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Catherine Smith Colm Murphy Joe Houghton
07/09
whenshelivedinLondon.Shegotbackintovolunteeringin operationalissues–thestuffI’vedoneincorporatelifefor20 2009
2004whenshesignedupwithBoardmatchIrelandandwassub- yearsandalsothroughtheMBAatSmurfit.”
sequentlyappointedtotheboardofCareLocal,whichprovides Hewasrecentlyelectedchairmanoftheorganisation’sboardof
Village
servicestoolderpeopleinDublinwhoarelivingalone. directors.Interestingly,hisworkisalsoaddingtoandinforming
“Ihadjustreturnedtoworkfollowingmaternityleaveand hispart-timePhDresearch,whichisfocusedonsuccessfactors
Kildare
wantedtogetinvolvedinsomethingdifferent,”sheexplains.“Care inthegrowthofIrishcharities,underthesupervisionofProf
©
Localneededsomebodywithgeneralmanagementexperienceto FrankRoche.
comeintositontheboardandadvisethemonorganisationaland Hebelievesthatpeoplewithabusiness-schoolbackgroundor
price
processissuesandsoon.”Smithattendsmonthlyboardmeetings extensivemanagementexperiencehaveahugeamounttooffer
retail
andcontributestotheorganisation’sstrategicplan,aswellaspar- charitiesandnot-for-profits.“Itdoesn’thavetobeahugetime
ticipatinginworkinggroupsonanadhocbasis. commitment,” he says. “Timely advice, timely and objective
ShebelievesthatCareLocalisbenefitingfromtheparticularskills assessmentofabusinesssituationcansometimestakehalfan
shecanbring.“ComingfromabusinessbackgroundIwouldalways houroranhour.Alotofcharitiesthesedaysarequitestuckfor
recommended
belookingatthemostefficientandcost-effectivewayswecando goodinputonthatkindofalevel.”
thingsandhowwecanmakepeopleworkbetterandsmarter.
the
off
“Iwould100pcrecommendbecominginvolvedinthevolun- Life-changing
tarysector.It’sadifferentoutletforyourskills.Thepressuresof ForRobertMulhall(BComm01),meanwhile,becominginvolved
60%
to
selling,ofdelivering,allofthatstuffthatyou’dexperienceinyour involuntaryworkhasbeenatrulylife-changingexperience:in
up
dayjobinthebusinessworld,arenotthere.You’redoingit 2007 he left his job in PwC to work full-time with Lucca by
becausethere’sapurposebehindit.It’sveryenlightening.” Leadership,theglobalnot-for-profitorganisationhehelpedset
JoeHoughton(MBA04)isalsoinvolvedinthemanagement upin2002tosupportyoungpeoplewhowanttoeffectpositive
sidethroughhisworkatPietaHouse,acommunity-basedcentre changeintheworld.
reduced
forpreventingself-harmandsuicidethathebecameinvolved “Wefeltthat,withoutbeingabletotackleanyofthespecific
Prices
withthreeyearsagowhenhemetitsCEO,JoanFreeman,ata issueslikeworldpovertyorglobalwarming,leadershipcould
fundraisingevent.“AssoonasIstartedtalkingtoherIthoughtit playanimportantroleinbringingaboutchangeinallofthose
wassomethingIwantedtogetinvolvedin,”hesays.“She’soneof big,socialissues,”explainsMulhall.“Wewantedtohelpyoung
thosepeopleyoucomeacrosswhoinspireseverybodyelsearound peopledeveloptheirleadershipskillssotheycouldbemoreeffec-
her.She’syourclassiccharismaticleader.” tiveandcombinethatyouthfulenthusiasmandidealismwith
Houghton,whohadpreviouslyworkedwiththeSamaritansin reallyeffectiveleadershipthatcouldreallymakeadifference.”
theUK,begantohelpbyadvisingFreemanonbusinessand Theorganisationnowrunsprogrammesinschoolsandwith
organisationalissues.Healsodidsomefundraisingandhelped youthorganisations,aswellasinternationalweek-longresiden-
to organise events. “But I tended to gravitate back towards tialprogrammes.Italsoprovidesmentoringservicestoyoung
sittingwithJoanandworkingoutorganisationalstrategyand people.Mulhallisoneofjusttwofull-timeemployeesofthe
organisation,whichhasaround100volunteersandaround130
Furtherinformation mentors.
Makingthejumptoworkingfull-timewithLuccaLeadership
BoardmatchIreland PietaHouse
wasabigchangeinlifestyleforMulhall,butfelttotallyright,he
www.boardmatchireland.ie www.pieta.ie
says.“I’maprettyidealisticpersonandIwanttotrytodosome-
JuniorAchievementIreland CareLocal
thingthat’spositiveintheworld.Ihandedinmynoticeand
www.juniorachievement.ie www.carelocal.ie
jumpedshipandit’sbeenabsolutelyamazingeversince.Ijust
jumpoutofbedeverydaynowandcan’twaittostartwork.It’sa
LuccaLeadership VolunteerCentres verydifferentfeeling.”
www.luccaleadership.org www.volunteer.ie Grainne Rothery
44 UCD BUSINESS CONNECTIONS
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