Institute of Public Administration, Lansdowne Road, Dublin 4
Effective communications and stakeholder relations are critically important for modern organisations to be impactful. They help organisations to achieve strategic objectives, to deliver on priorities, and to overcome a particular issue or crisis, when 'reaching out' and working together is essential. They also help to influence and shape perceptions about important initiatives or results. In an environment in which we are all too often busy and there is much noise, effective communications and stakeholder relations can be the difference between organisational success or failure.
This Forum event will explore key issues in respect of effective communications and stakeholder relations with three highly experienced practitioners. It will consider questions, such as:
How do we grab the public's attention in an increasingly 'noisy' world?
What are the benefits and pitfalls of social media for communications?
How to gain genuine traction with stakeholders?
How do work effectively in partnership with stakeholder bodies?
What questions should Board members ask in respect of communications and stakeholder relations?
Attendees are encouraged to submit questions for the panel to consider. This can be done in advance (email governance@ipa.ie) or during the session itself.
Speakers
Anna Kilpatrick
Anna is an Associate Director at Drury Porter Novelli, having joined the public relations firm in 2014, and works within its corporate practice. She advises and supports clients in strategic communications, issues management and media relations, and operates across a range of industries including technology, education, professional services, healthcare, construction, the public sector and the not-for-profit sector.
She is passionate about skilled-based volunteering and served as a Director on the Board of the Irish Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ISPCA).
Anna spent the first decade of her career in national broadcasting, working in the newsroom at Newstalk.
Niall Muldoon
Niall Muldoon is the Ombudsman for Children, having been appointed as Ombudsman by President Michael D Higgins on 17 February 2015. Prior to his appointment, he was Director of Investigations at the Ombudsman for Children's Office (OCO). The OCO, an independent office, deals with complaints made by or for children and young people about the actions of public organisations, and promotes the rights and welfare of children and young people under 18 living in Ireland. As such, stakeholder relations is a critically important aspect of its work.
Niall's background is as a clinical psychologist and he has worked in the area of child protection for almost 20 years. Prior to the OCO, he was the national clinical director of The CARI Foundation, a charity that provides therapy and support for children affected by sexual abuse.
Dr Aileen McGloin
Dr Aileen McGloin is Director of Marketing and Communications at Safefood, an all-island implementation body set up under the British-Irish Agreement with a general remit to promote awareness and knowledge of food safety and nutrition issues on the island of Ireland. Aileen's role is to lead Safefood’s communications programme to encourage and support citizens to change food related behaviours in relation to both food safety and healthy eating.
Prior to that, Dr McGloin was safefood’s Communications Manager for Digital and Health. Combining her background in food, health and behaviour change with experience in PR, marketing and digital communications, she led safefood's digital communications since 2010.
In total, Aileen has 20 years of experience working in research, management and health communication roles across the food industry, public relations, academia and the public service.
