Dara Ryder is Chief Executive Officer of AHEAD, having previously managed AHEAD’s digital presence and developed a suite of online CPD programmes relating to inclusive practice in his role as Digital Media and eLearning Manager there.

After graduating from Queens University in 2005, Dara joined Dun Laoghaire College of Further Education as a lecturer, where he became interested in inclusive education when working first-hand with students with disabilities in his classroom.  When the opportunity arose in 2008, he joined AHEAD where he has been working ever since on creating inclusive environments in education and employment for people with disabilities.

Dr Anne-Marie Butler leads the Teagasc education programme which is delivered through the agriculture and horticulture colleges and Teagasc education centres.  The programme offers Level 5 and Level 6 courses and Higher Education apprenticeships in the land based sector. Teagasc Education also has long established collaborative links with the universities and institutes of technology in delivery of their Higher Education programmes.  Prior to joining Teagasc, Anne-Marie worked with Ulster Bank where she held a leadership role as senior agriculture manager and relationship director.  She qualified with first class honours in a Bachelor of Agricultural Science degree from UCD and went on to obtain a PhD from UCD, completing her doctorate research at Moorepark, under the Walsh Scholarships Programme.  Dr. Butler also holds numerous financial qualifications, including a university diploma in financial services.

From a tillage farm in Freshford in Co. Kilkenny, she is a former president of the Agricultural Science Association (ASA), and honorary president (2021/2022) of IASTA, the Irish Agricultural Science Teachers' Association.  She is Chair of the Agricultural Science development group for Leaving Certificate curriculum (2024-2026).

Karen Higgins is a senior academic leader specialising in teaching, learning, assessment, and academic quality enhancement within higher education. She currently serves as Director of Quality – Academic Affairs at City College Dublin, where she provides executive-level leadership in academic governance, curriculum strategy, and institutional quality assurance aligned with QQI statutory and European standards.

Karen has extensive experience in programme development and validation across NFQ Levels 5–8 and has led institution-wide initiatives in assessment strategy, academic integrity, inclusive pedagogy, and staff development. She is particularly interested in embedding enhancement-driven academic cultures that support innovative, student-centred learning and evidence-informed teaching practice.

Beyond her institutional leadership role, Karen contributes to the wider higher education sector through validation panels, external examining, and research networks. Her work focuses on academic quality enhancement, the scholarship of teaching and learning, and strengthening inclusive educational practices across the sector.

Martha Bolger is a Director of Further Education and Training with Kilkenny and Carlow ETB. During Martha’s time in FET (Over 30 years) Martha has worked with adults and young people through Community and Adult Education initiatives, all the while facilitating inclusion for the marginalized cohorts in society. Martha holds a MA in Adult and Community Education, as well as additional qualifications in Education Management, and Education Law. 

Martha leads KCETB's Public Sector Duty Steering Group and is currently working with the Irish Centre for Diversity to achieve various accreditation stages for KCETB.
Martha is passionate about education and believes that everyone can learn; that everyone learns differently and that it is never too late to learn.