Diabetes Ireland Conference & Exhibition Speakers’ Bios

PREGNANCY STREAM

Prof Fidelma Dunne

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 >270 peer review publications, 15,000 citations, H index of 66 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. 

Ciara Coveney 

Ciara Coveney is a Registered Advanced Midwife Practitioner (RAMP) in Diabetes in Pregnancy at the National Maternity Hospital. She is dual-qualified as a nurse and midwife and holds an MSc in Advanced Practice. She leads the midwifery team of a multidisciplinary diabetes in pregnancy team, delivering specialist, evidence-based care. 

In 2021, she was appointed Adjunct Assistant Professor at University College Dublin and is an active member of the NMH/JRN Research Network. 

Ciara specialises in pre-gestational diabetes, gestational diabetes, diabetes technology, and high-risk midwifery-led care. She was a member of the Diabetes in Pregnancy Model of Care Working Group (launched 2024) and a current member on the National Guideline update (anticipated 2026). 

She has been a national advocate for equitable access to diabetes technology and led the implementation of virtual gestational diabetes care across multiple hospital sites. She has contributed to peer-reviewed publications in this field, including a recent publication on virtual models of care for gestational diabetes, and regularly presents at national and international scientific meetings. 

Her research interests include Type 1 Diabetes in pregnancy, midwifery-led high-risk care, and diabetes technology in pregnancy. 

Dr Catherine George 

Catherine George is a registered nutritionist (ANutr) and PhD researcher at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland, focused on developing resources to support pre-pregnancy health and lifestyle behaviour change. She holds a BA in Biology from Princeton University and an MSc in Nutrition from King’s College London. Her mixed-methods research explores the role of nutrition and physical activity in improving maternal health outcomes, particularly among women at increased metabolic risk, such as those with a history of gestational diabetes. 

Catherine’s work bridges research, policy, and practice, contributing to multiple maternal health publications and updates in UK and Irish pregnancy guidelines. Alongside her academic work, she supports athletes and active women in translating evidence-based science into practical strategies to optimise health, performance, and long-term wellbeing 

Dr Pauline Dunne 

Dr. Pauline Dunne is a registered dietitian and postdoctoral researcher at RCSI, specialising in chronic disease prevention, women’s metabolic health, and the integration of nutrition science with artificial intelligence. Her work takes a life course approach, with a particular focus on long-term follow-up after pregnancy complications such as gestational diabetes mellitus. She is committed to improving care pathways for groups often overlooked in research and clinical practice, and to developing innovative, evidence-based strategies that strengthen metabolic health across the lifespan. 

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 led a refresh Priority Setting Partnership with the James Lind Alliance in the area of type 1 diabetes. 

Catherine Chambers

Catherine is a Clinical Specialist Dietitian working at the National Maternity Hospital, Holles Street, Dublin in a busy and dynamic multidisciplinary team caring for pregnant women with diabetes, and previously was part of the Diabetes Team at St Vincent’s University Hospital.  She specialises in provision of nutritional care to women with type 1, type 2 and gestational diabetes during and after pregnancy.  

Catherine is committed to improving care for pregnant women and sees pregnancy as an important period that can have lifelong influence on the health of the woman and indirectly her family.  Catherine has worked as a dietitian for over 20 years and has been involved with many initiatives such as delivering education modules to dietitians who are delivering the diabetes prevention programme to women who have had gestational diabetes.  She is part of the working group for the Irish Diabetes in Pregnancy Guidelines.  Catherine has expertise in the various aspects of using technology in the management of diabetes and translates this information into practical, easy to understand ways for women during pregnancy.   

Susan Russell

Susan Russell is a Senior Diabetes Dietitian and currently works in the Dublin Northwest Chronic Disease Hub at Cuan Aoibheann. She moved to this role in 2022, having previously worked in St. James’ Hospital for 15 years. She currently works with the Diabetes team and delivers Structured Diabetes Education Programmes Discover Diabetes and DESMOND. 

Susan was diagnosed with Gestational Diabetes in her first pregnancy in 2016, and following further tests was subsequently diagnosed with Type 1 Diabetes.   

Jenny Myers

Jenny is Professor of Obstetrics & Maternal Medicine within the Maternal & Fetal Health Research Centre, University of Manchester and Consultant Obstetrician, St Mary’s Hospital, Manchester, UK.  As an obstetrician, Jenny is part of the Maternal Medicine team and leads two translational research clinics for women with hypertension and diabetes. She is also the Hospital Chief Clinical Informatics Officer for St Mary’s Managed Clinical Service (17500 births). She currently runs a portfolio of clinical and laboratory science studies which span vascular and placental biology research, preclinical models, observational cohort studies and intervention trials before, during and after pregnancy. Jenny is also co-lead of the Manchester Integrated Clinical Academic Training programme. Jenny is the chief/principal investigator for several multicentre studies related to hypertension and diabetes in pregnancy. 

ADULT STREAM 

Prof 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.

Prof Maartje de Wit

Dr Maartje de Wit is an internationally renowned associate professor of medical psychology based in Amsterdam, where she is affiliated with Amsterdam UMC. Her research focuses on the intersection of mental health and chronic illness, particularly the psychosocial aspects of diabetes in both young people and adults living with type 1 diabetes. She investigates how psychological factors—such as mood, behavior, and social context—interact with diabetes management across different stages of life, with the goal of improving health outcomes and quality of life. Through a combination of cohort studies and intervention-based research, De Wit has contributed to advancing patient-centered care, including the use of person-reported outcomes and mental health support within diabetes treatment. Her work plays a key role in integrating psychological care into medical practice for chronic disease management. Among multiple research publications, she has been the lead author of ISPAD Clinical Guidelines chapter: Psychological care of children, adolescents, and young adults with diabetes. 

Prof Derek O’ Keeffe

Prof. Derek O’Keeffe is a consultant endocrinologist based at University Hospital Galway and Professor of Medical Device Technology at the University of Galway, known as ‘Physicianeer’ for his innovative approach to combining medicine and engineering. With dual first-class honours degrees and doctorates in both medicine and engineering, he has built an international career that includes prestigious scholarships at Harvard and Oxford, as well as specialist training at the Mayo Clinic in the United States. His research focuses on digital health, diabetes care, and the development of patient-centred technologies, including remote monitoring systems and novel medical devices aimed at improving clinical outcomes. Professor O’Keeffe has also collaborated with organizations such as NASA on biomedical experiments and telemedicine initiatives, reflecting his interest in cutting-edge healthcare delivery. Alongside his clinical and academic work, he has led the National Clinical Programme for Diabetes from 2022 to 2025 and co-chaired the Diabetes Policy and Services Review Steering Group launched by the Department of Health, co-leading the group to the finalisation and launch of the document. Professor O’Keeffe is widely recognised for advancing the integration of technology into modern endocrinology practice and health delivery through award-winning research projects and clinical trials. 

Dr Jonathan Briody 

Dr. Jonathan Briody is a health economist based at the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) in Dublin, where he works within the School of Population Health and leads Health and Economic Impact Modelling for the Converge Centre for Chronic Disease and Population Health Research. His research focuses on evaluating the cost-effectiveness and population health impact of interventions for major chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and dementia, often using advanced microsimulation and economic modelling approaches. Dr. Briody has collaborated internationally, including as a visiting scientist with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and contributes to national health policy as a health economist for Ireland’s National Screening Advisory Committee, advising on population-based screening programmes. His work has been widely published, recognised with research awards and funding, and aims to inform evidence-based healthcare decision-making and improve health outcomes at a population level.

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. 

Dr Pedro Cardoso

Pedro Cardoso is a Research Fellow at the University of Exeter, specialising in the development and recalibration of predictive models across Type 1, Type 2 and monogenic diabetes (MODY). His research focuses on the intersection of precision medicine and causal inference, with a particular interest in identifying heterogeneity in drug responses and refining rare-disease modelling to improve diagnostic accuracy. Pedro’s methodological approaches integrate Bayesian and Frequentist frameworks to extract insights from large-scale observational cohorts and clinical trial data, ensuring that the predictive tools developed are robust and generalisable. 

Prof Donal O’Shea

Qualified from University College Dublin in 1989 and then moved to Hammersmith Hospital in London. Completed research with Professor Sir Stephen Bloom on how the brain controls appetite. Moved to current position in 1999 establishing 2 hospital based multidisciplinary treatment teams for the management of adult obesity and gender dysphoria. Is a member of the Department of Health Policy group on obesity and chaired a group carrying out a health impact assessment on the potential benefits and harms of a tax on sugar sweetened drinks. Has presented the EU Ministers for Health and the Director General of the WHO on the importance of prevention of childhood obesity. Has specific research interests in obesity and gender and has published over 250 research papers. He has served as National Clinical lead for management of Obesity with the Health Service Executive until February 2026. “Since March 2025 has become a regular on TikTok and Instagram in an effort to have real facts about the science of obesity and nutrition appear online”. 

Sinead Powell

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.  

Amy Doyle 

Amy Doyle is a Diabetes Nurse Specialist and works as an Education & Support Co-Ordinator in Diabetes Ireland.

Amy graduated from Napier University Edinburgh in 2002 and returned to Ireland as a general nurse and has worked in a variety of specialities including medical and surgical. She gained a MSc in Healthcare Law & Ethics from RCSI and worked in Diabetes Research for 8 years.

She went on to specialise in Diabetes and graduated from UCD as a clinical Nurse Specialist and then as a Nurse Prescriber from RCSI. She has provided diabetes services to both acute and community settings. Her passion is advocating for inclusivity for people living with diabetes in Ireland. She is involved in projects such as raising awareness of diabetes in the community and is leading on the development, of a mental health and emotional wellbeing programme.

PAEDIATRIC STREAM

Prof Hilary Hoey

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.

Prof Edna 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. 

Jules Thompson

Completed her BA in Psychology in 2005 at NUI Maynooth. She is a Senior Psychologist who completed her postgraduate training in Trinity College in 2010.Prior to working in CHI, Jules worked in Pieta House for three years and TU Dublin Student Counselling Service for two years. Before her role in CHI Jules was the Clinical Manager in Jigsaw Youth Mental Health Service in Swords for seven years. Jigsaw is a transdisciplinary service which provides free therapeutic support to young people aged from 12-25.   

Jules joined CHI in 2023 she works across the Diabetes & CF departments at CHI Crumlin. Over the last three years, Jules has therapeutically supported patients and families living with Type 1 Diabetes. In addition to the individual work Jules also ran two adolescent peer support groups for young people, these groups enabled young people to meet and share their thoughts and feelings about living with a chronic disease.   Jules has almost 15 years’ experience working with young people therapeutically. In addition, Jules is a clinical supervisor to basic grade and assistant psychologists. Jules is the paediatric rep on The National Diabetes Working Group. Jules is a chartered member of The Psychological Society of Ireland. 

John Pemberton

John Pemberton is a UK Specialist Diabetes Dietitian and diabetes technology educator, and Lead Paediatric Diabetes Dietitian at Birmingham Women’s and Children’s NHS Foundation Trust. He specialises in CGM interpretation, automated insulin delivery (AID), structured education, and behaviour-driven glycaemic patterns. John is a member of the IFCC Working Group on CGM and a co-author of the ISPAD 2022 Exercise Guidelines. He is also the Founder of The Glucose Never Lies®, an independent education platform translating diabetes technology science into practical, real-world understanding for clinicians and people living with diabetes. 

Dr Fiona Campbell

Dr Fiona Campbell is the Clinical Lead for DigiBete CIC and a Consultant Paediatrician and Diabetologist at Leeds Children’s Hospital. As Chair of the National Children’s Diabetes Network, she leads national strategy to improve outcomes and reduce variation in paediatric diabetes care across the UK.  

Fiona has an extensive research portfolio spanning clinical innovation, service transformation, and digital self‑management, and has contributed to multiple national studies shaping paediatric diabetes policy and practice. Her expertise ensures DigiBete remains clinically assured, evidence‑based, and aligned with national priorities, while championing inclusive, child‑centred digital support for families and clinical teams. 

Maddie Julian

Maddie Julian is the CEO and Co‑Founder of DigiBete CIC, a nationally commissioned, multi-award-winning, QISMET accredited paediatric Structured Education and self-management platform supporting 45,000 children, young people and their families living with diabetes.

DigiBete is commissioned across the UK and Ireland, providing clinically assured, accessible digital education and self‑management tools for families, schools, and paediatric diabetes teams. Maddie leads the organisation’s strategic vision, partnerships, and inclusive content development, working closely with clinical networks and national bodies to reduce inequalities and strengthen diabetes care by delivering trusted digital interventions embedded within paediatric pathways at Scale 

Claire Maye

Claire Maye is an Advanced Nurse Practitioner in Paediatric Diabetes based in Sligo University Hospital, with extensive expertise in diabetes management, patient education, and chronic disease care. She completed a Health Diploma in diabetes in UCD and the Mater hospital, MSc in Nursing  in RCSI, and a Health Diploma in advanced practice in University of Galway. She plays a key role in delivering advanced, patient-centered diabetes services, supporting individuals with complex diabetes needs through evidence-based treatment, lifestyle intervention, medication optimisation, and the integration of diabetes technologies into clinical practice. Claire is recognised for her collaborative approach to multidisciplinary care and her commitment to improving patient outcomes through education, empowerment, and service innovation. Alongside her clinical responsibilities, as a member of the paediatric diabetes working group, she contributes to the ongoing development of diabetes services, clinical guidelines and professional education initiatives aimed at enhancing standards of diabetes care nationally and across the region.

Helen Fitzgerald

Helen Fitzgerald is an Advanced Nurse Practitioner working with the Diabetes MDT in CHI Tallaght. She has 25 years’ experience in delivering diabetes care to Children/ Adolescents with Type 1 diabetes and their families. 

Since 2016 Helen has been involved in the Teen Clinic which was setup to improve the transition process. She has worked together with the MDT in developing the psychoeducational program into what it is today. 

In 2018 Helen presented a poster on the adolescent’s experiences of the Teen Clinic at the International Society of Paediatric and Adolescent Diabetes (ISPAD) Conference in Innsbrook. More recently she is a co-investigator in research called “Better Together: Assessing the Effectiveness of Diabetes Teen Clinic with Group Psychoeducation”. The findings of which will be shared today.  

Dr Rachel Flanagan  

Dr. Rachel Flanagan is a graduate of the Doctorate in Counselling Psychology at Trinity College Dublin. She is now a Senior Counselling Psychologist working in both the Diabetes Service at CHI Tallaght and the Complex Obesity Service at CHI Temple St. In these settings she has focused particularly on the use of therapeutic models such as Acceptance and Commitment Therapy (ACT) and Compassion Focused Therapy (CFT) to support young people in the context of a chronic medical condition. Rachel co-facilitates a multidisciplinary psychoeducational group for older teenagers with Type 1 Diabetes (T1D) transitioning to adult care and this is part of an ongoing research study at CHI for which she is a co-investigator. She is also working on providing and researching an ACT based intervention for younger adolescents living with T1D who are making the significant transition to secondary school.  

Dr Sarinda Millar

Dr Sarinda Millar works as a consultant paediatrician with an interest in Diabetes in the Southern Health and Social Care Trust (SHSCT) in Northern Ireland.  Dr Millar graduated from Queen’s University Belfast in 2002, completed Paediatric training throughout the Northern Ireland deanery, and took up her consultant post in the SHSCT in 2014. She has a Masters in Interprofessional Health and Social Care Management. 

Dr Sarinda Millar enjoys working as part of a dedicated and proactive multidisciplinary team and really values the expertise each team member brings. 

Dr Millar is one of the core members of the BSPED Pre Type 1 Diabetes Special interest group, which has developed UK best practice recommendations for children and young people <18 years with pre-stage 3 type 1 diabetes. She has recently been appointed as the Northern Ireland Pre Type 1 Diabetes Champion.   Dr Millar’s trust is the Northern Ireland ELSA study site, screening children for type 1 diabetes. Dr Millar and her team follow up children with positive antibodies. 

Dr Sarinda Millar was a Diabetes Clinical Champion and subsequently a Community Clinical Champion through the DUK champion community programme. She found this programme to be invaluable in terms of networking and developing knowledge and practical skills around leadership. Dr Millar has a passion for ensuring everyone has access to the best technology to suit their individual circumstances. She also has a real interest in transition and has developed a positive transition service alongside her adult diabetes teams . She is part of the committee for the local charity T1DCAT which provides peer and practical support for all families within SHSCT living with T1D.

Dr Millar’s team like to show innovation and think outside the box. The team were awarded Project of the year by NI healthcare awards for their leisure centre based T1D clinic 

Jo Forde

Jo Forde is a mum of two—Chloe (20) and Mylo (13)—and has been navigating the world of Type 1 Diabetes since Mylo’s diagnosis in April 2022. At D.I.C.E, she brings honesty, humour, and a real-life parent perspective to raising a child with Type 1 (because textbooks don’t cover 2am blood sugar checks!). Jo is passionate about building a supportive community—organising fun events where kids can connect and parents can find their people. Married to Pat for 25 years, she works part-time and unwinds with a good book or by playing the trumpet. 

Christina Hamilton