Meet Our Team

We are a small team of dedicated and committed professionals, who are here to help make a difference.

Please feel free to contact any of us or call the office to talk directly +353(0)21 435 8800 Ext. 204.

Gerry O'Connor

Chairperson, Board of Directors

Gerry is a member of the Redemptorist Congregation.

Gerry completed assignments working with GOAL in Sudan, Angola, Rwanda and Ethiopia. Worked in the state of Piaui, in the northeast of Brazil with the Redemporists between 1995-1997. Former member of the Advisory Board to Irish Aid. Chairperson of the Audit Committee of the Department of Foreign Affairs from 2004 to 2009

After which Gerry become Chairperson of Saint Ultans education and childcare project in Cherry Orchard, Dublin. Director of the Regeneration Board for Cherry Orchard, Dublin 10. Faculty member of the Youth Studies Ministry Programme. Actively involved in parish work and community development work in Cherry Orchard, Dublin 10

Board member of Aidlink. Over the years, Gerry has also lead several groups to Brazil, the Philippines, South Africa and Mozambique.

Contact Gerry: gerry@serve.ie

John McCarthy

Development Programme Manager

John is responsible for the management of the SERVE’s Development Programmes with our partners in Africa and Asia.

This includes securing funding from donors,
project cycle management support to our partners, monitoring and evaluation work and reporting to donors.

He has extensive experience of managing funding from Irish Aid, the EU and other donors and trusts in Ireland and the UK.

Through SERVE’s partnership with the Dublin Province of the Redemptorists, John also manages a number of development programmes in Zimbabwe, South Africa and India.

Contact John: john@serve.ie

Nicola Fitzpatrick

Volunteer Programme Manager

Nicola brings extensive experience in social justice and a deep commitment to empowering communities to her role as Volunteer Programme Manager at SERVE. She leads the coordination and delivery of SERVE’s overseas volunteer and immersion programmes, ensuring alignment with the Strategic Plan (2024–2028) all of which are underpinned by global citizenship education.

In her role, Nicola oversees recruitment, training, and engagement for volunteers and alumni, creating opportunities for meaningful participation through events, SERVE@Home groups, and ongoing online and in-person programmes.

Working closely with international partners, Nicola ensures safe and impactful placements that empower participants to become informed, responsible global citizens while advancing SERVE’s mission to tackle poverty and injustice.

Through her leadership, innovative programme development, and commitment to equity and solidarity, Nicola ensures that SERVE’s volunteer and immersion programmes are both transformative and sustainable for participants and partner communities alike.

Contact Nicola: nicola@serve.ie

Brendan Long

Volunteer Programme Officer

Brendan brings enthusiastic energy and a people-first approach to our volunteer programme at SERVE.

In his role he supports volunteer recruitment, induction and engagement, ensuring that each person who steps forward to serve feels welcomed, informed and empowered.

With a strong interest in creating meaningful experiences and building community connections, Brendan works closely with our events, projects and outreach efforts to match volunteers with roles where they can truly make a difference.

His dedication helps ensure that our programme continues to thrive and supports SERVE’s mission of solidarity in action.

Contact Brendan: brendan@serve.ie

Paula Quigley

Programmes and Administration Manager

Paula has been part of SERVE since 2009, starting out as a volunteer and growing into her current leadership role. She contributes to SERVE’s mission by ensuring the smooth and effective delivery of its programmes and operations.

She plays a key role in advancing SERVE’s organisational strategy, partnerships and networking across global and local initiatives, strengthening collaboration and promoting the values of solidarity and sustainability at every level.

Paula also leads on SERVE’s communications and marketing, enhancing the organisation’s visibility and engagement through campaigns, events and digital storytelling. She manages the coordination of SERVE’s Global Citizenship Education focused development projects, leading on grant writing, reporting and project implementation to ensure impact and accountability.

Her role brings together programme management, communications and operational leadership, helping SERVE grow its reach and continue empowering communities through solidarity.

Contact Paula: paula@serve.ie

Jack Gartland

Development Project Officer

Jack supports the effective delivery of SERVE’s Development Programmes across Africa and Asia, working with local partners on education, livelihoods, and community development projects.

They help coordinate implementation, ensuring activities align with SERVE’s mission and donor requirements, while maintaining communication with partners to monitor progress and address challenges.

Jack assists with funding efforts by preparing grant applications, budgets, and donor reports, and contributes to monitoring and evaluation by collecting data, tracking indicators, and supporting learning processes that enhance programme impact.

Working with the Development Programme Manager, Jack also helps organise logistics for training, field visits, and partner meetings, strengthening relationships and ensuring SERVE’s programmes are well-managed, transparent, and impactful.

Contact John: jack@serve.ie

Christian

Volunteer

Christian is delighted to support SERVE in various areas of the organisation over the coming year, while also participating in the upcoming Overseas Programme.

In his role, he is responsible for managing donations and fundraising, as well as assisting at fundraising events.

With a strong commitment to service and teamwork, he contributes to SERVE’s mission of solidarity and sustainable development.

Contact Christian: christian@serve.ie

Nollaig Hulme

Monitoring & Evaluation Officer

This role is co-facilitated by our partner Young Africa, and is based at Young Africa in Harare, Zimbabwe.

This role fulfils duties for SERVE and Young Africa. Nollaig’s role supports the implementation of SERVE’s development programme with Young Africa, The Skills for Youth Resilience Programme (SYRP), which is being implemented in Zimbabwe and Mozambique, especially in the areas of Monitoring & Evaluation.

Nollaig has been a valued member of SERVE since her first volunteer project to Young Africa in Mozambique 2017. Since then, she has led a volunteer group to Vietnam, worked for SERVE as the GCE and Volunteer Coordinator, and mentored volunteers in our Think Global Act Local Programme (2022). Nollaig was also a key member of our European Solidarity Corps group who turned Scala into a Sustainable Youth Village for Cork City (2021).

Nollaig holds a Master’s in International Relations in UCC.

Volunteer experience in Mozambique, Vietnam and Ireland.

Contact Nollaig: nollaig.hulme@youngafrica.org