Dr Bairbre Fleming, Director of UCD Access and Lifelong Learning, has extensive experience working with underrepresented students through the UCD Access programmes, with particular emphasis on mature students and part-time programmes. Her PhD drew on a sociological analysis of the experiences of mature students in higher education. Bairbre leads a team of access professionals who attract, support, and develop strategies for the students who come to UCD through a range of access routes. Bairbre is the current chair of the PATH Leinster Pillar 1 consortium which is collaborating to increase access to higher education for targeted under-represented groups.

Dr Claire Mullen is the University for All Data and Project Officer in UCD Access & Lifelong Learning. Claire supports the data collection and analysis carried out as part of the University for All initiative and the implementation of Universal Design. Claire’s work aids UCD’s commitment to widening participation and enhancing access for all students.

A tutor at City of Dublin FET College, Rathmines, I mainly teach marketing and business modules at QQI Level 5 and 6, to diverse groups of students. With over 60 nationalities enrolled in the college, our student cohort is diverse, multi-lingual and always interesting! I combine 25 years of industry experience with a passion for Universal Design for Learning (UDL). I am dedicated to creating inclusive, accessible pathways that empower all learners to achieve their full potential.

#UDL #InclusiveLearning

Lillian Nave is the Faculty and Educational Development Specialist for the Centre for Excellence in Teaching and Learning for Student Success (CETLSS) at Appalachian State University’s Hickory campus in North Carolina. A former art historian, Lillian also teaches First Year Seminar courses in Intercultural Competence and connects her students virtually with students in Europe, Africa, and Asia. She is the creator and host of the Think UDL podcast which has over 150 episodes. Through the podcast, she interviews practitioners around the world who create more accessible and engaging learning environments for their students. She enjoys spreading the word about UDL through her scholarly articles on faculty development, inclusive pedagogy and UDL, and through speaking engagements at international conferences and invited talks at universities throughout the USA. 

Dr. Liz Norell serves as Associate Director of Instructional Support in the Center for Excellence in Teaching and Learning (CETL) at the University of Mississippi. She has spent more than 20 years teaching in higher education, including stints teaching composition, journalism, new media, and political science. She received her PhD in political science from the University of Texas Dallas. Liz’s first book, The Present Professor: Authenticity and Transformational Teaching, is published in the University of Oklahoma Press’s series, Teaching, Engaging, and Thriving in Higher Ed, co-edited by James Lang and Michelle Miller. Liz is passionate about equitable, inclusive teaching, constructive conversations across differences, and fostering meaningful learning. She is also dedicated to boosting awareness of disability in higher education.

Niamh Clancy is the Further Education and Training (FET) Inclusion Development Officer with Education and Training Boards Ireland (ETBI). She is deeply committed to achieving equality and access for individuals and groups who experience marginalisation or disadvantage. To date, her work has focused on enhancing the development of individuals, enabling them to reach their full potential and find their place within society through person-centred support and inclusive educational frameworks. Niamh has a particular interest in universal design, applying its principles within her current role to ensure that FET environments are inherently accessible and inclusive for all learners.

Eloise McGinty is a lecturer in the Department of Tourism and Sport at ATU Donegal. She has been applying differentiated teaching methods since 2002 and, since discovering Universal Design for Learning (UDL) in 2020, has become a committed advocate. Eloise has facilitated the UDL Digital Badge at both national and local rollouts, serves on the ATU UDL Steering Group as Donegal’s ambassador, and has led workshops and programme audits to raise awareness and embed UDL practices. She recently completed a master’s degree in UDL at ATU Sligo. She teaches in the Inclusive Curriculum using UDL module in the MA in Teaching and Learning.

Patrick is a lecturer at the Atlantic Technological University (ATU), Donegal since 2012, attached to the Faculty of Business. He holds a BA in Hotel and Catering Management (Honours Degree), an MA in Learning and Teaching and an MSc in Marketing Practice. He lectures across two Departments viz the Department of Law, Public Service and Education and the Department of Tourism and Sport. His current research focus is in the area of inclusive curriculum using universal design for learning. He is a UDL badge facilitator for ATU and helps co-facilitate on the national delivery of the digital badge for Universal Design in Teaching and Learning. He lectures on the MA in Learning and Teaching (MALT) at ATU.