Gráinne Gorman was appointed Chief Executive Officer of the HRB in October 2025 and leads its new five-year strategy, Bringing Research to Life, which advances research funding, evidence for policy, and research ethics. Her expertise spans mitochondrial disease, clinical research, and translating innovation into patient-centred care. She previously held senior roles at Newcastle University and the Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, including Professor of Neurology and Director of the Wellcome Centre for Mitochondrial Research.

Orla Hardiman is Professor of Neurology at Trinity College Dublin, and a Consultant Neurologist at Beaumont Hospital, where she has provided multidisciplinary care to Irish patients with neurological illness including Multiple Sclerosis and Motor Neuron Disease.    She is an experienced clinical trialist. 

John Nugent manages IDA Ireland’s Medical Technologies & Healthcare Services Department. He has worked with IDA Ireland for over 24 years, joining the organisation from its sister agency, Enterprise Ireland, in 2002. During his career with IDA Ireland, John has held a range of leadership roles across the Engineering Department, the Silicon Valley overseas office, and Regional Development, where he served as Manager for the Northwest and Border Region.

Professor Iracema Leroi is Director of the Global Brain Health Institute and Dublin and Professor in Geriatric Psychiatry, at Trinity College Dublin. She also serves as a consultant geriatric psychiatrist at St. James’ Hospital, Dublin. Trained in Canada and the United States, including in the neuropsychiatry program at Johns Hopkins University, she previously held the role of Professor of Psychiatry at the University of Manchester. During her tenure there, she founded and led the Greater Manchester Dementia Clinical Trials Programme.

Dr Seán O’Dowd is a Consultant Neurologist at Tallaght University Hospital (TUH), Dublin and Clinical Senior Lecturer at Trinity College Dublin. His subspecialty interest is neurodegenerative diseases, particularly young-onset and atypical cognitive disorders, and atypical parkinsonism. He leads TUH’s European Reference Network-accredited Atypical Parkinsonism service. He is a member of the European DLB Consortium, the European Alzheimer Disease Consortium and the European Section of the Movement Disorders Society.  

Richelle Flanagan is a CORU-registered dietitian with over 21 years’ experience and a patient entrepreneur. Having lived with young-onset Parkinson’s for the past decade, she has both experienced and researched the gaps in neurological care, particularly in nutrition and the influence of sex and gender on health outcomes. Her work sits at the intersection of nutrition science, lived experience and digital innovation, translating research into practical tools that improve access to personalised nutrition support through My Moves Matter and Nutrition PD. 

Dr Orla Galvin is Executive Director of the European Federation of Neurological Associations (EFNA), representing pan-European neurology patient organisations. With a background in pharmacology, experimental medicine, and health economics, she has extensive experience in health policy, research, and patient advocacy at both European and global levels. Orla works closely with the European Commission, European Medicines Agency, WHO, and international stakeholders to advance brain health, strengthen patient involvement in research and policy, and improve equitable access to neurological care.

Dr Eugene Wallace is a Consultant in Rehabilitation Medicine who has taken on the role of National Clinical Lead for Rehabilitation. Since his appointment as a Consultant in 2014 he has worked in the acute hospitals of St James and Tallaght to provide care for patients with neuro-rehabilitation needs before establishing the demonstrator site for a level 2 neuro-rehabilitation service in Peamount Hospital in 2020. Following this he has worked to establish the Community Neuro-Rehabilitation Team in the Dublin Mid Leinster region.

Dr Susa Benseler is Chief Academic Officer and Head of Paediatric Health Affairs at Children’s Health Ireland (CHI), where she leads the development of Ireland’s first cross-sectoral Academic Child Health partnership. A Trinity Professorial Fellow, Susa is internationally recognised for her leadership in child health research and innovation. Originally from Germany, she trained in medicine, paediatrics, immunology and inflammation before holding senior academic and clinical appointments in Canada, including at The Hospital for Sick Children (SickKids) in Toronto.

Dr Avril Kennan is CEO of Health Research Charities Ireland (HRCI), which supports a community of more than 45 charities to engage in health research and acts as their national advocate.  

Gianpiero Cavalleri is a Professor of Human Genetics and Deputy Director of the Office of Research and Innovation at RCSI. An integral part of FutureNeuro, he co-leads the Diagnostics component, employing cutting-edge DNA sequencing to identify new genetic causes of epilepsy and enhance diagnostic accuracy in the neurology clinic. Prof. Cavalleri spearheads the NeuroInsight COFUND within FutureNeuro, helping train the next generation of research leaders in data analytics for neuroscience.

Dominic Trépel is Associate Professor of Health Economics at Trinity College Dublin and faculty member of the Global Brain Health Institute. He directs Trépel Lab at Trinity College Institute of Neuroscience, where his research focuses on the economics of brain health, dementia, mental health and ageing. Dominic has worked in academic health economics for over two decades, with expertise in health technology assessment, economic evaluation, decision-analytic modelling and health policy.

Eamon lives with Functional Neurological Disorder (FND) and another neurological condition Dystonia. He is founder and chair of FND Ireland, the first Irish charity dedicated to supporting those living with FND. Eamon has a passion for patient advocacy, education and research. 

Frédéric Destrebecq is the Executive Director of the European Brain Council since October 2014. In this capacity, he is responsible for providing strategic direction and leadership while managing the day to day operations of EBC and its ongoing relationships with its member associations and other stakeholders, as well as representing the organisation in various European and national forums.Fred holds a Master Degree in Political Science and International Relations from the Université Catholique de Louvain (Belgium).

Nuala Ryan is the Chair of the Board of the NCBRS Worldwide Foundation. As a mother and the mother of a child with NCBRS, she draws on her first-hand experience as a parent of a child with NCBRS to drive neurological research. With 30 years in drug development globally, she holds a BSc in Pharmacology and a Diploma in International Business Management. Nuala leads multiple EU-funded partnerships, coordinating global efforts to address health issues.