Team | IPA Governance Forum

The Governance Team at the IPA

Here to assist you and your organisation

The Governance team at the IPA provides a range of value added services to state, public interest and public benefit organisations. A selection of these services are outlined below and the Governance Team is available to discuss how we can assist you and your organisation during the forthcoming year.

Board/Governing Body Evaluation – during 2024 the team undertook Board/Governing Body and Committee evaluations and effectiveness reviews for a range of state bodies, government departments, higher education institutions, and not-for-profit organisations. We provide a genuine value added service, comprising, in each case, a survey of members, one-on-one interviews, documentation review and a Board/ Committee workshop on the findings and next steps.
Governance Reviews – the team supports organisations in assessing the adequacy and effectiveness of their governance frameworks, manuals, policies and documentation, and on key behaviours and dynamics. We provide clear reports with recommendations and areas for improvement.
Risk Management – our specialists support organisations through external evaluations of their risk management frameworks and processes, the development of risk registers and consideration of risk appetite.
Strategy Development – our team supports organisations in the development of new strategic plans and reviewing the effectiveness of their implementation.
Board, Committee and Member Training – during 2024 we supported numerous Boards, Committees and senior teams with bespoke training, from coverage of governance roles and responsibilities, risk management, audit and assurance, the contents and implications of respective codes of governance and new member induction. These were typically delivered online.

Our other services include control effectiveness and assurance reviews, providing professional advice and support to Board committees, and governance gap analysis exercises. We also provide, as necessary, confidential advice and support for boards and those in key governance and leadership roles.

Dr. Tom Ward

Tom manages the Governance Forum at the IPA, and is a Senior Governance Specialist, having re-joined the Institute in May 2017 (he was previously an IPA Specialist between 2006 and 2011). He works on a wide range of governance assignments for clients, including board effectiveness and governance reviews, strategy development and strategic reviews, risk management reviews, and he delivers training and workshop sessions on governance matters for boards and senior teams. He has worked with a range of organisations, including government departments, state agencies, local authorities, higher education institutions, and sport, community and charitable organisations.

Prior to re-joining the IPA in 2017, Tom was a Senior Manager and Consultant at Crowe, managing and delivering a range of assignments in the areas of governance, organisational design, and strategy. Prior to this, he held senior strategy and governance roles at the National Asset Management Agency (NAMA). Tom started his career as a Parliamentary Assistant in the Houses of the Oireachtas.

Tom is an experienced trainer and lecturer at the IPA, lecturing in governance, organisation and strategy, and politics and public administration. He is currently a non-executive member of the Audit & Risk Committee of a state body, and was previously a non-executive director and Vice-Chair on the Board of Badminton Ireland.

Laura Shannon

Laura is a Governance Specialist with the IPA Governance Team, joining in 2024 after eight years as a key member of the IPA's Research Division. She delivers training in a number of areas, including sustainability, strategy development and review, performance indicators, and governance agreements, and supports clients in advisory work such as board and committee evaluations, risk management and governance reviews. Laura also supports the work of the Governance Forum through developing, moderating and contributing to events.

Laura has a particular interest in the intersection of governance and sustainability, exploring how public sector bodies can leverage good governance to cultivate high-performing sustainable organisations and ultimately contribute to better outcomes for the public.

In her former role as Research Officer, Laura worked with clients across the civil and public service on a range of research, advisory and consultancy projects aiming to enhance and improve public governance. She has authored and contributed to several reports on issues of public management, governance and reform at both local and central levels.

Alice Kelly

Alice is an Assistant Specialist with the IPA Governance Team, joining in 2024 after two years in the IPA’s Research Division. Alice holds a BA in History and Politics and an MA in Public Policy from UCD. She has also completed two Advanced Diplomas from King’s Inns in Asylum and Immigration Law and Electoral Politics and Law.

As part of the Professional Development team, Alice works on and supports governance assignments, including board and committee reviews, risk management reviews, and governance framework reviews, using her expertise in research methods and feedback analysis. She delivers training in a number of areas such as corporate governance, oversight and risk management. Alice also assists in the organisation of the IPA Governance Forum and related events.

Jane Greer

Jane Greer has a wealth of experience in training and administration. She currently serves as the Training Manager for the IPA Governance Forum, where she plays a pivotal role in overseeing the coordination and management of training programmes and events designed to enhance governance practices. In this capacity, Jane is responsible for the seamless execution of both in-person and virtual events, ensuring that resources and communications are meticulously managed to deliver impactful governance training. With her extensive administrative experience and in-depth knowledge of governance frameworks, Jane is key to driving meaningful learning and development within the IPA Governance Forum.

Georgie McElwee

Georgie is a Governance and Leadership Specialist with the IPA’s Professional Development Team. An experienced Management Consultant, Georgie has a strong track record across the consumer goods, financial and education sectors. Her previous experience as a consultant enabled Georgina to gain considerable knowledge of the public sector and led to her involvement in the development of a high-profile training school for senior management teams. She has a proven record of accomplishment as a learning design specialist, facilitator and coach with extensive experience in strategic direction, stakeholder engagement, governance and Leadership.

Georgie works on the IPA’s Governance Team in Professional Development, offering advisory services to Public Sector Clients in several areas such as Governance Codes, Board Reviews and Risk Management. She frequently delivers on a number of the IPA’s courses in the area of Corporate Governance and plays an active role in the Governance Forum and its annual development.

Eve Ryan

Eve is Assistant Specialist in Policy and Governance with the IPA. Prior to joining the IPA in April 2025, Eve worked as Project and Legal Officer for the Council of Europe, Governance Officer for Charity SpunOut.ie and Policy Officer for the Department of Foreign Affairs.

Eve’s experience includes years of managing education and human rights projects, as well as youth mental health governance. Eve holds an MA in Irish Language and European Law, and a BCL in Law and French both from UCC.