Doireann Crosson –Doireann Crossan is the National Women’s Council’s women’s health coordinator, with responsibility for initiatives relating to women’s access to inclusive and high-quality reproductive, sexual and mental health services. Before working in NWC, she was the health and policy coordinator for the Eastern Region Traveller Health Unit, where she worked from a community development approach to address Traveller health inequalities. She has a MA in Conflict Studies and Human Rights, which is reflected in her passion for ensuring a right-based approach to policy development informed by a social determinants of health perspective.

Prof. Deirdre Daly – Deirdre Daly is Professor in Midwifery and Director of the Trinity Centre for Maternity Care Research (TCMCR), Trinity College Dublin. She is the principal investigator on the Maternal health And Maternal Morbidity in Ireland (MAMMI) study, the only longitudinal study exploring the health of, and health problems experienced by, first-time mothers giving birth in Ireland. She also leads/co-leads several related studies on maternal health and, together with other MAMMI study team members, has published several papers on various aspects of maternal health. Prof. Daly is the Director of the Trinity Centre for Maternity Care Research (TCMCR), a member of the national severe maternal morbidity and maternal death in Ireland groups and past member of three COST Actions. She is the National Women and Infants Health Programme’s (NWIHP) academic partner on the evaluation of the pilot postnatal hubs offering extended postpartum care.

Liz Hughes – Liz Hughes is Head of Equality, Diversity and Inclusion (EDI) with RCSI. She leads on RCSI’s Athena Swan work, co-chairs and supports a number of EDI fora and networks including the Ending Sexual Violence, Supporting Survivors and Promoting Consent (ESP) Forum and helps to champion a culture of respect and inclusion across the university.

Prof. Hannah McGee – Professor Hannah McGee is Professor Emeritus at the RCSI School of Population Health and was previously Deputy Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs at RCSI. In terms of supporting policy and practice, she chaired the Irish Department of Health's Committee to develop a national cardiovascular health strategy, 'Changing Cardiovascular Health (2010-2019)'. In 2020 was appointed by the Minister for Health as Deputy Chair of the National Research Ethics Committee for COVID-19 Research. In 2022, she was admitted as a Member of the Royal Irish Academy (MRIA). Scholarly leadership roles include President of the Psychological Society of Ireland (1991-1992), President of the European Health Psychology Society (1998-2000), Chair of the Cardiac Rehabilitation Section, European Association for Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation (2008-2010) and Chair of the Council of Deans of Faculties with Medical Schools in Ireland (2011-13). She is a fellow of the Psychological Society of Ireland, the European Health Psychology Society and the European Society of Cardiology. In terms of research as a health psychologist, she has over 230 peer-reviewed publications focused on quality of life assessment (including instrument development – SEIQoL and HeartQoL), and population health aspects of ageing (including instrument development – the Ageing Perceptions Questionnaire), cardiovascular disease and sexual health. Prof. McGee is a graduate of TCD [BA (Mod)) in Physiology/ Psychology and PhD in Psychology]. In 2015, she was awarded a Doctorate of Science (DSc) on published work by the National University of Ireland.

Dr Cliona Murphy – Cliona Murphy is National Clinical Director, National Women and Infants Health Programme. A consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist at the Coombe Women and Infants University Hospital and is Chair of the Institute of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. Dr Murphy is also a member of the Governance Committee of the National Perinatal Epidemiology Centre, University College Cork.

Dr Jane Murphy – Jane Murphy is a research officer in the Health Research Board (HRB) Evidence Centre, where she leads and conducts evidence syntheses to inform health policy and decision-making. Dr Murphy is the lead researcher on an evidence and gap map review of research on treatment interventions to improve women’s health outcomes in several health conditions. This review was conducted for the Department of Health in line with Action 6 of the Women’s Health Action Plan 2024-2025, which is dedicated to growing the evidence base for women’s health. Dr Murphy has a PhD in health psychology and previously worked as a postdoctoral researcher in the School of Nursing & Midwifery, Trinity College Dublin and the School of Public Health, University College Cork.

Dr Karen Matvienko-Sikar – Karen Matvienko-Sikar is a health psychologist and a senior lecturer in the School of Public Health, University College Cork. She is also currently a Health Research Emerging Investigator, the outgoing chair of the Psychological Society of Ireland (PSI) Division of Health Psychology, and the research officer for the PSI Perinatal and Infant Mental Health Special Interest Group. Dr Matvienko-Sikar has experience and expertise in perinatal mental health, in particular in relation to perinatal stress and anxiety. Her research in this area includes identification of determinants and consequences of perinatal stress and anxiety, and development and evaluation of interventions to improve perinatal mental health.

Prof. Sharleen O’Reilly – Sharleen O’Reilly is a registered dietitian and associate professor at University College Dublin. She has been a member of the UCD Perinatal Research Centre at the National Maternity Hospital since its inception. Prof. O’Reilly holds a prestigious Danish Diabetes and Endocrinology Academy Visiting Professorship and is a past winner of the Irish Nutrition and Dietetic Institute’s Research Dietitian of the Year. Prof. O’Reilly’s research centres on non-communicable disease prevention for better maternal and child health, of which the use of mHealth technology and supporting breastfeeding are integral parts. She is an investigator on many research projects, has over 100 peer-reviewed publications and currently leads the Bump2Baby and Me trial, a large EU Horizon multinational implementation project in pregnancy and the first year after birth focused on obesity and diabetes prevention through improved diet, breastfeeding and physical activity. She sits on the Executive Committee of the European Federation of Associations of Dietitians and the International Federation of Gynaecology and Obstetrics Committee for Impact of Pregnancy on Long-term Health.