Team

Tom O’Toole (B. Comm., MBS, PhD, FMII, FIAM) is Head of the School of Business at Waterford Institute of Technology. As dean, he has executive responsibility for the strategy and operations of the School. Currently, he is also vice president for international relations at the Institute. Tom is a widely published author in the area of business relationships and networks with over 70 peer reviewed publications with a focus on collaborative innovation, entrepreneurial firms’ capability building, and relationship strength. Tom is heavily involved in regional development. He has been recognised for his contribution to marketing practice in Ireland by being awarded a fellow of the Marketing Institute of Ireland (2005), and for his contribution to management education in Ireland, in 2012, by being made a Fellow of the Irish Academy of Management. Tom was a Fulbright Scholar in 2013. Tom is a member of the Kilkenny Arts Festival Board since 2007.

Emer Foley is a solicitor and a partner in Reidy & Foley Solicitors, Kilkenny. The firm has been in practice for almost thirty years. Emer has also been involved with the following arts organisations in Ireland: Butler Gallery and Barnstorm Theatre Company. Emer joined the Board of Kilkenny Arts Festival in 2007.

Michael O'Toole is one of the leading guitarists in Ireland and has toured extensively throughout Europe and America. He has collaborated with composers such as Philip Glass and Ian Wilson and has played with the Dublin Guitar Quartet, The Carducci Quartet, and many others, including a duet with pipa virtuoso Liu Fang which led to the release of a successful cd in 2008. Michael was artistic director of the Waltons guitar Festival of Ireland (2004-2007) and the Chord Guitar Festival in Ennis (2008). Michael joined the board of Kilkenny Arts Festival in 2006.

Lorelei Harris is a cultural producer and consultant and an internationally acclaimed radio documentary maker. She worked for many years as Editor of Arts, Factual and Drama for RTÉ Radio 1 and as Head of Arts and Cultural Strategy for RTÉ. She was responsible for establishing a number of important radio strands such as the long running and multi award winning Documentary on One. She developed RTÉ’s Independent Radio Productions and managed the RTÉ’s relationship with the independent radio sector for a number of years. She worked closely with the European Broadcasting Union and served as Chair of its Radio Documentary Group for more than a decade and in a consultative capacity to the EBU Radio Culture Group. She was also a member of the Steering Committee of the Prix Europa. Among many large scale public events she initiated and managed, Lorelei led the 2016 RTÉ Reflecting The Rising, the largest public event convened in Ireland since The Eucharistic Congress. She is currently a member of the Board of the Tyrone Guthrie Centre. Lorelei joined the board in 2016.

Christine Monk is am Australian-born, Dublin-based cultural publicist, who has been working closely as an independent consultant with cultural organisations, festivals and venues in Ireland for over 20 years. Her recent client list includes The Gate Theatre, National Concert Hall, RTE Arts, The Arts Council, Macnas, National Youth Theatre,the Feis Ceoil and the Irish Times Irish Theatre Awards. In Kilkenny her clients have included Cartoon Saloon, the Design and Crafts Council and the Butler Gallery. She is currently a board member with Poetry Ireland.

Mairead Meagher is a lecturer in Computing in Waterford Institute of Technology and has served on both its Academic Council and Governing Body during her time there. She is currently a committee member of the Kilkenny Choir. Mairead has been a volunteer with the festival since moving to Kilkenny in 2010 and joined the board in 2021 and is it's secretary.

Conor leads the Solution Consulting team at MURAL, the US headquartered digital collaboration platform. He is a former Accenture Strategy and Innovation leader who has worked with senior clients around the world. He is a founding member of the Irish World Schools Debating Council, an educational charity focused on the highest level of international student debating. Conor joined the board in 2021.

Cathal is Chief Administrative Officer for State Street Global Services Ireland and General Manager for the State Street office in Kilkenny which was established in 2001 and now employs over 550 staff. Prior to joining Deutsche Bank / State Street in 1997, Cathal was the Financial Controller with Korea Exchange Bank from 1996-1997, worked as an Internal Auditor in EMEA and the Caribbean with American International Group from 1992-1996 and with Coopers and Lybrand from 1988-1992. Cathal has an Honours Degree in Accounting and Finance from Dublin City University and qualified as a Chartered Accountant in 1992. Cathal joined the board in 2022.