Meet the team
Professor Jacqueline McCormack
Project Lead Higher Education 4.0
Jacqueline McCormack is a Professor of Biomedical Sciences and is Vice-President with responsibility for EDI and Online & Flexible Learning at Atlantic Technological University (ATU).
As well as having oversight of EDI related issues, she has responsibility for providing leadership in developing the University’s ambitious plans for continued excellence and growth in flexible & online learning.
She moved to Sligo in 2018, having previously been Associate Head of the School of Biomedical Sciences at Ulster University for 14 years.
Professor McCormack is a Fellow of the Institute of Biomedical Science, is a member of the Board of Directors of the National Institute for Bioprocessing Research & Training (NIBRT) and represents Ireland on the Executive for Heads of University Centres of Biomedical Sciences (HUCBMS).
She also undertakes and publishes scientific research within the area of the impact of diet on psychological function (some published under her previous surname O’Connor).
Dr Carina Ginty
Co-Lead on Career and Learning Pathways (Theme I)
Dr Carina Ginty is the co-lead on Theme I on the Higher Education 4.0 Project, focusing on the development of a career and learning pathway platform called MyCareerPath and a Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) online portfolio assessment tool for Atlantic Technological University (ATU).
Carina is also the ATU lead for N-TUTORR Transforming Learning and the N-TUTORR TU sector co-lead for Student Empowerment. Funded by NextGenerationEU (value €40 million), the aim of this ambitious programme is to transform teaching, learning and assessment through student empowerment, building staff capabilities and developing the digital ecosystem in technological universities in Ireland.
Working in higher education for 20 years, Carina is a leader in teaching and learning innovation at ATU. She has implemented several innovations in teaching, learning and assessment, digital transformation, digital pedagogy, student empowerment, civic engagement, education for sustainable development and recognition of prior learning.
Currently, Carina is the Chair of the Learning, Teaching and Assessment Committee of ATU’s Academic Council. She is also a member of the EU GREEN Alliance Education Commission and is leading an EU partner team tasked with coordinating the professional and pedagogical development programme for nine EU university partners.
In 2022, Carina was awarded the President’s Award for Outstanding Institutional Citizenship.
Gavin Clinch
Co-Lead on Career and Learning Pathways (Theme I) & Lead on Innovation Projects (Theme II)
Gavin Clinch is an alumnus of the Bartlett School of Architecture at University College London. He spent 15 years practicing as an architect before joining Atlantic Technological University (ATU) in 2001 as a lecturer in architecture. During his time at ATU, Gavin has played a pivotal role in the development and professional accreditation of various degree and master's architecture programmes, while also accumulating extensive experience in online teaching.
Currently, Gavin holds the position of Head of Innovation for Online, Flexible, and Professional Development at ATU, where he leads the 'Higher Education 4.0' Innovation project's Theme and co-leads the Career & Learning Pathways service. His work primarily revolves around innovations in online teaching and learning, exploring emerging technologies like AI, micro-credentials, and other disruptors poised to reshape higher education.
In addition to his roles at ATU, Gavin serves as President of the Irish Learning Technology Association (ILTA), where he contributes to advancing the use of learning technologies in education across Ireland.
Bridie Killoran
Career & Learning Pathways Manager
ATU Career and Learning Pathways Manager Bridie Killoran is responsible for the various career and learning pathways projects on Theme I, including the online career service, MyCareerPath.
Bridie boasts over 18 years’ experience of managing, developing and delivering excellent outcomes for the careers advisory and guidance services in higher education and has a thorough understanding of national and international labour market skills and knowledge requirements sought by employers.
She is also experienced in the design and development of career learning pathways, including employability frameworks and RPL to help graduates and employees achieve career success and sustainable lifelong employability.
Her academic achievements include a MSc in Careers Guidance at University of Ulster); Diploma in Careers Guidance in Higher Education from University of Reading; and a B.Sc. (Management) from Trinity College Dublin and Dublin Institute of Technology.
Noel Mulkeen
Innovation Projects Manager
Managing a programme of over 120 innovation projects, Noel Mulkeen has been instrumental in successfully delivering on the aims of the Higher Education 4.0 Project.
Working collaboratively with his direct and extended team members he has aligned a diverse range of innovations to the core strategy of ATU, including innovations in a range of cross campus and cross disciplinary initiatives. Among these, AI and Self Sovereign Identity have been the stand-out projects with the most potential for positive, transformational change.
Prior to Higher Education 4.0 Noel ran an Edtech company in the video capture segment, where he successfully competed with giants of the industry such as Panopto.
Also in Edtech, as interim CTO, he helped craft a digital marketplace solution for secondary schools to find and place substitute teachers. Beyond Edtech, Noel has a broad range of experience in industry, having crafted technology solutions that address specific problems in sustainability, ecommerce, logistic and telecommunications.
As an early innovator, Noel successfully founded, grew and exited a technology company in the mobile telecommunications space and served as a VP in the acquiring company, Insignia Inc, a Nasdaq small cap company.
Since then, Noel has always been drawn to using technology, teamwork and behavioural insights to create innovative solutions to complex problems. The programme of innovation projects in Higher Education 4.0 follows this trend, where his passion for education is combined with his obsession with innovation.
Among other educational qualifications, Noel holds a Bachelor of Manufacturing Engineering degree from ATU and a Masters of Business Administration from Trinity College Dublin.
Kyle Griffiths-Maher
Project Director
Kyle is an internationally skilled project management professional with over 20 years’ experience in project management and delivery. She is a Project Management Professional (PMP) and holds a BA Hons degree in Information Studies and Technology from University College Dublin.
Before joining Atlantic Technological University (ATU) in 2021, Kyle worked within Ireland, across Europe, the UAE, Australia, and New Zealand for global corporations such as Ericsson, Rio Tinto and Accenture on large scale business systems integration and compliance projects.
Currently, Kyle holds the position of Project Director for the Higher Education 4.0 project. Her work primarily revolves around project governance, executive and regulatory reporting, and oversight of the management of a large project team distributed across multiple disciplines and locations.
Allan Maguire
Project Accountant
Allan Maguire (BBs Hons, MAcc, ACA) is the Project Accountant who has responsibility for supporting the Human Capital Initiative (HCI) Pillar 3 funded Higher Education 4.0 Project team at Atlantic Technological University (ATU).
This includes the preparation of internal and external financial reports to satisfy project reporting requirements for governance, operations and ongoing sustainability of the initiatives after the life of the project.
As a Chartered Accountant, Allan is a graduate of ATU and of UCD Michael Smurfit Graduate Business School.
Prior to joining the project, Allan held senior financial positions in both the private and public sectors.
Donal Loftus
Communications Lead
As a seasoned academic and practitioner with a robust background in higher education, Donal Loftus brings extensive experience and a passion for innovation to the role as Communication Lead for the transformative Higher Education 4.0 Project.
A Senior Fellow of the Higher Education Academy, he has devoted his career to advancing teaching, learning, and in commercial and corporate law subjects in Ireland and the UK. His expertise spans curriculum design, learner-cantered pedagogy, and the integration of interdisciplinary insights into higher education.
As Communication Lead, he plays an important role in ensuring the project’s objectives are clearly articulated and widely understood. This includes crafting compelling narratives, fostering partnerships, and promoting the successes of the Higher Education 4.0 initiative. By bridging the gap between academic and public audiences, he strives to highlight the project’s potential to revolutionise educational practices and outcomes.
Donal believes that education is a transformative force – and that the Higher Education 4.0 Project is an extraordinary opportunity to contribute to that transformation on a systemic level. He is deeply inspired by the collaborative ethos of ATU and the ambition of this initiative, which promises to redefine how higher education meets the needs of learners and society.
Domenico Carbone
Senior Technical Officer
Domenico Carbone is a Senior IT Technical Officer with over 20 years of experience in the IT industry, working across higher education and multinational corporations such as Dell, HP, Compaq, VMware, and Microsoft.
His career has centred on driving digital transformation and innovation, with a deep expertise in cloud solutions, system integration, virtualisation, and disaster recovery strategies.
Throughout his career, he has managed complex IT infrastructures, overseeing datacentre operations, system assessments, and the implementation of cutting-edge technologies. He has extensive experience in leading cloud and virtualisation projects, transforming IT environments to enhance performance, ensure operational excellence, and maintain compliance with industry standards.
With a strong background in project leadership, he collaborates with teams to develop and execute technology strategies that optimise resources and enhance performance. His ability to align IT solutions with institutional goals has been instrumental in improving system efficiency and driving sustainable technological growth.
He holds advanced degrees in Cloud Computing and Project Management, and his multilingual skills in English, Italian, and Spanish enable him to effectively engage in international collaborations.
His focus remains on delivering high-quality IT services, fostering innovation, and ensuring the long-term success of the organisations he works with.
Louise Kearins
Senior Instructional Designer
Louise Kearins is a Senior Instructional Designer at Atlantic Technological University (ATU), where she leads the Higher Education 4.0 Instructional Design team.
With deep expertise in online learning across the higher, further and commercial education sectors, Louise has led dispersed teams across multiple campuses, developing online student support systems and academic content for ATU.
Louise is also pursuing a PhD exploring MOOC development across Irish and UK universities, reflecting her ongoing commitment to innovation in higher education.
Leroy Lenehan
Administrative Assistant
Based in ATU Sligo, Leroy Lenehan is the Administrative Assistant to both the Higher Education 4.0 Project, and the Online, Flexible and Professional Development function VP and team.
He has been employed in ATU Sligo for almost 20 years and boasts a wealth of experience in project management, event management, human resources, and administration.
Stephen Glennon
Communications & Dissemination Officer
Since joining Higher Education 4.0 as Communications & Dissemination Officer in May 2024, Stephen Glennon has worked to raise the profile of the project through articles, podcasts and videos on the Higher Education 4.0 website and the various social and mainstream media channels.
A journalist with 30 years’ experience, Stephen began his career with the Roscommon Herald before working in The Nationalist (Carlow, Kildare and Laois), Roscommon Champion, and Connacht & City Tribune (Galway). In his last post, he served as Editor of The Tuam Herald for two and a half years.
Stephen has also contributed to other provincial and national newspapers, numerous radio stations and to RTE while, in 2004, he published a sports book entitled To Win Just Once.
Stephen holds a BA (English and History), a Higher Diploma in Media Communications, and a Masters in Writing from the University of Galway.
His literary work has featured at a Letters of Note event, in association with the Galway Music Residency and ConTempo Quartet, and in such publications as Crannóg, Ropes, and The Galway Review.
