Magdalen Rogers: Chief Executive
Magdalen holds undergraduate and postgraduate degrees in Psychology and has extensive experience in the not-for-profit and health sectors. She previously worked for Headway Ireland and for the Health Research Board before joining the NAI. She has been a leading advocate for improved services, policy reform, and greater public awareness of neurological conditions.
Since taking on the role of CEO, Magdalen has championed a collaborative approach, bringing together patient organisations, clinicians, researchers, and policymakers to strengthen Ireland’s response to neurological care. She has played a key role in advancing the implementation of national strategies, promoting equitable access to services, and highlighting the social and economic impact of neurological conditions.
Under her leadership, the NAI has expanded its research, policy influence, and stakeholder engagement, ensuring that the voices of people living with neurological conditions and their families are central to health planning and decision-making in Ireland.
Contact Magdalen at mrogers@nai.ie
Sinéad Bradley: Communications Officer
In her role as Communications Officer (part time), Sinéad leads the organisation's communications activities, ensuring consistent, engaging and impactful messaging across all channels. She is responsible for planning, creating and delivering high-quality communications that promote the work of the organisation, raise awareness of neurological conditions, and support engagement with member organisations, stakeholders and take our message to the wider public. She writes, edits and publishes a wide range of communications materials, including website content, newsletters, campaigns, marketing materials and promotional resources. She has responsibility for planning, co-ordinating and delivering National Brain Awareness Week each year, as well as event management, design and development of materials and publications.
Other Key Responsibilities Include:
- Managing and growing the organisation's social media presence, including content planning, creation, scheduling, monitoring and reporting.
- Planning, creating and delivering communications that promote the work of the organisation, raise awareness of neurological conditions, and support engagement with member organisations, stakeholders and the wider public
- Maintaining and regularly updating the organisation's website (www.nai.ie), ensuring content is consistent, engaging and impactful.
- Designing and overseeing the production of communications materials and publications.
- Supporting the promotion of organisational events, campaigns and advocacy initiatives through integrated communications.
- Working collaboratively with member organisations, partners and external stakeholders to amplify key messages and promote shared initiatives.
- Monitoring communications performance and providing insights to inform future campaigns and engagement.
Contact Sinéad at sbradley@nai.ie
Leah Haugh: Policy and Advocacy Intern
As Policy and Advocacy Intern (part time), Leah supports the development and delivery of the NAI’s advocacy plan, working with member organisations and public representatives alike. She supports the delivery of advocacy campaigns to policy makers, government departments and other stakeholders and represents the NAI at key events.
Contact Leah at advocacy@nai.ie
Aoife Kirwan: Lived Experience and Patient Organisation Engagement Project Officer – National Neurorehabilitation Strategy
Aoife is the Lived Experience and Patient Organisation Engagement Project Officer supporting a partnership between the Neurological Alliance of Ireland (NAI), the Disability Federation of Ireland (DFI) and the Health Service Executive (HSE) to support the implementation of Ireland’s National Neurorehabilitation Strategy. Her role focuses on ensuring that the voices and experiences of people living with neurological conditions and patient organisations inform the development and delivery of neurorehabilitation services.
Aoife has over ten years’ experience working in the neurological sector, supporting people living with neurological conditions through information, engagement, advocacy and collaboration with patient organisations, healthcare professionals, researchers and policymakers. Prior to joining the partnership, Aoife worked with MS Ireland across information, advocacy and research, developing resources, supporting engagement initiatives and contributing to work aimed at improving supports and services for people living with multiple sclerosis and their families.
Aoife is passionate about lived experience and patient organisation engagement, co-production and ensuring that lived experience is embedded in the development of health and rehabilitation services.
Contact Aoife at akirwan@nai.ie
Nicola O'Malley: Research and Policy Officer
As Research and Policy Officer, Nicola works closely with the NAI staff team, member organisations, healthcare professionals, policy makers and other stakeholders to inform and support the development, implementation and evaluation of research and policy initiatives aligned with the National Neuro-Rehabilitation Strategy.
Nicola is a graduate of the University of Limerick with a BSc and PhD in Physiotherapy. In line with this, she has nine years of clinical experience, eight years of which were dedicated to the provision of Neuro-Rehabilitation. In addition to this, she has nine years of research experience completed in the field of rehabilitation for people with neurological conditions. Nicola has completed extensive training across a range of research methods including evidence synthesis, participatory health research, and qualitative and quantitative research.
Nicola is extremely passionate about the provision of timely, high-quality, person-centred and evidence-based services to people with neurological conditions and is keen to contribute to research and policy to progress this.
Contact Nicola at nomally@nai.ie
