Meet the team
Our 'Biodiversity in Schools' team consists of an amazing group of talented individuals including scientists, teachers and horticulturists. Between them they have decades of experience in the classroom, in the school garden and in the environmental education sector in Ireland. They are a positive, practical and passionate team who are committed to help tackle the biodiversity crisis, encouraging the next generation and continually raise the bar of nature education in Ireland. We'll be adding to our team throughout 2021/22.
Mark Nolan
Director Mark is the co-founder of Biodiversity in Schools. He is an environmental scientist (Trinity College Dublin) with a masters in science communication (Dublin City University) and over 13 years experience working in the environmental education sector. He manages the day-to-day running of 'Biodiversity in Schools' and ensures we stay fresh and innovative while delivering impactful change to young people and also tackling the biodiversity crisis. Counties: Longford, Westmeath. 
Mairead Gabbett
Biodiversity Education Officer - Dublin Region Mairead studied Botany in NUI Galway and has participated in surveys of many habitats including woodlands, grasslands, mountains, bogs and coastal areas. She loves sharing her passion for nature and is happiest when spending time outdoors. Counties: Dublin, Wicklow. |
Caitríona McCabe
Biodiversity Education Officer - Northern Region Caitriona is the co-founder of Biodiversity in Schools. She is a fully qualified and experienced primary school teacher (Hibernia College) and also a zoologist (Trinity College Dublin). This allows her to merge both her passions of working with young people and exploring the amazing world of biodiversity. She has over a decade of classroom experience while also working with some of Ireland's leading nature education organisations.
Counties: Cavan, Monaghan, Meath, Louth. 
Judith O'Connor
Biodiversity Education Officer - Midlands Region Judith is our superstar school gardener. Having successfully run the nature and gardening club at Kildare Town ETNS for 6 years, managing everything from the school garden geodome to creating lessons for the entire school. As well as being qualified and experienced in organic horticulture, she's also an accountant with an MBA (DBS, Oxford Brookes) so she knows how to run a project! Counties: Kildare, Offaly, Laois, Dublin. |
Graham Fitzpatrick
Biodiversity Education Officer - South-Eastern Region Graham is a fully qualified and experienced primary school teacher (Froebel College) with a strong interest in regenerative agriculture. He has spent time working on organic farms and has a range of qualifications from permaculture design to polytunnel growing. His love of the natural world has been a strong feature of his own classroom work and we're delighted to have him on our team to share this experience and passion with other teachers and students.
Counties: Waterford, Wexford, Kilkenny, Carlow, Tipperary. 
TBC
Biodiversity Education Officer - South-Western Region Details to follow. Counties: Cork, Kerry, Limerick. 
TBC
Biodiversity Education Officer - Western Region Details to follow.
Counties: Galway, Mayo, Sligo, Leitrim, Roscommon, Clare, Donegal. |
