Diarmuid Hanna is a final year medical student at University College Cork (UCC). In UCC and the local community, he plays a passionate role in advocating for individuals with disabilities, by partaking in campus related disability advisory boards, through his active participation in multiple societies across campus, and directly in his role as a medical student. Having served on the Students with Disabilities Advisory Group for two consecutive years, he hopes to champion, with culmination, the issues he has garnered from his collegiate peers, and combine it with his own experience both from the network he has cultivated, and his own lived experience. Thus, contributing an encompassing opinion to the rest of the advisory group. Finally, he has a particular interest in invisible disabilities as they are commonly underrepresented, underdiagnosed, and misidentified; as well as being a person living with migraine himself.

Chioma (they/she) is serving as a co-chair on this year’s Students with Disabilities Advisory Group with AHEAD and AMLÉ. They are a second-year Ancient History and Archaeology student at Trinity College, living with a range of disabilities and chronic illnesses, including CRPS, POTS, and endometriosis. Chioma currently holds the position of TCDSU/AMLCT Part-Time Officer for Students with Disabilities and is the current OCM and former Secretary & PRO of the Trinity Ability Co-op, the first on-campus Disabled Persons’ Organisation (DPO) in TCD. They are deeply passionate about disability advocacy and enhancing the accessibility and inclusion of disabled students in higher education and look forward to contributing to the advisory group in the coming months.

Kayleigh McNamara is a Social Studies and Youth Work Student in Galway Technical Institute. She has previous experience in disability activism being elected disability officer in 2024 and 2025 of the Irish Second-Level Students Union. Before this, Kayleigh began her advocacy in passion projects on reproductive health awareness. Her personal experiences of accessing education as someone with mobility impairments alongside her work experience in the area has Kayleigh hoping to work alongside members to promote equity for students with disabilities in further and higher education. 

Abbie is a final-year Education & Training student at Dublin City University. She is blind and highly tech proficient, and has a strong passion for making education accessible and inclusive for all students. Having experienced first-hand the challenges of accessing supports and learning materials in higher education, Abbie is determined to ensure disabled students have equal opportunities to succeed. She has been actively involved in Vision Ireland’s East Local Advocacy Network, contributing to projects and campaigns such as the annual Clear Our Paths initiative, and gaining facilitation and media training along the way. Through this work, she has developed skills in leadership, communication, and supporting others in advocacy. Earlier in her education, Abbie represented her Young Social Innovators project in Transition Year, presenting to the committee and building her confidence in public speaking and teamwork. As a member of SWDAG, Abbie hopes to make sure disabled students’ voices are heard, influence policy, and promote inclusive practices across higher education. Outside of her advocacy and studies, Abbie enjoys both listening to and playing music, watching sports, and exploring new technologies. She is also looking forward to future leadership roles in student representation and diversity initiatives, continuing to make a positive impact for students with disabilities. 

Cal De Nicolas is a 3rd BSc Psychology student at Maynooth University diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder. Having experienced the difficulties of navigating college as a neurodiverse individual, they have continuously argued for the rights of people with disabilities and are a strong advocate for equal opportunities within higher education and beyond. Their interest in intersectionality and human rights has led them to pursue placements in various settings including the EDI department at Maynooth University, where they reviewed the University's incoming EDI policy and in the February of 2026 Mental Health Reform and Exchange House Ireland. 

Elaine is an autistic mature student (late diagnosed) studying for a BA in Criminology in UCC, Cork. She also serves as an Access Ambassador for students living disabilities, representing the student voice. Elaine is passionate about making society an inclusive and accessible place for all with a special interest in those with hidden disabilities. She has over 15 years' experience advocating for both mental health and disability entitlements rights both on a personal and professional basis. For fun, she loves exploring bookshops and watching strange art house films.  

Katie is the Academic Class Representative for the Psychology with Special Needs Assisting (SNA) course at Dublin College Blackrock (DCB). As a mature neurodivergent student, she has a passion for promoting accessibility and inclusivity within the education system. With the knowledge she has gained through studying SNA, and her personal experience of having a disability, she actively advocates for individuals with additional needs. Katie hopes to study Psychology at an advanced level in September 2026. 

Olivia is a Bachelor of Commerce student at University College Dublin and a committed advocate for disability rights, inclusion, and universal design. As a person with cerebral palsy, she is particularly passionate about ensuring equal visibility and opportunities for people with physical disabilities across all areas of life. Through her work with UCD Access and Lifelong Learning as an Access Leader, she has supported incoming students, contributed to outreach initiatives, and spoken on panels to promote inclusive education. Now joining the AHEAD Students with Disabilities Advisory Group, Olivia looks forward to helping shape meaningful, student-centred change that strengthens accessibility within higher education and beyond.

Amie is a 2nd-year Applied Psychology student at University College Cork and a member of the Students with Disabilities Advisory Group (SwDAG). She brings lived experience of disability, including anxiety, CPTSD, chronic migraines, and Chiari malformation, and is passionate about representing the student voice. Amie is committed to making higher education more inclusive and accessible, with a special interest in supporting underrepresented and marginalised students.  She enjoys capturing sunsets, beautiful things, Gracie Abrams, writing, walking and spending time with friends.