Meet Our Team
In January 2021, NACEC appointed Siobhán Finn as its National Hub Network Manager with responsibility for the implementation of NACEC’s Regional Transformation Plan and Strategy.
Siobhán is a senior-level professional with 30 years’ + experience across both social enterprise and commercial sectors including 10 years co-founder experience of a highly successful SME.
Siobhán regularly consults on matters of economic priority for government and has served on the Small Business Advisory Group as well as being appointed by the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Employment as the Startup Gathering Coordinator for the Southwest of Ireland during the Startup Gathering 2015.
Siobhán sits on the National Standards Authority of Ireland (NSAI) Technical Committee (TC2 – Validation: 56002) for the Innovation Management 56000 Standards Series and is the NSAl nominee to the International Task Group (TG – Validation: 56002).
Siobhán sits on the Advisory Board of Board Excellence Ireland – a leader in the field of board performance and external board evaluations in Ireland, the UK and over 20 countries internationally.
Siobhán has managed a multitude of EU projects across her career under a variety of funding programmes and is currently external advisor to DIFME (Digital Internationalisation and Financial Literacy Skills for micro entrepreneurs funded by Erasmus Plus) and the Intelligent Cities Challenge for Cork (part of a wider EU support system that recognises the importance of delivering on the promises made by the European Green Deal, the digital strategy, and other EU policies). Siobhán has represented Ireland during the 2012 Smart Specialisation Week and was a regular invitee and participant at Committee of the Regions Weeks from 2014 – 2020.
Siobhán is driven by the value of social impact and in 2016 was formally recognised by the Global Entrepreneurship Network for work as a Community Builder. In 2017, Siobhán was awarded a global Laureate for collaborative networking by the Public Management Institute, Marseille. Siobhán was also cited in the 2018 publication by US Sourcelink and the Kauffmann Foundation ‘Beyond Collisions’ for her work in building collaborative networks.
Siobhán holds a Masters in Management Practice from Trinity College Dublin as well the professional Graduateship in Marketing from the Marketing Institute of Ireland. Additionally, she holds a Diploma in Business Innovation Management from the Dublin Technological University and a Foundation Diploma in Training & Education from the National University of Ireland, Galway.
Siobhán’s post is funded by Enterprise Ireland under the 2019 Regional Enterprise Fund (RED F3).
Our Board members
NACEC – the National Association for Community Enterprise Centres – is a Company Limited by Guarantee (Registered company number 644493). NACEC CLG is overseen by an Executive Board of Directors drawn from across the regions.
Gary O Meara
National Chairperson
A native of Dublin, Gary now lives in Co Meath. Gary is CEO of Meath Enterprise and Managing Director of the Boyne Valley Food Innovation District. Gary has served as National Chairperson of NACEC since 2018, having been member since 2015.
Gary holds an Honours Degree in Business Administration & Management from the Technological University Dublin; a Post Graduate Diploma in Public Sector Management from the Institute of Public Administration and a Masters in Leadership & Strategy from the National University of Ireland (UCD).
Gary has studied Entrepreneurship with Harvard University & Ecosystem Development with MIT Sloan, along with holding a range of additional awards across a number of management fields. Gary has over 25 years experience managing, developing and leading businesses across multiple sectors and has started, scaled and exited a number of businesses in the course of his career.
Niamh Costello
Vice Chairperson
A native of Cavan, Niamh has lived in Galway since the 2002. Niamh is Chief Executive of CREW (Creative Enterprise West) and is Vice Chairperson of NACEC, having been a member of NACEC since 2013. Niamh holds a BA (Honours) from Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology.
Niamh has a wealth of entrepreneurial, business and industry experience, following seven years as General Manager of the Galway Technology Centre. She is also a founding member of Galway City Innovation District, whose first building is the high profile Portershed.
Niamh also previously served as a Director with both Galway Chamber and Network Galway.
Sarah Daly
Treasurer
Living in Blackrock, Co. Louth, Sarah Daly is Executive Director of Creative Spark and has served as Treasurer of NACEC since 2014, having been a member of NACEC since 2012.
Sarah holds an Honours Masters Degree in Social Practice for the Creative Environment from Limerick Institute of Technology (LIT); a BA in Fine Art from Limerick School of Art and Design from LIT; and also holds a Diploma in Management Coaching and Mentoring from the Institute of Leadership & Management (ILM).
Experienced in business development for SMEs, mentoring and facilitation, Sarah has a keen interest in community development and engagement through creative practice.
Michael Smyth
A native of Co. Meath, Michael now lives in Galway. Michael is CEO of SCCUL Enterprises and has been an active member of NACEC since 2015. Michael holds an Executive MBA and a Masters in Strategic Marketing – both from National University of Ireland, Galway.
Michael has worked with SCCUL Enterprises CLG since 2014 and his passion lies in supporting communities to prosper by finding innovative supports, structures and services to assist in this pursuit.
Ann Treanor
Ann Treanor is Operations and Business Development Manager with Enterprising Monaghan and has been an active member of NACEC since 2012.
Ann graduated from Athlone Institute of Technology with a Degree in Business, Finance & Community Development. Ann has vast experience in enterprise development, people management, operations, finance and event management.
Breanndán Casey
A native of Co Meath, Breanndán Casey is the Innovation & Enterprise Manager at the Mill Enterprise Hub in Drogheda and has been an active member of NACEC since 2014. Breanndán holds the Graduateship from the Marketing Institute of Ireland; a Higher Diploma in Business and Small Enterprise Supprt and a Professional Diploma in Creativity, Innovation and Leadership.
Breanndán was the first employee when The Mill was established in 2014 and has overseen its growth in the past seven years, including the doubling in size of its building and the creation of numerous startup support programmes. The Mill currently houses 35 companies including startups, scaling companies and emergent FDI businesses.
Over the last 20 years, Breanndán has worked across economic development agencies in both the public and private sectors with a particular focus on small enterprise support.