Governance
As a charity, YMCA Dublin is governed by a Board of voluntary Trustees who determine the long term strategic direction and day to day compliance of the charity with legislation and best practice. The Board meet 8 times a year and specific subcommittees also meet in addition to this.
Trustees are selected for their extensive experience and skills. Each Trustee brings unique qualities and experience to the board through previous or current positions within a broad range of businesses, charities and other organisations.
Our board consists of our Chairperson: Paul Owens. Treasurer: Frances Torsney. Secretary: Emily King.
Directors: Emma Kerins, Lucy Harrington, Madhumita Vasan, Paul Kealy, Triona Campbell, Dermot McGuire and Helen Carbery.
Day to day operational responsibilities are delegated to the senior management team, consisting of a Chief Executive, Social Enterprise Manager and around 75 staff.
We are signed up to the ICTR Statement of Guiding Principles for Fundraising and the Governance Code.
Board Members
Paul Owens
Chair
Paul has been a YMCA Dublin Trustee since 2012, serving as Treasurer for several years before becoming Chair in 2021. With over 30 years of experience in financial services, Paul has worked in the international banking sector with Bank of America, HSBC, and BNP Paribas.
Since leaving his executive role in 2013, Paul has developed a portfolio of non-executive directorships both within and outside the financial services sector. He is currently a Non-Executive Director at AIB Mortgage Bank and EBS, where he also chairs the Audit Committee, as well as Santiago Capital and Dublin Aerospace.
Frances Torsney
Treasurer
Frances Torsney is an MBA-qualified professional with extensive experience in governance, finance, operations, process improvement, and risk management within the global financial services sector. As a Central Bank and FCA UK-approved Non-Executive Director (NED), she has held key roles, including Country Head at AIG Ireland and Trustee of the AIG Ireland Pension Fund. Frances also holds various advisory positions and directorships in third-party fund management and offshore companies.
Within YMCA Dublin, Frances serves as Treasurer and chairs the Finance and Risk Sub-Committee, leveraging her expertise in financial oversight and risk management. Additionally, she is a board member of ISC Ireland Not for Profits, where she actively promotes gender equality and professional growth opportunities for women in business through industry-specific networking initiatives.
Emily King
Secretary
Emily King was appointed to the board of YMCA Dublin in 2020 and became Company Secretary in 2022. She is a solicitor with a broad range of experience in private practice and the public sector. Currently, Emily is a Senior Legal Advisor in the Department of Finance, where she advises on legal matters related to the State’s shareholdings in the banking sector, its interests in NAMA and IBRC, as well as commercial law, litigation, and public law. Before joining the Department, Emily was a Senior Associate in a large commercial firm, advising on corporate recovery, and served as in-house counsel for a global financial services company.
Amy McRory
Director
Amy McRory was appointed to the Board in December 2023. She is currently a Youth and Community Engagement Worker with Jigsaw. Amy holds a Master’s Degree in Social Work and is a highly driven, compassionate, and skilled youth mental health professional. Her background includes working in youth and community engagement, LGBTQ+ youth services, drugs and alcohol support services, and domestic abuse services. Amy has a strong track record of fostering collaborative environments to enhance the well-being of young people. She is also a highly skilled facilitator with a flair for public speaking, particularly in relation to empowerment and the promotion of youth voice and engagement.
Helen Carbery
Director
Helen is an accomplished commercial, strategic, and finance professional with over 20 years of experience in financial services, spanning retail banking, capital markets, insurance, and life insurance (including wealth management). She is professionally qualified across multiple disciplines, including Chartered Accountant, Qualified Tax Consultant, QFA (Institute of Bankers), and holds a Diploma in Company Direction (Institute of Directors) and a Professional Certificate in Responsible & Sustainable Finance. Helen has served in various executive roles in AIB’s domestic and overseas businesses, leading large business, product, and change teams in a highly regulated environment. She also has board experience as Chair of AIB Insurance Services, a PCF role approved by the CBI. Helen is a member of the YMCA Dublin Board and has recently taken over as Chair of the Development Subcommittee.
Lucy Harrington
Director
Lucy is a highly skilled CPA with over 10 years of experience in audit and industry, gained through her work with Deloitte Financial Services and in global Financial Controller positions across diverse sectors, currently with Microsoft. She is committed to maintaining high standards of governance, accounting, and financial reporting. Lucy is also a member of the Finance and Risk Subcommittee for YMCA Dublin.
Emma Kerins
Director
Emma Kerins has been a Trustee and Non-Executive Director with YMCA Dublin since 2017, and she currently serves as Chair of the Impact Subcommittee.
Outside of YMCA, Emma is the Head of External Relations for SSE Renewables in the island of Ireland market. In this role, she leads a team of community engagement and stakeholder management professionals to deliver an ambitious portfolio of renewable energy projects.
Prior to joining SSE, Emma was the Director of Policy and Communications at Chambers Ireland and has held policy advisor roles in the Houses of Oireachtas and with the Irish-American fintech company Stripe. She holds a law degree from the University of Limerick and a master’s degree in human rights law from Queen’s University Belfast.
Triona Campbell
Director
Triona Campbell is currently working in a Group Strategy role at VHI Healthcare, the largest private health insurer in Ireland. Prior to this, Triona served as General Manager of the VHI SwiftCare urgent clinics, where she oversaw the operation and management of three healthcare clinics.
Triona has been a member of the YMCA Dublin board since 2022 and currently serves as a member and deputy co-chair of the Strategy Development Subcommittee.
Madhumita Vasan
Director
Madhumita Vasan is a dedicated board member of YMCA Dublin, serving on the finance committee. With a decade of experience in the audit industry, she is a fellow chartered accountant renowned for her meticulous analysis and exceptional external auditing skills. Madhumita excels at conducting comprehensive audits under tight deadlines, consistently delivering superior results.She possesses substantial knowledge of financial reporting standards, including IFRS and ISA, and is known for her analytical thinking and ability to thrive in fast-paced business environments. Madhumita is passionate about making meaningful contributions to a business’s success. Madhumita is currently employed with KPMG Ireland. She is a member of ACCA and holds a BSc (Hons) in Accounting & Finance from Warwick Business School, University of Warwick.
Dermot Maguire
Director
Dermot was formerly the Group Head of HR at Vhi Healthcare and brings extensive expertise in human resources, business strategy, performance management, and employee engagement. He is known for delivering innovative solutions and is highly regarded in the HR field.
Dermot holds degrees in Management and Industrial Relations from the National College of Ireland, a Master of Arts in Industrial Relations from Keele University, and a Master of Business Studies from Dublin City University. He also has Diplomas in Executive Coaching and Company Law and Corporate Governance from the Law Society of Ireland. He is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development (FCIPD). Additionally, Dermot has lectured in human resources at several Dublin universities. He currently serves as a Board Director for YMCA Dublin and Carr’s Child and Family Services.