Diabetes Ireland Conference & Exhibition Speakers’ Bios

Professor Hilary Hoey

MA, MD, FTCD, FRCP(UK), FRCPI, FRCPCH (UK), MICGP, D Obs RCOG

Chairman Diabetes Ireland, Paediatric Endocrinologist, Director of Professional Competence RCPI, Vice President European Paediatric Association and Union of National European Paediatric Societies and Associations (EPA/UNEPSA), European Regional Representative on the International Paediatric Strategic Advisory Group on NCD. Emeritus Professor & Past Head of Department of Paediatrics Trinity College Dublin (TCD), Previously Consultant Paediatric Endocrinologist Tallaght University Hospital and CHI Crumlin. Past Dean Faculty of Paediatrics RCPI, Past President Irish Paediatric Association and Past President European Society for Paediatric Endocrinology (ESPE).

Graduated University College Dublin, trained Hospital for Sick Children Great Ormond Street London, University San Francisco, Children’s Hospital Pittsburgh and studied medical education at the University of Dundee.

Currently a member of many national and international councils, committees and working parties. Member of: Academy of Medical Royal Colleges UK Directors of CPD Committee; EACCME (UEMS European Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education); Council of the International Academy for CPD Accreditation and of the European CPD Forum.

Received many National & International awards including ESPE Outstanding Clinician Award 2016, The Irish Lifetime Achievement Health Care Award 2017, International Collaboration Award Croatian Medical Association 2021, the McKenna Lecture Medal Irish Endocrine Society 2021.

Research includes over 200 peer reviewed publications. Specialist reviewer of many international academic publications and editorial boards. Served as External Examiner Universities of Cambridge, Nottingham, Kuwait and Cairo, UCD, RCSI, Galway and Limerick

PREGNANCY STREAM

Professor Fidelma Dunne

MD, PhD, FRCP (UK), FRCPI, MRIA

Fidelma Dunne is a Professor of Medicine, Clinician scientist and Director of the Institute for Clinical Trials, University of Galway. She holds an MD (University College Cork), PhD (University of Birmingham UK), Masters Medical Education (University of Dundee Scotland), and Master’s Clinical Research (University of Galway). She was a Fulbright scholar at Columbia University New York in 2015. In addition, she is the Director of the All-Ireland Clinical Trial Network in Diabetes and an Adjunct Professor at Steno Diabetes Research Centre Odense Denmark (2020-2025). 

Professor Dunne has demonstrated an unwavering commitment to advancing research and improving outcomes in the critical area of diabetes and pregnancy over 25 years with >260 peer review publications, 13,000 citations, H index of 62 with > 22m euro in grant funding. She was awarded the International Jorgen Pedersen (DPSG Europe 2021) and Norbert Freinkel awards (ADA 2024) for contributions in this field and has been elected a member of the prestigious Royal Irish Academy (2024). In 2024 she also received University of Galway Presidents award for research in the team category as Principal Investigator of the EMERGE trial and the national award for research from the Irish Hospital Consultants Association (IHCA) being selected by peers. 

Dr Christine Newman

Dr. Christine Newman is currently working as a consultant endocrinologist and associate professor of maternal health in Galway University Hospital/University of Galway and is lead clinical researcher in the Diabetes Collaborative Clinical Trials Network.

She graduated from NUIG in 2012 with an MB BCh BAO and completed her MD in the area of diabetes in pregnancy in 2022. She has previously held posts as a clinical lecturer in the School of Medicine at the University of Galway and clinical fellow in Diabetes Technology and Endocrinology in Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals Group. She obtained postgraduate qualifications from the The Royal College of Physicians of Ireland and is a member of the college and she has a Speciality Certificate in Endocrinology and Diabetes from the Society of Endocrinology.

Dr Newman’s research interests are currently focused in the area of diabetes in pregnancy, diabetes technology and evidence synthesis and she recently lead a refresh Priority Setting Partnership with the James Lind Alliance in the area of type 1 diabetes.  

Dr Niamh O’Dwyer

Dr. Niamh O’Dwyer D.Clin.Psy, C.Psychol. Ps.S.I is the Senior Clinical Psychologist with the Specialist Perinatal Mental Health Service at the University Maternity Hospital Limerick. She was the first Clinical Psychologist within the HSE to work in this specialist area of mental health following the development of the Perinatal Model of Care for Ireland.

She has a wealth of knowledge having worked with different care groups in forensic services, adult mental health and CAMHS in both the NHS and the HSE. Her experience in more recent years has focused on Perinatal Mental Health and caring for women in this specific timeframe. 

Cathy Jones

Cathy is a Diabetes Specialist Midwife at University Hospitals of Leicester and Leicester Diabetes Centre (LDC).

Completing her training in Northern Ireland at Queen’s University, Belfast, she has worked as a midwife for over 10 years, and made the move to work as a Diabetes Specialist Midwife at Leicester in 2021. This has included research experience through the LDC. She has experience of caring for women before, during and after pregnancy with pre-existing diabetes and gestational diabetes.

She has a passion for technology use within diabetes care and specialises particularly with Hybrid Closed Loop technology and Continuous glucose monitoring. 

Aileen Fleming

General Nursing 2001 (University of Hertfordshire, UK)

H. Dip Midwifery 2003 (TCD, Rotunda hospital)

H. Dip Diabetes in Nursing 2015 (UCD)

Msc Advanced Practice 2022 – present (UCD)

Working in Diabetes services for 16 years

Nina Willer

Diabetes Specialist Midwife, Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital NHSFT

Nina’s main role is as lead midwife for diabetes in Norwich, supporting pregnant women and birthing people with all types of diabetes. She has a keen interest in technologies and teaches hybrid closed loop (HCL) support and optimisation nationally. Nina has contributed to local and national diabetes guidance and continues to work with NHS England on the implementation of HCL across maternity services. 

Nina lives with type 1 diabetes and enjoys speaking publicly about her own personal experience. She initially collaborated with the AiDAPT trial team, supporting people on HCL in pregnancy, before joining the trial as a patient. This experience has provided her with a unique perspective and an in-depth understanding of the implementation and use of diabetes technology. Nina is passionate about embracing new and innovative ways of managing diabetes in pregnancy to improve care and quality of life for women and birthing people. 

Suzanne Smyth

Suzanne Smyth graduated from the Medical School at University College Dublin in 2011 and subsequently completed both basic and higher specialist training in Obstetrics and Gynaecology under the auspices of the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland. She is a member of both RCPI and the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists (RCOG) in the UK.

She was awarded her PhD in 2022 from the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland for her work exploring app-assisted healthcare and remote monitoring for patients with gestational diabetes. Her research interests include diabetes in pregnancy and the application of digital health methods to enhance antenatal service provision.

She is currently undertaking a maternal and fetal medicine fellowship between both the Rotunda hospital in Dublin and Columbia University Medical Centre in New York. 

Vicky Doyle

Began studies in social care and social policy later completing a MA in Health Promotion. Worked in Diabetes Ireland for three years as a health promotion/advocacy executive running Type 1 awareness campaigns, providing education and awareness in schools and workplaces, organising and running Type 1 family events and supporting the regional development officers across the country. 

Moved into the HSE as a Health Promotion/Improvement officer in 2018 developing and implementing lifestyle factor and behaviour change programmes and training across North Dublin HSE staff and funded organisations. Moved to Social Inclusion in April 2023 as a Service Arrangements Manager over funded Addiction services in North Dublin. Responsible for governance and financial oversight of all addiction and Traveller community organisations, provision of services and development of integrated continuum of care pathways in the areas of recovery and equity of access to health services.” 

 Currently the Type 1 representative for the National Clinical programme for Diabetes and part of the Diabetes strategy consultation and development 2025-2030” 

Hilary Devine

With over 19 years of experience as a dietitian working in the area of diabetes across community and acute care settings, Hilary has dedicated the past nine years to her role as a Clinical Specialist Dietitian in diabetes in pregnancy within a maternity setting. Her work focuses on supporting women through the complex nutritional and self-management demands of diabetes during pregnancy. 

 Throughout her career, Hilary has been passionate about empowering individuals through high-quality self-management education—ensuring they have the skills, knowledge, and confidence to manage their condition effectively. She has a strong interest in communication and behavioural change strategies to enhance education delivery and person-centred care. She is also particularly interested in the evolving role of diabetes technology in pregnancy and its potential to improve outcomes for both mother and baby. 

PAEDIATRIC STREAM 

Professor Edna F. Roche 

Edna Roche is Professor In Paediatrics at the University of Dublin, Trinity College and a paediatric consultant at CHI, Tallaght University Hospital where she leads a busy tertiary service in paediatric endocrinology and diabetes.  She graduated in Medicine from Trinity and undertook her specialist clinical training in Dublin, London and North America.  She was awarded an MD from TCD for her work on childhood diabetes. She also holds a postgraduate qualification from the NUI, Membership and Fellowships from the Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, Edinburgh and the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health London. She was awarded an MBA from Trinity for which she received the Sir Charles Harvey Award and John Good Prize. She serves on the Board of the Irish Medical Council, Chairs the Nutrition Council of the Irish Heart Foundation and is a member of the Paediatric Clinical Advisory Group (RCPI), which guides national policy in child health. 

Her clinical and research interests include Diabetes–epidemiology and clinical care. Growth and development , and the rare disorders of  Prader willi and Turner Syndromes. Professor Roche established and leads the Irish Childhood Diabetes National Register. She is a member of the international Hvidore and EURODIAB Diabetes Research Groups. She has published widely in the medical literature and was elected to Fellowship of the University of Dublin in recognition of her research and scholarship. 

Klemen Dovc

Klemen Dovc serves as a consultant in paediatric endocrinology at the Department of Endocrinology, Diabetes and Metabolism, University Medical Center – University Children’s Hospital Ljubljana and as an associate professor at Chair of Paediatrics, Medical Faculty, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia.  

Under the mentorship of prof. Tadej Battelino he completed his PhD in 2017 with a thesis investigating automated insulin delivery (AID) in type 1 diabetes (T1D) and a Postdoctoral Clinical-Research Fellowship in Prof Hovorka’s Artificial Pancreas Group at the University of Cambridge, UK in 2018. As a member of DREAM consortium, he was involved in several in-patient and outpatient clinical trials with AID. His clinical and scientific activities focus on diabetes management with state-of-the-art technology, particularly continuous glucose monitoring and AID glucose control. 

He has led and collaborated on several prospective and cohort studies with multiple publications in high-ranking journals.  

Dr. Dovc is an active member of the national and international scientific communities, including EASD Training and Education Committee, ISPAD Advisory Board,  and one of the co-founders of the ISPAD Young Researchers Community – the JENIOUS group, where he led and was involved with several projects and publications. He co-authored sections of the ISPAD Clinical Practice Consensus Guidelines related to diabetes management in school and management of hypoglycemia and is currently appointed as an associate editor for the 2024-2026 edition.  

Dr. Dovc received the JDRF-ISPAD Research Fellowship Award in 2018 and was appointed as an expert at EU Commission Expert Panel for Medical Devices, Endocrinology & Diabetes Thematic Panel between 2020 and 2023. He collaborates on several publicly-funded research projects, and was a Slovenian National Research Agency Grant recipient in 2022. He volunteers with the Slovene pediatric diabetes patients’ association “Sladkorčki”.  

Dr Corah Lewis 

Corah completed her doctorate in Clinical Psychology at the University of Oxford and worked in the Children’s Psychological Medicine team at Oxford Children’s Hospital after qualifying. As part of this role Corah worked for a year in the Oxford Children’s Diabetes Service. Corah has previously worked in more general Child and Adolescent Mental Health services in the NHS and currently works in the Russell Cairns Unit at the John Radcliffe Hospital as part of the Craniofacial and Facial Palsy team. 

Dr Mary Owen

Mary completed her doctorate in Clinical Psychology at University of Liverpool in 2013, after previously gaining a PhD in the area of Paediatric Clinical Health Psychology at the same university. Her first job included working in the Paediatric Diabetes team at Great Western Hospital in Swindon, before joining the Children’s Diabetes service at Oxford Children’s Hospital in 2018. This service offers support to children, young people and their families up to the age of 17. Mary has also worked as part the Diabetes Transition service for children and young people aged 17-19 and recently as part of the Diabetes Young Adult service up to the age of 25.  

Niamh O’Rourke

RGN, RNP, RANP. 

Niamh is a Registered Nurse Prescriber with a Master’s in Advanced Practice Nursing and an MSc in Diabetes from Cardiff University. Since joining the team at Regional Hospital Mullingar in 2021, they have focused on improving patient outcomes through structured education and diabetes technology. 

Having lived with type 1 diabetes since the age of 16, Niamh brings both personal experience and clinical expertise to diabetes care. They contributed to the development of ERIN (Educational Resource for Irish Newly Diagnosed), a structured education program adapted from the award-winning SEREN program from the Children and Young People’s Network in Wales, now being implemented nationally in paediatric diabetes centres.  

Their work in diabetes technology has supported the increase of insulin pump usage to 88%, improving access to advanced diabetes management solutions. 

Niamh McGrath

Niamh graduated from UCD in 2007 with an honours degree and first class honours in Paediatrics. She was awarded student of the year.

Following completion of her intern year at the Mater Hospital, she completed 2 years of basic specialist training and then 5 years of higher specialist training in Paediatrics. From 2016 to 2018 Niamh worked as clinical research fellow at locum Paediatric Endocrinologist at Temple St Children’s hospital while completing her MD titled ‘Outcome of the national newborn bloodspot screening programme for congenital hypothyroidism in the Republic of Ireland’.

Niamh was appointed as Paediatric Endocrinologist to University Hospital Galway in 2018, where they developed the Saolta Paediatric Diabetes Network providing an outreach service to Mayo University Hospital and Portiuncula Hospital .

Shirley Beatty

Shirley, a proud Cavan woman despite her long-standing Cork roots, has dedicated her career to diabetes care for many years, beginning in Eastbourne, UK. She joined CUH in 2004, a quickly moved into Paediatric Diabetes for 15 years, developing the dietetic arm of a growing service. In 2016 she earned her MSc Diabetes, whilst receiving the overall top marks prize in her year. She served as the National Dietetic lead on Paediatric Diabetes programme for a number of years, contributing to national clinical guidelines, and collaborated with Diabetes Ireland on initiatives like  ‘time to talk’ for teens with DM across Cork. 

In 2022 Shirley moved to the adult side of Diabetes becoming a Clinical Specialist Dietitian and establishing a transition service for young adults with the exceptional Dr Maura Moriarty. She is passionate about supporting patients from childhood into young adulthood, and finds joy in reconnecting with those she first met at ages 3 or 4 as they transition into our service as independent young adults. 

Completing her Postgrad in Sports & Exercise Nutrition at Leeds Beckett University in 2023, Shirley received the Dean’s Prize and achieved SENR registration as a Sports & Exercise Performance Nutritionist. This expertise enriches her work with athletes managing Diabetes, combining her passions for healthcare and performance nutrition. 

COMMUNITY – TYPE 2 STREAM

Dr Lisa Owens

Dr Lisa Owens works as a Consultant Endocrinologist at St James’s Hospital, Dublin and Senior Lecturer in Medicine at Trinity College Dublin and Imperial College London. She completed a PhD in Polycystic Ovary Syndrome and a Fellowship in Reproductive Endocrinology at Imperial College London. She works as a Reproductive and General Endocrinologist and runs the Type 1 Diabetes clinic at St James’s Hospital. Her subspeciality interests include complex menopause, premature ovarian insufficiency, PCOS, and male factor infertility.  

Una O’Neill

Una O’Neill, an Advanced Nurse Practitioner in Integrated Diabetes Care in Kildare/West Wicklow affiliated with Naas General Hospital, has over 17 years of experience empowering patients to self-manage their diabetes through education, personalised care plans, and timely treatment. For the past decade, she has collaborated with GP practices to enhance care for people with type 2 diabetes. 

She has contributed to national policy, including the Diabetic Foot Model of Care (2021) and the Integrated Model of Care for Type 2 Diabetes (2024). Passionate about education, Una has led study days, conferences, and webinars for healthcare professionals over the past eight years. Recently, she was invited to join the Primary Care Diabetes Society committee and speak for UCD’s Graduate Diploma in Diabetes and DCU Masters Programme for Chronic Disease. 

Mary O’Sullivan

Mary graduated from UCC BSc. Nutritional Sciences in 2007 and completed a PgD in Dietetics in Leeds Metropolitan University in 2009. Mary has worked for sixteen years as a clinical dietitian, in both community and acute settings. She took up an ICPCD Snr. Diabetes Dietitian position in 2017 to lead service development across Carlow, Kilkenny and South Tipperary and support national integrated care working for diabetes. She works as part of the national team of ICPCD dietitians to enhance and standardise service delivery locally and nationally in line with best practice and evidence base. Mary moved into the Chronic Disease Hub for Carlow/Kilkenny on its establishment in 2021.  

Mary was a member of the DISCOVER DIABETES-Type 2 development group that designed, developed and tested the group self-management education and support programme, and Mary tested it with service users in CHO 5. She was a member of the DISCOVER DIABETES – Type 2 online programme development group that responded to the need for online care in 2020. She participated in the national Diabetes Prevention Programme pilot in 2021-2022. Mary is a QISMET accredited educator of DISCOVER DIABETES-Type 2  

Mary currently delivers DISCOVER DIABETES – Type 2 group SMES programmes in-person and online, and offers one to one medical nutrition therapy clinics for people with type 2 Diabetes. Mary is passionate about the value of self-management education and is committed to the empowerment approach to care when supporting people living with chronic disease. She experiences a high level of job satisfaction from embedding behaviour change care approaches and facilitation skills into her care supporting people to self-manage their condition and live well with diabetes. 

Dr. Karen Harrington

Karen is a Clinical Specialist Dietitian (Diabetes) working with the HSE Integrated Care Programme for Chronic Disease (ICPCD) Self-Management Education Office. She joined the HSE in 2001, as a Snr. Community Dietitian with the Health Promotion Department CHO 4. She began the development of type 2 diabetes group care services in 2005, which she has continued to grow and develop ever since; receiving the HSE Achievement Award 2008 for this work (overall winner). In 2017, she took up her current post with Margaret Humphreys (Dietitian Manager), created to support and lead ICPCD specialist Community Dietitians across the HSE, to develop and implement standard and high quality dietitian care nationally for the treatment and prevention of type 2 diabetes. 

She has co-led the development and advancement of a range of community dietitian services for diabetes care, for group self-management education and support (SMES) and one to one medical nutrition therapy. These include: the HSE owned and QISMET accredited group SMES ‘DISCOVER DIABETES – Type 2’; ‘Health Course Manager’, the national IT system to support the delivery of chronic disease group SMES; digital SMES supports; and an accredited educator training programme for SME (online). She has collaborated with international experts to develop and deliver bespoke Empowerment Behaviour Change Training and Emotional Health for Diabetes Training for ICPCD dietitians. The work of DISCOVER DIABETES –Type 2 has also informed and supported the development of the other HSE owned and QISMET accredited SME programmes – Diabetes Prevention Programme (DPP) and Best Health Weight Management programme.  

Acute – Type 1 Stream

Dr Rose Stewart 

Dr Rose Stewart is a multi-award winning Consultant Clinical Psychologist working in North Wales. She is the Diabetes Psychology lead for Wales and the chair of the UK Diabetes Psychology Network.

She writes guided self-help books for people living with diabetes (the Talking Type 1 range), is a Diabetes UK Clinical Champion and member of the Council of Healthcare Professionals, and lectures at Swansea and Bangor universities.

Dr Stewart uses a range of third-wave therapeutic approaches to work with high-risk client groups, and has particular interests in working with young adults, interventions to prevent psychological distress and creating psychologically informed care systems.  

Dr Steve Stanaway

Dr Steve Stanaway is a Consultant Endocrinologist and Diabetologist working in North Wales and a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians. Dr Stanaway was named Diabetes Professional of the Year (2022) in the UK Quality in Care awards.  

Dr Stanaway cares deeply about the work that he does and understands that good relationships are central to supporting people with diabetes. He has a particular interest in young adult diabetes and the psychological issues around the condition generally. From this interest Dr Stanaway was the first consultant in the UK to integrate psychological support directly into his young adult clinic. He continues to develop this service with the team in Wrexham. 

Dr Cathy Breen

RD, PhD

Cathy is a CORU registered Clinical Specialist Dietitian in Obesity and Diabetes, in St Columcille’s Hospital in Loughlinstown, with 20 years of experience in these areas. She holds a PhD in Nutrition, and has co-authored a number of clinical guidelines that aim to improve and standardise diabetes care nationally and internationally, including the DUK Evidence Based Guidelines for the Prevention and Management of Diabetes and the Irish National Clinical Guideline for Type 1 diabetes.

She is a currently seconded to the National Clinical Programme for Diabetes as Interim Dietetic Lead. She’s is a DAFNE Educator, insulin pump trainer and Knuston facilitator, and spends a lot of her clinical time alongside people with Type 1 diabetes cruising the peaks and troughs of pump and CGM downloads looking for those elusive patterns!

Dr Christine Newman

Dr Christine Newman is currently working as a consultant endocrinologist and associate professor of maternal health in Galway University Hospital/University of Galway and is lead clinical researcher in the Diabetes Collaborative Clinical Trials Network.

She graduated from NUIG in 2012 with an MB BCh BAO and completed her MD in the area of diabetes in pregnancy in 2022. She has previously held posts as a clinical lecturer in the School of Medicine at the University of Galway and clinical fellow in Diabetes Technology and Endocrinology in Addenbrooke’s Hospital, Cambridge University Hospitals Group. She obtained postgraduate qualifications from the The Royal College of Physicians of Ireland and is a member of the college and she has a Speciality Certificate in Endocrinology and Diabetes from the Society of Endocrinology.

Dr Newman’s research interests are currently focused in the area of diabetes in pregnancy, diabetes technology and evidence synthesis and she recently lead a refresh Priority Setting Partnership with the James Lind Alliance in the area of type 1 diabetes. 

Dr Valerie Twomey

Dr Valerie Twomey is Head of Psychology at Tallaght University Hospital and Associate Clinical Lecturer at Trinity College Dublin. Valerie works directly with patients in the TUH Diabetes Day Centre. Prior to her appointment to TUH in 2023, Valerie worked at the National Rehabilitation Hospital (NRH) where she had been working for almost 25 years as a Clinical Neuropsychologist and the Manager of the Brain Injury and Stroke Programmes of Specialist Rehabilitation. Valerie is an experienced clinician and manager with qualifications in leadership and quality improvement and is passionate about improving access and quality in healthcare for all.  

In recent years, Valerie held senior positions in the HSE Clinical Design and Innovation Division overseeing and managing a number of national clinical programmes and the integrated care programme for chronic disease and most recently has been the NRH Lead for the development of specialist rehabilitation services in association with the national office for Trauma and the Mater Hospital Major Trauma Centre.  

Community & Acute Late Morning Session

Dr. Amar Puttanna

Dr Amar Puttanna is a diabetes and endocrine consultant in the West Midlands, England, UK. He is particularly interested in education, having won teaching awards from the University of Birmingham and the Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh. In 2018, he received an Excellence in Patient Care Award from the Royal College of Physicians for his contribution to the profession in the UK. 

He is involved in writing guidelines, including those on older adults with diabetes and guidelines/patient leaflets on diabetes and dementia. He has also worked on local guidelines for type 2 diabetes management, including areas such as cardiovascular disease and frailty. Dr Puttanna’s interests are in cardiovascular disease, diabetes management in older adults, including cognitive impairment, as well as the oral health of people with diabetes. 

Dr PJ Boyle

Dr P.J. Boyle is a Clinical Nurse Specialist (CNSp) working at the HSE Refugee Health Centre National Reception Centre Balseskin Dublin. He is a qualified registered general and registered children’s nurse. He has been working as CNSp with International Protection Applicants for 25 years. P.J. has a specific interest in migrant health, cultural competence and transcultural nursing. He holds a Master’s Degree in Development Studies and Professional Doctorate in Transcultural Health care.   P.J. works exclusively in a primary care in the areas of social inclusion and public health. In his role in 2019 P.J. helped establish an outreach collaboration between hospital and community based Diabetic Nurse Specialists and GP medical services in the refugee health centre.  P.J. lectures on a number of undergraduate and post-graduate academic programmes in the School of Nursing and Midwifery at Trinity College Dublin. In 2024 P.J. was a recipient of the Nursing and Human Rights Award from the Nursing Ethics Journal (Sage Publications).

Dr Mark Davies

Mark graduated from Queen’s University Belfast in 1998 with a doctorate in Clinical Psychology. Prior to this, he worked as a Research Psychologist at St George’s Hospital Medical School, University of London. Since June 2000, he has worked at Belfast City Hospital where he provides a clinical psychology service to people diagnosed with diabetes.

He is involved in research projects exploring diabetes and the menopause, how best to support young people to manage diabetes and the use of new technologies in diabetes care. He has published widely, and provides supervision and training to a range of healthcare professionals both locally and nationally. He is particularly interested person-centred practice and is an active member of the Diabetes Self-Management Alliance and the Knuston Ireland faculty, which runs an empowerment and counselling skills training course each year for diabetes healthcare professionals across Ireland.

Afternoon Session

Prof. Chantal Mathieu 

Professor of Medicine at the Katholieke Universiteit and Endocrinologist at the University Hospital Gasthuisberg Leuven, Belgium 

Chantal Mathieu is a physician-scientist who has contributed to the field of diabetes and endocrinology through basic and clinical research. Her basic research work focuses on pathogenesis and prevention of type 1 diabetes. Prof. Mathieu’s clinical work involving new products and treatment paradigms in diabetes, such as new insulins, adjunct therapies and diagnosis of gestational diabetes have made her a speaker in international fora.

Prof. Mathieu coordinates the European clinical trial network for interventions in type 1 diabetes ‘INNODIA’ and the European project ‘EDENT1FI’ on screening for type 1 diabetes. Prof. Mathieu is president of EASD and vice-president of the European Diabetes Forum.  

Dr Michael Lockhart

Dr. Michael Lockhart is an Integrated Care Consultant Endocrinologist in St. Luke’s General Hospital Carlow/Kilkenny and CHO5. As well as working clinically, he is also undertaking a Medical Doctorate degree with the University of Galway in the area of Digital Health in the Prevention of Diabetic Foot Ulceration. He has previously worked in a national role as Programme Manager for the National Clinical Programme for Diabetes, and is a member of the steering group for the National Diabetes Policy & Services Review. 

Michael is passionate about the prevention of the complications of Diabetes Mellitus, with a subspecialty interest in the prevention and treatment of diabetic foot disease, chronic disease management and digital health.  

Hazel O’Grady 

Hazel O’Grady is a Transition Year student in St. Finians College Mullingar. Her group project “Plastic not so fantastic: Sustainability in diabetes management” was highly commended at the 2025 BT Young Scientist and Technology Exhibition.

She plays Cello to Grade 7 level and has been a member of the Irish Midlands Youth Orchestra for a number of years. She will perform at the International Festival of Youth Orchestras in Vienna in July. A talented actress, she has recently completed a run as “Anybodys” in West Side Story.  

Hazel has received numerous awards and commendations including being awarded a Peer Mentorship award in first year, as voted by her year group. She has recently denied claims she is a nepo baby. 

Professor Michael O’Grady 

Michael O’Grady is the National Clinical Lead for Paediatric Diabetes. He is a graduate of the National University of Ireland, Galway and completed Higher Specialist Training in Paediatrics, including fellowship training in Paediatric Endocrinology in Perth.

He was appointed Consultant Paediatrician and Paediatric Endocrinologist in Regional Hospital Mullingar in 2012. He is a former National Specialty Director for Higher Specialist Training in Paediatrics and the immediate past President of the Irish Paediatric Association.  

He was appointed as UCD Clinical Professor in 2020. His research interests include diabetes technologies, diabetes management in educational settings and type 2 diabetes. Some of his work in these areas have been cited in recent International Society for Paediatric and Adolescent Diabetes (ISPAD) guidelines. 

Professor Seamus Sreenan

Seamus Sreenan is a consultant in Diabetes and Endocrinology at Connolly Hospital, Blanchardstown in Dublin. In 2006 he was appointed as associate professor in the Department of Medicine at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland and was promoted to full professor in 2019. In 2010 Prof Sreenan was appointed director of the graduate entry medical programme at RCSI. Prof Sreenan received his medical degree from University College Dublin. Having completed training in general medicine in Dublin he completed his specialist training in the endocrinology section at the University of Chicago Medical Center. His research interests have included the pathophysiology of beta cell function in diabetes, utilization of technology in type 1diabetes and the impact of sleep quality on cardiovascular risk in diabetes. Prof Sreenan has completed more than 40 clinical trials in diabetes as chief investigator at Connolly over the last 20 years and has more than 80 peer-reviewed publications.

 Professor Seán F. Dinneen

MD, MSc, FRCPI

Seán Dinneen is an Academic Endocrinologist based in the West of Ireland. Past leadership roles include Head of the School of Medicine, University of Galway (2013 to 2016) and National Lead for Diabetes, HSE (2016 to 2022). He was an Editor with Diabetic Medicine, the journal of Diabetes UK, from 2017 to 2024. In March 2021 he became National Lead for the PPI Ignite Network, aiming to increase capacity for high quality public and patient involvement in health and social care research in Ireland https://ppinetwork.ie/ In January 2025 he was appointed as Ireland’s first Clinical Lead for a National Diabetes Registry.

Dr Tomás Griffin

Dr Tomás Griffin has recently taken up a post as a Consultant Diabetologist at Galway University Hospitals/CHO2 and Honorary Senior Lecturer at the University of Galway. He is a graduate of the school of Medicine at the University of Galway (First Honour). He completed a PhD entitled, “The Role of Novel Biomarkers in Addressing the Burden of Chronic Kidney Disease in Diabetes Mellitus” at the University of Galway. In addition, he holds a Masters in Clinical Research (First Honour) and a Higher Diploma in Clinical Education (First Honour) from the University of Galway. 

Dr Griffin was awarded and completed a competitive Clinical Fellowship in Diabetes Technology at the Leicester Diabetes Research Centre (2021-2022).  He is an honorary Lecturer at the University of Leicester. Dr Griffin is the clinical lead for the Insulin Pump/Technology services at Galway University Hospitals, Ireland. He was the local lead for the roll-out of the Hybrid Closed Loop Insulin Pump Pilot at Leicester General Hospital. Dr Griffin has worked as a Consultant Diabetologist/Associate Professor of Medicine at University Hospital Limerick/University of Limerick. In addition to multiple academic publications, Dr Griffin has received national and international awards for his research. 

Professor Nuala Murphy

is a Consultant Paediatric Endocrinologist in Children’s Health Ireland at Temple Street in Dublin. She is Clinical Lead for the Irish Audit of Paediatric Diabetes (IAPD) , run by the National Office of Clinical Audit. She graduated from UCD and completed Endocrinology training in Dublin, Oxford, Cambridge and London. She was awarded her MD from UCD and is a UCD Clinical Professor. Her research interests include hypoglycaemia, thyroid physiology, newborn screening and optimising management in paediatric type 1 diabetes.  

Ms Sinead Powell

BSc. Hons, RD 

Sinead qualified as a dietitian from Queen Margaret University, Edinburgh. 

She has worked in the area of diabetes for over 25 years both in the UK and Ireland in secondary and primary care and for the last number of years in Diabetes Ireland where her role is diverse but mainly involves facilitation of education workshops, advocacy, project development, awareness and supports to HCPs and PwD. 

Current interests are the development of emotional wellbeing programmes and tools to improve communication with and for people living with diabetes. 

She is a passionate advocate for people with diabetes on many bodies. She is a CORU registered dietitian and member of the Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute (INDI) and long-standing member of the Diabetes Interest Group (DIG) of the INDI. She completed a Postgrad Diploma in Healthcare Innovation from TCD in 2021. She currently sits on the IES committee.