Thursday 2 March 2017

Villiers School celebrates International Women's Day


To celebrate International Women’s Day on Wednesday March the 8th 2017, Villiers School is hosting a breakfast conference themed BE BOLD FOR CHANGE. A series of presentations will be given by inspirational female leaders from the Limerick region in the areas of business, health, academia and the arts. We are delighted to welcome Professor Colette Cowan CEO UL Hospital Group, Ms. Rose Hynes CEO Shannon Group, Ms. Judi Curtin, Author and Dr. Wynette Redington UL Governing Authority.


Conference Speakers


 Professor Colette Cowan was appointed Chief Executive Officer of UL Hospitals Group in November 2014. She leads an organisation providing services to some 400,000 people in the Mid-West and with a workforce of approximately 3,500 staff spread across six sites in Limerick, Clare and Tipperary.
Colette brings to the role 29 years of experience in the health services.
Colette is adjunct professor of nursing and midwifery at NUI Galway. She has a MSc in Business and Management at the Institute of Public Administration.




Rose Hynes was appointed as Chairperson of the Shannon Group Board on its incorporation on the 29th August 2014. She chairs Shannon Group’s Remuneration Sub-Committee and Property and Investment Sub-Committee. She was appointed to the Board of Shannon Airport Authority as Chairperson Designate in November 2012 and was appointed Chairperson in January 2013. Rose is also Chairperson of Origin Enterprises plc and is a non-executive director of a number of other companies in various sectors including Total Produce plc and One Fifty One plc. Rose is a lawyer and was a member of the senior management team in GPA for many years. GPA was one of the world’s largest lessors and financiers of aircraft. She is also a former Chairperson of Bord Gais/Ervia and former non-executive director of Bank of Ireland, Fyffes plc and Aer Lingus. She is a law graduate of University College Dublin and is a native of Clare. Rose was awarded the Davy Business Leader’s award in the Most Powerful Women Top 25 Awards 2016.



Judi Curtin is the best-selling author of the 'Alice and Megan' series, the 'Eva' series and several other books. Judi's new series, beginning with Time After Time, is about Beth and Molly, accidental time-travelling best friends. She is a graduate of UCC, where she studied English and German. From there she went to St Patrick’s College in Drumcondra, to train as a national school teacher. She taught in Cork, Portlaoise and Limerick.  Her first novel, Sorry, Walter was published by Tivoli in March 2003. This year Julie was chosen to write a special book for World Book Day Book 2017. Fast Forward, featuring her characters Molly and Beth, joins other WBD titles including work by Jacqueline Wilson, David Walliams and Enid Blyton.






Dr Wynette Redington graduated with a BSc in Materials and Production Engineering from NIHE. Wynette later graduated with an MSC and a PhD from UL. She has worked in research at the Materials and Surface Science Institute (MSSI) since 2004. Her involvement with the local community includes serving as a Board member with both Clare and Limerick Youth Service. Wynette is a member of the UL Governing Authority.