Who We Are

Joanne is the National Manager of the National Advocacy Service (NAS). Joanne has worked with NAS since 2014, working as a Regional Manager until November 2022. She has 22 years’ experience in a variety of roles across the health, social care and advocacy sector and has over 19 years of senior management experience. Joanne holds a Degree in Social Science and a Masters in Youth & Community work, a Diploma in Leadership (DIT/IBEC), an Award in Managing People (DIT/college of Business), a QQI level 6 Special Purpose Award in Training & Development and a QQI Level 7 qualification in Patient Safety Complaints Advocacy.

Joanne has a particular interest in advocacy practice and policy development and has played a central role in the development of NAS’s suite of Advocacy policies. She also has a keen interest in supported decision making and has written and presented on this topic extensively, particularly in the lead up to the commencement of the ADM (Capacity) Act. Joanne is a member of the National Disability Consultative Committee, a member of the National Care Experience Programme Steering group, and a member of the HSE’s ADM Implementation Steering Group among others.

Elmar Jansen joined the National Advocacy Service (NAS) in November 2020 as Corporate Services Manager. He has extensive experience in the Finance sector.

Elmar gained a Business Degree in Germany in 1995. He started work with Schnittger & Associates, a chartered account company in Dublin. In 2000, he took up the role as Finance Manager of Lufthansa Global TeleSales in the Eastpoint Business Park. In 2006, he became the Finance Director of the National Institute for Bioprocessing and Training (NIBRT). During his 13 years in NIBRT, a 6500 square meter research and training facility was built and 75 new staff were hired.

Dearbhla is the Policy, Research and Communications Officer at the National Advocacy Service (NAS). She joined NAS after working in media and communications for over ten years across Europe and the Middle East. During this time, she worked with a range of organisations partnering with and/or targeting governmental, non-governmental and private sector actors. Dearbhla holds a Masters in Journalism, a Postgraduate Certificate in Education and a BA in French and Sociology. She has considerable experience working for non-profit organisations on key thematic issues under the UN sustainable development goals, and has written extensively on disability rights, women's empowerment and education. Dearbhla has a special interest in working with intersecting and marginalised communities. As a person with a disability, she has gained a much deeper insight into the need to advocate for improved public services and increased awareness on the issues affecting the disability sector.

Suzy Byrne is the Regional Manager in the Greater Dublin Region which includes Dublin and Wicklow.  Suzy joined NAS in 2011 and has a background in community development and rights work. She has a particular interest in access to justice issues and the right to a family life for people with disabilities. Suzy was appointed to the board of Iarnród Eireann in 2018 by the Minister for Transport and Sport as a person with a disability.

Emma has over 17 years of Senior management experience delivering and leading across social care, homelessness, housing support, domestic abuse services, and rights-based service delivery in Ireland. Emma is driven by a strong passion for ensuring that peoples lived experiences are heard, respected and reflected in the supports they receive and are compassionately empowered in their lives. Emma’s frontline practice into regional leadership has given her a deep commitment to person centred, trauma informed approaches that promote dignity, empowerment and inclusion. She has a particular interest in Trauma informed practice and psychologically informed environments in creating services that are compassionate, responsive and grounded in the needs of the person.
A graduate of the Technological University of the Shannon with a BA (Hons) in Social Care Practice, Emma has successfully led the development and implementation of regional services throughout her career, her experience includes securing long-term service contracts, leading service redesign, managing crisis response systems and strategic initiatives, implementing Housing First Programmes and strengthening governance and quality frameworks across services supporting people experiencing homelessness, domestic abuse, mental ill health, addiction, and housing instability.
Emma is also actively involved in community and voluntary leadership through her involvement in education, safeguarding, sport and voluntary board memberships, reflecting her ongoing commitment to inclusion, social justice and community development.

Micheál is the Regional Manager for the Southern Region of the National Advocacy Service (NAS), covering the counties: Carlow, Cork, Kerry, Kilkenny, Tipperary, Waterford and Wexford. Micheál has over 13 years of senior management experience in a number of roles across the health and social care sector and within the sphere of equality diversity and inclusion (EDI). Micheál has been involved in the development and growth of social care and community organisations within these areas and has a particular interest in the development of social policy reports to highlight gaps for change for marginalised groups.
Prior to joining NAS, Micheál has worked in the area of advocacy and support to survivors of childhood abuse and was instrumental in the development of social policy documents and representative advocacy in this area. Additionally, Micheál led in the development of purpose-built support structures for migrant populations across the geographical region of responsibility. He was also the training manager of a large Multinational organisation which involved work in Ireland, the UK and India. A graduate of both the Waterford Institute of Technology and Southeast Technological University in the area of social care, Micheál has a particular interest in social policy and inclusion of marginalised groups. He continues this work through voluntary Board memberships. One a regional organisation focused on EDI across the Southeast of Ireland and continued support to organisations who support survivors of abuse.

Anne is the NAS Western Region Manager covering counties Sligo, Donegal, Leitrim, Mayo, Roscommon, Galway, Clare and Limerick. Anne has previously worked in Business Development, HR and Consultancy roles in companies across Europe the US and Australasia. She has established, managed and advanced businesses in sectors including HR, Services, Technology and Manufacturing before moving into the Public Sector.

Prior to joining NAS, Anne was employed in the area of Supported Employment, advocating for people with disabilities to source and secure paid mainstream employment across the North West of Ireland. She has a Masters in Leadership & Management in the Public and Community Sector and a Degree in European Studies and a Diploma in Digital Marketing. Anne has a particular interest in client centered empowerment to enhance organisational service delivery.

A Lasting Impact:

Mark had a way about him that’s hard to put into words, but we all felt it. He had a laid-back nature that immediately put people at ease. A quiet sense of humour that would catch you off guard, a kind and gentle spirit. No matter what was going on, he was unflappable and his repeated resounding response amidst chaos was always – ‘it will be grand’ (said in a distinct Louth accent). He showed initiative when it mattered most and he was deeply dependable, someone colleagues and those he supported could rely on without hesitation.
Mark was more than a manager, he was a trusted leader, a generous mentor with deep insights, and a source of steady encouragement for so many people, bringing warmth, integrity, and humanity to every interaction.

Mark led his team with empathy and whatever the circumstance, he always made space for those who needed guidance or support. His generosity and drive to continually help those around him and see the best in them made Mark an incredibly special person. He made a significant impact as an Advocate, both professionally and personally and embodied the very essence of what great Advocacy is: connection, trust and quiet strength.

In both his personal and professional life, Mark campaigned tirelessly for better services and funding for disabled people across Ireland. Both he and his wife Louise were passionate Advocates for their son Evan and for all autistic people. They helped found The Drogheda ABACAS Special School and Mark’s son Evan was one of the first two children to attend ABACAS on their opening day.

Though their loss remains impossible to fully comprehend, we know here at NAS that Mark’s kindness, integrity and dedication will continue to shape the Advocacy work we undertake. We remain deeply grateful for Mark’s contribution to our organisation and to all who had the privilege of working alongside him. We will always remember Mark with respect, affection, a smile and most of all enduring admiration and we will carry forward the values he embodied so well. Mark will remain part of our organisation in this way for many years to come.

Legacy Tributes

Sock Dash:
NAS will hold an annual “odd-sock dash” in memory of Mark, Evan, and Louise. A nod to their lifelong commitment to people with disabilities. This will be promoted on our social media yearly on a set date, sharing photos of NAS staff/board members and anyone who wishes to join us across the country wearing colourful odd socks. The odd-sock dash will take place the last week of October yearly which is typically when the Dublin City Marathon is held, which Mark was a regular runner in, and this is also shortly after their anniversary. NAS staff and others running the marathon may wish to wear odd socks as a tribute.

Commissioned Artwork:

NAS wanted to capture the very essence of who Mark was within our organisation and the lasting impact he had on those around him. To do this, we invited staff to share a single word they associated with Mark – words that reflected his character, spirit and the way he made people feel. Together these words were used to create a portrait of Mark to present to his family as a tribute to the remarkable person and colleague he will always be remembered as. Thank you to artist Jason O Gorman for his incredible work to create this piece.