Patricia Henry is a Senior Teaching & Learning Support Officer at ATU, dedicated to enhancing teaching and learning through innovation, inclusivity, and collaboration. As a Universal Design Beyond the Classroom Digital Badge Facilitator, she promotes digital literacy, professional development, and lifelong learning, empowering staff and students to achieve success.

Yvonne Sarsfield is a Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Specialist at the UDL Centre of Excellence at Atlantic Technological University. She brings both academic expertise and extensive practical experience in embedding Universal Design for Learning and holds a Master’s degree in UDL.
An experienced Instructional Designer and passionate advocate for digital transformation in education, Yvonne has led projects integrating innovative and emerging technologies to enhance teaching and learning. She has extensive experience in instructional design and virtual learning environments, with particular expertise in designing accessible, engaging, and inclusive learning experiences. Yvonne also works closely with faculty to support the adoption of inclusive teaching practices and the meaningful integration of UDL principles.
As co-coordinator of ATU’s UD Digital Badges rollout and a member of the ALTITUDE Implementation Group, Yvonne actively contributes to institution-wide UDL strategy and implementation.
Dedicated to fostering inclusive learning environments, she is committed to empowering all students to succeed.

Eleanor is currently completing a Master's degree in Global History in University College Dublin, where she researches gender and intellectual history in 20th century Europe. Eleanor has been a University for All Student Partner since 2023 and is passionate about continuous student engagement in every aspect of higher education.  

Matthew is a 2nd year Biological, Biomedical and Biomolecular Science student at University College Dublin. It is his first year as a University for All Student Partner, a role he uses to break down barriers in education. He hopes this will encourage inclusion across campus

Blessed is in her third year of her Bachelors degree in Computer Science at University College Dublin. It is her first year as a Student Partner but has previously held roles such as an Access Leader within UCD. She is passionate about inclusion and breaking barriers to higher education. 

Amaliia is in the second year of her Bachelors degree in Philosophy and English at University College Dublin. With experience mentoring children in educational spaces, she values community and inclusion. She is passionate about exploring identity-based approaches in higher education that celebrate diversity and ensure representation and support for everyone.

Vaishnavi is a second year Computational Social Science student, passionate about promoting inclusivity within the diverse space that is UCD. She is deeply interested in addressing issues of accessibility and belonging and hopes to apply her degree toward solving these challenges through a data-driven, research-based approach.

Kevin is a 3rd year Bachelors of Business and Law undergraduate student in University College Dublin. Kevin is a new University for All student partner but has been passionately involved in various student bodies working to promote inclusivity and developments in the education sector.

Annette Dempsey is an Assistant Principal I, leading Teaching and Learning initiatives at KCETB Carlow Institute. With a particular focus on Professional Development, Annette has led on the roll out of Universal Design for Learning at the Institute, fostering inclusive, collaborative and reflective teaching practices. Annette also leads the Erasmus+ International programmme at Carlow Institute.

Mary Collins is an Assistant Principal I with responsibility for Student Supports at KCETB Carlow Institute. She oversees initiatives that enhance student wellbeing, inclusion, and engagement across the college. Committed to equity in education, Mary works collaboratively with staff and students to create supportive environments enabling every learner to succeed.

UCD Access and Lifelong Learning.

Pathways to the Professions Coordinator.

Kathie has worked in Further and Higher Education since 2012. She worked as an instructional designer on the development of the HEA National Forum AHEAD UCD Digital Badge in Universal Design Beyond the Classroom and is currently working on the Pathways to the Professions project.

Kathie’s areas of interest include Universal Design for Learning and fostering inclusion through accessible design.

Daniel manages the various Partnership Programmes with UCD faculty, staff and students to implement Universal Design across the institution to enhance the student experience. Daniel’s work focuses on a collaborative approach to Universal Design capacity building inside and outside the classroom. Daniel oversees national and local rollouts of the Digital Badges in Universal Design.

Lisa oversees the Disability Support Service and the University for All initiative working with academic and professional colleagues across the University to implement UCD’s whole-institution approach to student inclusion. Lisa has particular expertise in capacity building in the areas of Universal Design and Universal Design for Learning. 

Mairead McCann is a lecturer at ATU Sligo specialising in Communication, People Management and Transformational Change. She has a strong pedagogical interest in Problem-Based-Learning and Universal Design for Learning (UDL) and has engaged in action research in these areas. As a member of the Sligo UDL steering group she has facilitated interactive workshops and training activities in UDL.

Laura Hegarty is a lecturer at ATU Galway specialising in digital media and technologies, digital transformation, Universal Design for Learning (UDL), and inclusive pedagogy. A CAST-certified UDL practitioner, award-winning educator, and co-founder of Digital West, she leads initiatives and workshops that empower educators with strategies, tools, and research-informed approaches for inclusive learning in tertiary education.

Niamh Griffin is a third-year Children’s Studies student at the University of Galway with a strong commitment to accessibility and inclusion. For two years she served as the Accessibility Officer for the University of Galway’s Neurodivergent Society. In this role, Niamh represented neurodivergent voices on the University’s Physical Accessibility Forum.

Passionate about fostering inclusive environments, Niamh has actively championed numerous initiatives to enhance accessibility in the University, including the Calm Zone project. She was heavily involved in the collaborative process of planning and implementing the project. 

Niamh is a dedicated advocate for inclusive design and practice that is accessible to all students within the university.

Ms Miriam Collins is a third-year law and human rights student in the University of Galway. Her focus on human rights in her education combined with her lived experience as a disabled student in university has motivated her involvement in disability rights advocacy in the University of Galway and her interest in promoting universal design to overcome barriers to accessing higher education.

Miriam was involved with the university’s Neurodivergent Society from February 2024 to January 2025, first as an ordinary committee member and subsequently as the auditor of the society. She has represented the voice of neurodivergent students on the University’s Accessibility Forum advocating for greater sensory accessibility on campus and was heavily involved in the design and implementation of the Calm Zone during high stress periods and was a co-applicant for the Equality, Diversity and Inclusion fund to run the Calm Zone for the winter reading week and exam period. She is passionate about student staff collaboration and the incorporation of lived experience in service design and policy to improve accessibility for all students.

Izzy Tiernan is the former Vice President for Welfare and Equality in University of Galway Students Union 2023/24 and has had a keen interest in accessibility since they were diagnosed as neurodivergent five years ago. They helped create, design and execute University of Galway's new Calm Zone, and have worked as an advocate on behalf of students with disabilities, as well as themself. They are excited and thrilled to share their perspective on being neurodivergent in the workplace, college and in an activist role, as well as learning from experts in the field of accessibility. For Izzy, intersectionality, lived experience and empathy are the most important qualities to bring to any discussion around disability.  

Róisín works in the Access Centre at the University of Galway, coordinating outreach and widening participation initiatives for primary school students that aim to make higher education more inclusive and accessible. She is passionate about creating opportunities for underrepresented groups and fostering empathy through experiential learning