THE TEAM
Board of Directors
José Ospina (Director/Chair)
José set up Bristol Self Help Housing Association while studying at Bristol University in 1972, being responsible for development and management. He worked in Colombia with the government’s housing agency in 1960 and later as Director of the Colombian Federation of community self-build groups. Back in England he carried out studies in Architecture and Housing Association Development and Finance, and was Development Manager for CHISEL (Co-operative Housing in South East London and South London Family Housing Association in London, responsible for procuring short-term leases, purchase of properties for rehabilitation and development of self-build housing. Moving to Ireland he worked with Novas Group, to set up Tir An Droichead to house homeless street drinkers. He then worked for Cork County Council (Western Region) as Project Manager in the EU funded TRANSFORM Project. He also worked for Dublin City Council (Waste Management Department) as Project Manager of the LIFE Funded Project HEATSUN to promote electronic recycling, reuse and eco-design of computers. He co-founded Carbery Housing Association (2001) and has been Secretary of the Association to date. He has also worked for 10 years as an Expert Evaluator for the European Commission various technology programmes. He currently manages EU Projects for Cork Centre for Architectural Education (UCC), MicroPro Computers, and for NCE Insulation
Tadgh Quill-Manley (Director/Treasurer)
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Education (past & ongoing): BA (Economics & Philosophy - UCC); CIP (Insurance Institute of Ireland - recipient of CJ Gladstone High Achiever Award); QFA (Life Insurance Association
Board member (past & present): Dance Cork-Firkin Crane, Cork Deaf Association, Cork City Childcare Company, Cork Craft & Design, Cork Textiles Network, Munster Agricultural Society, Irish Horse Welfare Trust, Carbery Housing Association, Inniscarra Community Centre
Public Participation Network delegate on Cork County Council (nominated by Carbery Housing Association)
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Dan Boyle (Director)
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Cork City Councillor, 1991-2002 Chair of Environment Committee, Chair of Arts Committee
Member of National Economic and Social Council 1998-2002
Member of the City of Cork Vocational Committee 1999-2002
Chair of Coláiste Stiofáin Naofa, Further Education College
Chair of Nagle Community College
Vice President of the National Youth Council of Ireland 2000/1
TD (Member of Parliament- Dáil Éireann) representing Cork South Central constituency. 2002-2007
Parliamentary Party Whip 2002-2007
Member of Public Accounts Committee, rappateur of report on Public Private Partnerships
Member and Deputy Leader of Seanad Éireann (Upper House of Parliament) 2007-2011
Chair of the Green Party/Comhaontas Glas 2007-2011
Member of Public Participation Networks, Cork City and County Councils.
30 years experience of community development.
Alan Sheerins (Director)
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Alan has been Housing Manager with RESPOND! since 2007 and in 2018 began work with Co-ops Ireland as regional Housing Manager. He has been directly responsible for the management of hundreds of properties, ensuring that the backlog of repairs is completed and leasing with residents. He previously worked for Co-op Home Services, housing co-operative in London, and was responsible for a range of activities including making grant applications and commissioning building works, negotiating leases with public and private owners and promoting tenant involvement.
Joe O'Brien (Director)
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Joe O’Brien is an adept Financial Advisor at Davy Stockbrokers, specializing in the management of charity and institutional client portfolios. His academic journey includes a Master’s degree in Corporate Finance and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics, both from University College Cork. Complementing his educational prowess, Joe holds the prestigious CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER™ certification and a Diploma in Financial Planning from University College Dublin. With a six years' experience in finance, Joe’s expertise is not confined to just advisory services; he is also deeply involved in organisational governance. He is an active member of the committee for his local GAA club, showcasing his dedication to local sports and community involvement. Additionally, Joe has taken on a strategic role by joining the board of the South Leinster Citizens information, where he contributes his financial insights to support the organisation’s mission. His comprehensive experience and active participation in both his professional field and the community underscore his commitment to excellence and service.
Alan Wiseman (Director)
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Alan Wiseman graduated in Architectural Technology in 1987 from the Regional Technical College in Cork. Following 6 years in London, England. Set up Wiseman Designs Architectural Consultancy in 1998, providing sustainable architectural design, consultancy, & planning services. Completed course to become a BER assessor and, also in Air Tightness Testing. Devised, researched and delivered a ‘Sustainable Building’ night-course highlighting the importance of energy efficiency in buildings and highlighting best practices and methods involved in sustainable building. The course ran for 8 years, was the first of its kind in the country and was CPD accredited by The Institute of Engineers of Ireland. A 28-week FETAC Level 5 course in Green Building was researched and presented by Wiseman Designs, covering all aspects of sustainable building. Wiseman Designs continues to provide architectural consultancy, focusing on residential scale projects.
David Simmonds (Director)
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David is an experienced builder, specialising in Sustainable construction.
Orla Ryan (Director & Communications Delegate)
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Orla Ryan is a Quality & Continuous Improvement professional, with extensive past experience in multilingual communication for clients such as Twitter, Facebook, Electric Ireland, and the European Commission. Orla also serves on the board of an OMC in Dublin, with responsibility for security & risk management, where she liaises with gardaí & local government representatives. As the Communications Delegate at Carbery Housing, Orla supports the team with social media content and analytics, plus other engagement opportunities. Education: BA in Applied Languages, Dublin City University. Specialist Diploma in Quality Management (Lean Systems Black Belt), University of Limerick. ISO 9001:2015 Quality Management Systems Lead Auditor.
Karl Diskin (Director)
Karl studied at the Mackintosh School of Architecture in Glasgow and is a qualified Architect registered in both the UK and Ireland, with significant experience in multidisciplinary urban regeneration projects primarily in London and in Ireland, but also including Delhi, Moscow, Melbourne, Austin, and Bergen. In his career to date Karl has worked for some of the Europe’s top architecture and urban design practices including Studio Egret West, Metropolitan Workshop, Grimshaw Architects, John McAslan + Partners, and most recently Scott Tallon Walker Architects. Karl has also engaged in numerous self-initiated architecture and property development ventures, having purchased, renovated and sold two family homes; gained planning permission for a new-build urban infill scheme of six apartments in Cork City which he then sold to Focus Ireland, and for three new family houses in Douglas. Karl's latest venture is a larger urban regeneration project located in Passage West.
Liam Loftus (Director and Works Delegate)
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Liam Loftus studied Biochemistry at NUI, Galway and subsequently worked as a Neuroscience researcher in the United States. A longstanding interest in design and invention lead him to found Cellcrusher, a business specialising in laboratory tools for breaking cells. Working in Asturias and West Cork, Liam has been involved in several natural and sustainable building projects. He believes that a focus on these approaches can lead to improved environmental outcomes and housing access.
Staff
Ana Ospina (Operations Manager/Company Secretary)
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Ana is a project manager and creative producer with extensive experience of coordinating, managing and delivering creative and cultural projects of all shapes and sizes. She holds an MA from Central St Martins College of Art and Design. Since 2005 she has helped devise, develop and deliver a variety of art and design projects around the UK for a range of public and private sector clients, including regeneration specialists, local authorities, housing associations, architects, private developers, arts organisations, museums and schools. She has a passion for sustainability, both in terms of the built environment as well as in a community context. She moved back to West Cork from London in April 2017 and since then has been working on a range of local arts and cultural projects. She is currently employed part-time by CHA. To see her creative work, visit: www.analuciaospina.com.