Our Leadership Team
Meet the COPE Galway Leadership Team.
Our experienced leadership team guide COPE Galway towards achieving our mission to make a difference by empowering people, creating change and strengthening communities.
Reporting to our board of directors, they provide strategic leadership for COPE Galway’s governance, management, services, development, fundraising and finance teams.
CEO
Michael Smyth
Michael joined COPE Galway as CEO in May 2021 and is responsible for its management, oversight and governance as set by our Board of Directors. Prior to joining COPE Galway, Michael was CEO of SCCUL Enterprises, a position he held since 2014. Michael is a graduate of GMIT (BA Gno agus Cumarsaid 2012) and NUIG (MBA 2020 and MSc Strategic Marketing 2013). Michael is a keen sports fan, fluent in Irish and has a passionate belief in people’s potential and the power of community.
Assistant CEO & Head of Operations
Martin O’Connor
Martin oversees the development and delivery of operations across COPE Galway’s services. An ardent advocate for people who are homeless, he also engages in media and political spaces, advocating for change that will see the wider range of issues affecting those we work with addressed. He has worked with COPE Galway since 1997 prior to which he worked in the UK in the area of homelessness and housing.
Head of Homeless Services
Sinéad Carey
We are delighted to announce the appointment of Sinéad Carey as Head of COPE Galway Homeless Services. Sinéad brings 15 years’ experience working in homeless, addiction, health and recovery services in Limerick, and is a strong advocate of service users. She also has experience and particular interest in Trauma Informed Care, peer initiatives and harm reduction.
Head of Development
Sharon Fitzpatrick
Sharon is COPE Galway’s Head of Development, with responsibility for revenue generation, marketing and communications. Sharon is a graduate of ATU, University of Galway (B.Comm) and the Irish Management Institute (MSc in Organisational Behaviour). Sharon has 25 years’ experience working in business development in Ireland and the UK, the last 18 in the not-for-profit sector in Galway. Outside of work Sharon spends her time raising family and combining her interests in travel and long-distance running.
Head of Senior Support Services
Louise McLaughlin
Louise McLaughlin is Head of COPE Galway Senior Support Services, bringing over two decades of leadership experience in community development, health and social care, funding and volunteer engagement to the role. She has a background in leading age friendly services that support older people and has held a variety of paid and voluntary leadership roles, in Local Councils and local and regional charities.
Louise is passionate about promoting wellbeing, independence and dignity for older adults, the importance of enabling them to thrive within their local community, and ensuring services evolve to meet the changing needs of older people in the community.
Head of Domestic Abuse Services
Gillian McNamee
Gillian joined COPE Galway as Head of Domestic Abuse Service in October 2022. She brings over 20 years’ experience working in a wide range of human care services to the role. This includes more than 11 years’ operational expertise in commissioning and managing innovative services and teams.
She is a Guest Lecturer in Psychology of Criminal Behaviour at the University of Cork, and has been published in the Irish Journal of Applied Social Studies. Gillian is also a strong advocate for the provision of appropriate systems and strategies in the Criminal Justice System to support people with disabilities.
Head of Finance
Neil McNeil
Neil is COPE Galway’s Head of Finance, leading the accounts team within the organisation, having joined in 2017. After graduating from NUI Galway where he obtained a degree in Commerce, Neil went on to train and qualify as a Chartered Account in 2004 with BDO Ireland. Over the course of his career, he has held various financial roles with companies such as Lifes2good and CMS Distribution.
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