Our Board
Marillac Housing Association is very fortunate to have Board Directors with extensive professional and voluntary experience in the areas of finance, building design, property development, planning and a wealth of public sector experience. In addition the Board is fortunate to have Directors who also sit on the Board of Avista CLG. They have particular knowledge and expertise regarding the needs of people living with intellectual disability. This broad skillset allows the Marillac Board to govern the organisation highly effectively.
Michael Cleary, Chairperson
Michael is a chartered planning and development surveyor and established the project management, development management and asset management consultancy Cleary McCabe & Associates in 1997. He is a member of the Institute of Directors in Ireland and a fellow of both the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors and the Society of Chartered Surveyors Ireland.
Michael has held many Board appointments and has extensive experience working with other Approved Housing Bodies. Michael joined the Marillac Board in 2020.
Sally Byrne, Company Secretary
Sally trained as a Chartered Accountant with Pricewaterhouse. Sally’s previous professional appointments included Financial Controller with Kelkin Limited (1989-2003) and Oppermann Associates Limited (2003-2010). Sally has been Financial Controller with the Provincialate of the Daughters of Charity of St Vincent de Paul since 2010.
Sally has held many Board appointments and currently also sits on the Board of Avista CLG. Sally joined the Marillac Board in 2018.
Josh Maguire
Josh is a qualified architect, MBA and Fellow of the Royal Institute of Architects in Ireland, with whom he has served on the Housing subcommittee. His previous professional appointments have included several renowned architectural practices in both Dublin and London where he has specialised in Urban Design, social housing and design for special needs. He has also served on boards and committees of various educational institutions. Josh established the architectural and project management consultancy DOMA Architecture in 2010.
Josh has particular expertise in design of housing for residents with additional needs. Josh joined the Marillac Board in 2018.
Dr. Danny O’Hare
Danny has held key roles in education and public administration and has very extensive public sector experience at the highest level. Danny is the founding president of Dublin City University. Some of his key professional appointments include Chairperson of the Food Safety Authority, the Government Task force on Expert Skills Needs and the Ballymun Regeneration Project.
Danny has also sat on the Boards of various educational and scientific bodies and currently also sits on the Board of Avista CLG. Danny joined the Marillac Board in 2018.
Jong Kim
Jong is a town planner and a corporate member of the Irish Planning Institute. He has worked in Ireland, the UK and Australia including Dublin City Council and South Dublin County Council. He has been involved in the preparation of numerous Local Area Plans and County Development Plans. Jong is a registered lobbyist and has been in private practice since 2004 and co-founded AKM Design in 2014.
He is a housing expert and has been a board member of a number of Irish companies and Approved Housing Bodies. Jong joined the Marillac Board in 2018.
Noel Kidney
Noel is a qualified architect and was a Fellow of the Royal Institute of Architects in Ireland until his retirement. He practiced in Burke Kennedy-Doyle & Partners, becoming Joint Managing Director for 15 years until 2009. Noel also worked extensively in Urban Design during his professional career. He was also involved in the design of a number of housing projects for people living with intellectual and physical disability. Noel has held numerous Board appointments and currently also sits on the Board of Avista CLG. Noel joined the Marillac Board in 2018.
Andrew Coulson
Andy is Head of Compliance at PTSB in Ireland, where he is also Chair of its in-house ADAPT group which promotes and delivers equality regardless of intellectual or physical ability. He has previously spent many years in regulation at both the Central Bank of Ireland and Financial Conduct Authority in the UK. He is an expert on corporate conduct, behaviours and ethics and in 2021 became a Certified Ethics and Culture Advisor with the Institute of Bankers in Ireland. Andy joined the Marillac Board in 2024.
Claire Nelson
Claire is a strategic HR Professional based in Dublin, with extensive experience in change management, M&As, organizational design, talent acquisition and fostering positive workplace environments. Claire is currently the Head of HR for an app development company, StoryToys, and has a breadth of experience across other sectors such as Television, Telecoms, Insurance and Agency. In late 2022, Claire became a Chartered Fellow of CIPD, showcasing her commitment to high professional standards and continuous excellence in the realm of Human Resources. Claire joined the Marillac Board in 2024.
