security and Investigations Department, Legal Services, Insurance Services, Heritage and some Administration Services.

He now offers his services on a pro bono basis to various charities and similar bodies and he is currently a Director of Volunteer Ireland and a member of its Finance and Audit Committee.

Previous roles in the voluntary sector since his retirement from An Post include being:

• A director and Chairperson of Crime Victims Helpline Limited,
• The Independent Chairperson of the Audit and Risk Committee of the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission;
• A Director and Company Secretary of the Asthma Society of Ireland Limited and chairman of that company’s Audit, Risk and Finance Committee;
• A Director and Chairperson of Northside Citizens Information Service Limited;
• A Director of Victim Support at Court Limited;
• A Director and Treasurer of Dublin City Childcare Committee Limited and a member of that company’s Audit, Risk and Finance Committee.

Paul manages the Limerick Volunteer Centre and in this capacity is a Volunteer Centre Nominee on the board. He began his career in Irish Defence Forces and served overseas in Lebanon. Later in the UK he was trained in Management with one of their largest national printers. After seven years in the UK he returned to Ireland and worked in sales. In 2006 he commenced his current employment initially as a Volunteer Support Worker and began the journey from what was a local initiative to what is now Limerick Volunteer Centre. He has managed the VC since 2012.

Academically Paul qualified in Youth and Community Work with University College Cork (UCC). In his spare time he is involved in his own community particularly in the areas of heritage and the performing arts. In 2018 he wrote and directed “The Last Druid”. It’s a “community production” that required a cast of 70 locals and was performed in 2018 for the 150 year anniversary of the finding of The Ardagh Chalice.

He has witnessed on many occasions how local quality volunteering projects can develop into something greater than the sum of their parts. He wants service on the VI Board to reflect positively on such developments on a national level.

Orla is the Administrator and Garda Vetting Officer with Leitrim Volunteer Centre.

Orla has a Post Graduate Diploma in Leadership and Management in the Community and Public Sector from St. Angela’s College/National University of Ireland, Galway.

Prior to joining Leitrim Volunteer Centre, Orla has worked in the charities sector for 25 years in financial administration and governance.  Orla also worked in business administration in the corporate sector in London for ten years.

Orla has volunteered in many groups in her local community over the past 25 years and knows the fantastic results a group of dedicated volunteers can achieve.

“I’m delighted to be appointed to the Volunteer Ireland Board as a Volunteer Centre nominee.  Volunteer Ireland supports Volunteer Centres with guidance, training and support.  I hope I can do the volunteer centres justice and make a valuable contribution to the Volunteer Ireland Board.”

Deirdre has been a solicitor for over 20 years, focusing on technology, data protection, and intellectual property. She is the co-founding partner of international law firm Bird & Bird in Ireland, having held partnerships in Irish law firms Matheson and LK Shields. She regularly lectures in the Law Society of Ireland. She is currently a member of the Intellectual Property & Data Protection Committee of the Law Society, having chaired the Committee between 2020 and 2022. She has also served on various committees of Technology Ireland, a part of the Irish Business and Employers Confederation (IBEC). She is part of the European leadership of ChIPs, a not-for-profit organisation supporting women working in the area of intellectual property. Deirdre lives in Dublin with her partner Sean, and two children.

“Volunteer Ireland provides incredibly important support to the volunteer community across Ireland. I am so grateful to have been appointed as a board member. I hope that I will assist with the valuable work that Volunteer Ireland carries out through my board position. I will strive to make a meaningful contribution.”