Chief Operating Officer

Ms Darina Kneafsey is the Chief Operating Officer and heads College Administration and Support Services. This role entails providing strategic leadership in the overall development and management of these services to ensure alignment to the overall strategic objectives of College. The Chief Operating Officer is an ex officio member of the Executive Officers Group, the university’s Senior Management Team, along with the Provost, Vice Provost/Chief Academic Officer and the Faculty Deans. She also chairs the Senior Administration Management Team.

Ms Kneafsey has experience as a Business and Industry executive with notable achievements in the high technology industry. She has extensive senior management experience in large multi-national corporations, with a track record in operational excellence, cost leadership, change management and organisational development.

Ms Kneafsey has worked across organisations to promote diversity in the workplace. She has also set up academic relations programs. She served on external boards including Engineers Ireland and the Board of The Institute of Technology, Tallaght.

Ms Kneafsey also worked for Intel Corporation and Digital Equipment Corporation, encompassing a number of roles including Operations, Supplier and Service Management, and Product/Process Engineering. Subsequently, she founded and was a managing partner in a business working with start up and existing organisations, focussing on various sectors including education, research, transportation, tourism, software and technology.

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Academic Secretary

Ms Patricia Callaghan is responsible for overseeing the management of the academic administration in respect of undergraduate and postgraduate education.  The remit of responsibility includes access, undergraduate and postgraduate admissions, student progression, student records, timetabling, examinations, and commencements.  She is also responsible for the management of the administration of quality assurance and improvement, student information support, and the implementation of academic policy in respect of undergraduate and postgraduate education, including the Bologna process.  The Academic Secretary directly supports and advises academic officers in the development of relevant academic policy in the education area. 

Ms Callaghan worked in the private, voluntary and public sectors before joining the staff of Trinity College.  She is a graduate of the National University Dublin (B.A and M.A) and of the University of Dublin (M.Sc Management).

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Director of Accommodation & Catering

Mr Graham Daniels leads the division which provides accommodation, catering, and cleaning services across the College. His formative career was in the Hotel Industry, in London, followed by a period working in Ethiopia.  Returning to England in 1991, Mr Daniels took a position at Imperial College in London, then Oxford University, both posts being in the Accommodation, Hospitality and Conference Services areas of the Universities. 

Mr Daniels joined Trinity College in October 2004 to lead Accommodation and Catering Services through College reorganisation and beyond.

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Director of Buildings

Mr Paul Mangan is the Director of Buildings and heads the administrative department with responsibility for strategic physical planning, capital development and the operation, maintenance and management of the College’s buildings, grounds and facilities.  He collaborates with senior College Officers in planning the future development of the College, consults with funding agencies and planning authorities, and interacts with partner institutions at a senior level.

Mr Mangan is a Chartered Surveyor with a postgraduate Diploma in Project Management.  He has represented the Irish Property and Facility Management Association on the Forum for Construction Industry in Ireland and acted as Chairman of its Task Force on Sustainability in Construction.

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Director of the Careers Advisory Service

Mr Sean Gannon is the Director of the Careers Advisory Service which facilitates students and recent graduates in managing their choices in relation to education, training and employment.  He specifically acts as advisor to students in the Schools of Natural Sciences, Biochemistry and Immunology and Genetics and Microbiology.  He gained his undergraduate degree in Chemistry and Mathematics and is also an MBA graduate.  His early career was spent in the human resources functions at ICI plc and at Nokia.  Before coming to Trinity he was a director of KPMG's Executive Search and Selection practice in Dublin.

Mr Gannon is a former co-chair of Graduate Careers Ireland the representative body for Careers Services in higher education in Ireland, north and south.  He also represents this body on the Qualifax consultative group established by the National Qualifications Authority of Ireland.  He has a long standing interest in civic engagement issues and has served on the panel of the Social Mentor programme operated by the Citizens Information Board.  More recently he has been a member and chair of the board of the Children’s Research Centre at the College.

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Director of the College Disability Service

Mr Declan Treanor is the Director of the College Disability Service which oversees the provision of appropriate advice, support services and information to assist staff and students (both current and prospective) with disabilities.

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Director of the College Health Service

Dr David McGrath is the Director of the College Health Service which provides primary health care for all full-time students, and focuses on the psychological and occupational aspects of Student Health and Health Education.

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Director of Information Systems Services

Mr John Murphy is the Director of Information Systems Services, and is responsible for the provision of information and technology services and supports in College and advising on and implementing information policy.   He directs and manages computing and information technology strategic plans, policies, programs and schedules for data processing, computer services, network communications, and management information services to accomplish College goals and objectives. He provides fiscal management and total cost of operations analysis within the Information Systems Services department and provides excellent support and satisfaction of all users through creation of value from technology investments.

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Head of Sport & Recreation

Mrs Michelle Tanner is the Head of Sport and Recreation with responsibility for all sport and recreation matters in College. The role involves managing and developing the extensive sport and recreational facilities and programmes provided by the Department of Sport for students, staff, graduates and the local community in line with the Strategic goals of the Department and the College.

Michelle is a former international Volleyball player with the Irish Senior Women’s Team, and has been involved in the Irish Sports and Leisure Industry since graduating in 1992. She has an MBA in Sports Management from Leicester University and a higher National Diploma in Business Studies Recreation and Leisure from Waterford IT. She has various fitness, sporting and coaching qualifications and professional memberships (ILAM, CUSAI, ENAS, BUCS, ISPAL). She has worked in many facilities including DCU, ALSAA and ESB Sports Co. She joined Trinity College in 1997 and has been involved in all aspects of sport in College, most notably the building of the new Sports Centre in 2007.  She represents College sport internally and externally and is the current Honorary Treasurer and Board member of the Colleges and Universities Sports Association of Ireland (CUSAI)  www.cusai.ie

The Sports Department recognises the role played by sports in providing a rounded, well-balanced university education and the sports personnel are committed to developing and enhancing the vibrant sporting tradition through the provision of quality facilities, services and programmes. For more information on the Sports Department click here  www.tcd.ie/sport

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Director of the Student Counselling Service

Ms Deirdre Flynn is the Director of the Student Counselling Service, a confidential, professional counselling service available free of charge to every Trinity College student. As Director, Ms Flynn is responsible for developing and ensuring the provision of professional services for students which are relevant and responsive to their needs, compliant with legal statutory and professional requirements, and best practice. 

Ms Flynn was employed to develop the Student Counselling Services in Trinity College in 1993.  The Service now comprises a Clinical Counselling Team, a Learning Support and Development Team, a Peer Support Mentoring Programme and Online Mental Health Services.

Ms Flynn is a registered Psychotherapist and Supervisor with the Irish Council for Psychotherapy and the European Association for Psychotherapy.  Her theoretical orientation and training is constructivist and systemic.  She is actively involved with the Student Counsellor’s Heads Forum in Ireland and in the UK.  She has served on the board of the Irish Council for Psychotherapy. Prior to joining the University, Ms Flynn worked in a variety of settings both in Ireland and in Europe.  She worked as a Senior Lecturer in the social work department in Christ Church College in Canterbury. Prior to this she worked in medical social work specialising in working with patients with Cancer, and AIDS. Her experiences prior to this include psychiatrist social work, youth work, and living in a L’Arche community.  She has a M.SocSc (psychotherapy) and a CQSW and Dip in Applied Social Studies from UCD (NUI) and a B,Soc.Sc. from UCC (NUI).

Ms Flynn works closely with the Heads of Student Services in the college to develop services for students.  She is also a member of the Senior Administrative Team at the university and currently is a delegate on the University Council.

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Director of Human Resources

Mr Tony McMahon is the Director of Human Resources and has responsibility for the development and implementation of HR strategies to support College’s strategic objectives, and the delivery of HR services by the Staff Office.

Mr McMahon joined Trinity in April 2007 as Staff Secretary.  Prior to that, he worked in Teagasc, the Irish Agricultural and Food Development Authority, where he held the position of Head of Human Resources for two years. He previously worked as Director of Human Resources in the Health Services Executive (HSE) in the Eastern Region.  With a strong industrial relations background, Mr McMahon has experience of significant restructuring, and he also has a particular interest in HR business processes and information systems.

Mr McMahon holds a Bachelor of Commerce, and Masters in Business Studies from UCD and is a Fellow of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development.

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