Dr. John Gilmore is Assistant Professor and Head of Subject for Adult General Nursing at the UCD School of Nursing, Midwifery, and Health Systems. His scholarly work centres on the intersections of health and social justice, with a particular focus on sexual and gender minority health. As a UCD University for All Faculty Partner, John has been instrumental in advancing Universal Design for Learning (UDL) training at both local and national levels, and he has published and presented extensively on creating inclusive pedagogies in nursing education. As a Fulbright scholar, he has held prestigious visiting positions at the University of California, San Francisco, Columbia University, and also at the University of Huddersfield. In addition to his academic contributions, John serves as Chairperson of Léargas, Ireland’s National Agency for international programmes in education, training, and youth.

Dr Freda Browne is an Assistant Professor in UCD School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems. She holds a Doctorate in Nursing, a MSc in Clinical Practice and a Grad Cert in Nurse Education. Freda is the Programme Director for the BSc in General Nursing and the MSc/Grad Cert in Health Professional’s Education. She is Module Co-Ordinator for and teaches across several undergraduate and postgraduate modules. 

Freda is a member of the UCD University for All Faculty Partnership Programme and facilitates training on Universal Design for Learning both in UCD and for national programmes in association with AHEAD. Freda is also a member of UCD Widening Participation Committee.

I have worked with students with Autism for many years in further and higher education. I am the Disability Officer (Autism) at De Montfort University. Prior to this, I was the Autistic Spectrum Coordinator at Moulton College and I had worked in primary and secondary schools as a SENCO and Deputy Headteacher. I have two children who are at University with a diagnosis of Autism.

I’m Adam Davison I am the Lead Autism Mentor at De Montfort University in Leicester. DMU’s Autism Team support 570 autistic students.

Catherine Murray is the co-researcher of the WIDE Framework in AHEAD, working closely with Dara Ryder. She is an autistic researcher, dedicated to human rights for people with disabilities, inclusive employment for disabled people, autistic mental health understanding and supports, and universal design. She has been involved in seven research projects since 2014 across Ireland, Northern Ireland, England and Denmark. Catherine's previous research focused on autistic mental health, intellectual disability, higher education, and employment. Catherine has lectured in Universal Design at Trinity College Dublin and Early Childhood Studies at Stranmillis University College, following her primary school and special education teaching career spanning three countries.

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.

Lillian Nave is the Faculty and Educational Development Specialist for AppState’s Hickory campus in North Carolina. A former art historian, Lillian now teaches First Year Seminar courses in Intercultural Competence and has connected her AppState students virtually with students in Europe and Asia. She is the creator and host of the Think UDL podcast which has over 100,000 global downloads. Through the podcast, she interviews practitioners around the world who create more equitable, 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 all throughout the USA.

Jill Weidknecht Van Horne, LCMHCS, NCPSC, RPTS, EAGALA certified- Is the Director of the Professional School Counseling program and Associate Professor at Appalachian State University in Boone, NC (USA). Her 25+ years of experience as a school counselor and as a licensed clinical mental health counselor, focus on eliminating the barriers to (student) learning through experiential and multisensory approaches. This includes incorporating multisensory and experiential approaches in her work such as equine assisted therapy, play therapy, and creative & expressive arts, through a lens that utilizes the principles of Universal Design for Learning. She is the recipient of the European Branch of the American Counseling Association’s International Service Award and Mentor of the Year for Appalachian State University’s Reich College of Education. Much of her work is inspired by her own learning differences, navigating a path, and advocating for ways that made sense to her. She is currently the Past President of the European Branch of the American Counseling Association and former Vice President of the North Carolina Association for Play Therapy.

Aileen Kennedy, BSoc.Sc, MA Social Work

Aileen is Assistant Registrar and Head of Student Engagement (with responsibility for Teaching and Learning); Chairperson of the MTU Universal Design Framework Implementation Steering Committee and PATH 4 Lead (supporting inclusive, universally designed higher education environments) at Munster Technological University (MTU).

Prior to this within MTU Aileen was lecturer in the Department of Social Sciences, Head of Department of Health and Leisure Studies and Vice President of Academic Affairs and Registrar. Aileen has 30 years applied professional practice experience in settings outside of education (as a social worker) and within Higher Education. Aileen is focused on the centrality of culture, strategy and policy in the creation of a university community where all can flourish and reach their full potential. Aileen believes in a quality learning centred education, based on inclusion and equity of access and participation for all.

Margaret Finch, BA Psych, MA Research Psychology, PG Dip in Crim Psych, PG Dip Statistics, SFHEA.

Margaret is MTU Universal Design Commitment Officer and MTU Lead- Teaching and Learning and Student Engagement within the Assistant Registrar and Head of Student Engagement (and Teaching and Learning) Office at Munster Technological University (MTU)

Margaret has taught and worked for over 30 years in inclusion and tertiary education sectors to widen access and equity of those pushed to the margins in society. Margaret believes that we are in exciting times in tertiary education that show commitment to advancing quality education for all where working collaboratively can create sustainable culture and operational changes that create meaningful inclusion and belonging in an

accountable way in tertiary education to support development of a stronger and more resilient society and economy where all can reach their potential.