Meet the team.
Susie works directly with our leadership teams, providing strategic counsel and support in the areas of reputation management, message shaping, strategic communications, and crisis and issues management.
A communications professional with over 25 years’ experience, she offers insight into how effective communications (both internal and external) can help achieve our clients’ business objectives.
Susie is a Fellow of the Public Relations Institute of Ireland along with being the Hon. Secretary of the Cork Chamber, Board member of Fota Wildlife Park and Board member of the Public Relations Consultants Association.
Something you didn’t know about Susie – she is a champion showjumper!
Email: susie@springboardcommunications.ie
Phone: +353 86 271 8163
Pat Lucey, a project professional and entrepreneur, is a certified Company Director and advisor in professional services. Pat was co-founder of Aspira, an international consultancy delivering technology, project management and business advisory services. He served as CEO and chair of the business until 2022, overseeing its growth from a six-person, Irish-only organisation to a 280-person international firm.
Pat’s academic background includes degrees in engineering from the University of Limerick, a diploma in business management and an executive development diploma. Pat was also a finalist for EY Entrepreneur of the Year 2020.
Pat is president emeritus of the PMI Ireland Chapter, where he served as director and/or president for 10 years, and is the first Irish person to be elected to serve on the Board of Directors of the global PMI.
Something you didn’t know about Pat – He’s a (distant) blood relative of JFK.
Rory is the co-founder of the digital experience management company, Amplience. Started in London in 2008, Amplience became one of the leading CMS companies for brands and retailers such as GAP, Primark, Coach, Argos, Halford’s and The Very Group.
Rory opened the North American business for Amplience in 2013 and grew the NA team to 40 people and $15M in ARR.
Having exited to private equity in 2022, Rory returned to his native Cork where he is now an advisor to early-stage tech and related companies.
Something you didn’t know about Rory – He is a keen hiker, golfer, and ‘gig-goer’, with ambitions to be a great padel player one day.
Over 23 years’ experience working in blue-chip FMCG multinational organisations, Sandy has worked on domestic and global brands in a career encompassing marketing management, innovation, product development and strategic planning.
Sandy has worked in Corporate Affairs, leading corporate communications and creating award-winning internal communications strategy and campaigns. In addition, she was responsible for embedding sustainability with all key internal and external stakeholders. Sandy has lectured part-time in Munster Technological University, was a found member of the Institute of Internal Communication, Ireland, and is currently an active member of the Purpose Disruptors Ireland PR Community.
Something you didn’t know about Sandy – she received an award from An Taoiseach for coming 1st in her Diploma in Business Studies in UCD.
Sarah is an accomplished corporate affairs leader with over 15 years of diverse experience in strategic communications, media relations, reputation management and employee engagement. Sarah has worked in communications agencies in Dublin and London and as Head of Corporate Affairs in Vodafone and Head of External Communications in Aer Lingus.
Sarah has proven success in creating and executing local and global communications, marketing, content and public affairs campaigns for leading brands, organisations, and charities.
Sarah holds a BSc in Government and Public Policy from UCC, a MSc in International Politics from Bristol University and most recently completed a Diploma in Sustainable Business from Glasgow Caledonian University.
Something you didn’t know about Sarah – she is sea swimmer and has braved the Liffey Swim 4 times!
Email: sarah@springboardcommunications.ie
Phone: +353 87 6658942
Ciara Flaherty is Associate Director with Springboard Communications. A former journalist, she devises and manages strategic external and internal communications campaigns for a range of clients across sectors, including technology, life sciences, financial services and healthcare.
With an MA in Media and Communications and an undergraduate degree in Law from University College Cork, she is a full-member of the Public Relations Institute of Ireland and the Institute of Internal Communication.
Something you didn’t know about Ciara – she has a Black Belt in Tae Kwon Do.
Email: ciara@springboardcommunications.ie
Phone: +353 86 061 1012
Maria is an Associate Director with Springboard. She specialises in the creation and execution of strategic communications, maximising her clients’ brands and achieving measurable marketing results.
She has over 10 years’ experience working in Irish media, and brings her passion for creating engaging content to her role at Springboard.
Something you didn’t know about Maria – she has run ten marathons.
Email: maria@springboardcommunications.ie
Phone: +353 85 7043431
With nearly a decade of communications experience, Cathal is a Senior Client Manager at Springboard.
He spent seven years in Australia holding both in-house and agency roles. His most recent position was with the telecommunications company Telstra, where he was a Senior Corporate Relations Advisor.
Previous to that, Cathal was a Senior Account Manager at Herd MSL, where he helped devise communications strategies for global brands such as Meta, Salesforce and Schneider Electric.
A native of Kerry, Cathal started his career in the Road Safety Authority as a PR and Digital Media Executive. He holds a Master’s degree in International Public Relations and Global Communications Management from Cardiff University.
Something you didn’t know about Cathal – he is a dual citizen, becoming an Australian Citizen in 2022.
Email: cathal@springboardcommunications.ie
Phone: +353 87 9707069
Sorcha is a Senior Client Manager at Springboard Communications with five years’ experience in media relations, event management, digital media and public affairs. She has recently joined the team at Springboard, previously having worked with Alice Public Relations providing support to organisations such as the Neurological Alliance of Ireland, Dillon Quirke Foundation, Education and Training Boards Ireland and The Housing Agency.
In her most recent role, Sorcha worked in Stakeholder Engagement at Jacobs Engineering. She spent the last number of months working at the National Transport Authority on BusConnects Dublin laying the groundwork for stakeholder engagement ahead of the kick-off of construction on the project.
Sorcha began her career in communications during a two-year internship at MTU, where she completed an MA in Public Relations and New Media and worked as Enterprise Intern in the Rubicon Centre, CIT, promoting entrepreneurship to students in the college. Prior to her MA, she worked as a professional musician in the Defence Forces Band 1 Brigade, performing at major State events, such as the 1916 Easter Rising Commemoration in Dublin in 2016.
She holds a Bachelor of Music from MTU’s Cork School of Music and an MA in Public Relations and New Media from CIT.
Something you didn’t know about Sorcha – she climbed the world’s tallest freestanding mountain, Mount Kilimanjaro, back in 2023.
Lisa is a Client Manager with Springboard Communications, specialising in communications and digital activities for clients spanning various industries.
She holds a Bachelor of Science in Music, Media and Performance Technology and boasts project management experience across the TV, animation, and influencer marketing sectors.
Something you didn’t know about Lisa – she contributed to an animated series where a former US president and his wife served as Executive Producers.
Email: lisa@springboardcommunications.ie
Phone: +353 87 6484597
Chloe is a Client Manager with Springboard Communications. Her background includes both agency and in-house roles, where she has gained experience across project management, content creation, social media strategy and management, operations, event management, website development, and brand development.
She holds a First-Class Honours MA in Public Relations with New Media from MTU and a BA in English and German from University College Cork, along with a QQI Award in Event Management.
Something you didn’t know about Chloe – she is always talking about horses.
Email: chloe@springboardcommunications.ie
Phone: +353 86 1039002
Marc Woodard is a Junior Client Executive at Springboard Communications, bringing a background in journalism, communications, and digital content creation. His passion to help people tell their story, the media, and the written word, is the cornerstone of his work across client accounts, where he is responsible for carrying out key day-to-day operations.
Marc is currently completing his MA in Journalism and Digital Content Creation from Munster Technological University, and holds a BA in English from University College Cork, where he graduated with a first-class honours. Throughout his studies, he has been published nationally and worked as an editor for UCC’s Double Space undergraduate journal.
Something you didn’t know about Marc – he’s a really good baker. His favourite thing to bake is a lemon meringue.
Ryan Forde is a Junior Content Executive at Springboard Communications, where he supports client accounts through creative storytelling, digital strategy, and day-to-day campaign delivery. With a strong foundation in marketing, communications, and digital content creation, Ryan has a talent for creating engaging narratives that elevate brand presence and connect with audiences.
A First-Class Honours graduate of Munster Technological University with a BA in Marketing, Ryan distinguished himself during his studies by winning multiple awards, including the Marketing Institute of Ireland Student Challenge. His academic excellence and creative flair now translate into results-driven content and fresh ideas for Springboard’s clients.
Something you didn’t know about Ryan – He is an avid soccer fan, from playing to watching to collecting memorabilia.
Agnes Fitzgerald is the Operations and Accounts Manager at Springboard Communications, where she plays a critical role in ensuring the smooth and efficient operation of our administrative functions.
At Springboard, she manages a wide range of administrative tasks, ensuring seamless coordination and operational excellence across the business. Agnes is also a member of Accounting Technicians Ireland (ATI) and the Certified Public Accountants (CPA).
Something you didn’t know about Agnes – she is a member of a hiking and rowing group here in Cork.
Email: agnes@springboardcommunications.ie
Phone: +353 85 2033605
David Kitching is a Public Affairs Consultant for Springboard Communications. Since returning to Ireland in 2016, he has held various senior roles in government relations, strategic communication and media management in the corporate, NGO and community sectors.
David spent a decade working and studying outside of Ireland, most recently as Director of Social and Political Research at a London-based public opinion research agency, where he ran research projects across more than 30 countries. For six years, he was a policy advisor at a prominent think tank in Brussels and in the European Parliament.
David advises Springboard clients on public affairs and stakeholder engagement, at an Irish and an EU level.
David holds an MSc in Comparative Politics (Distinction) from the London School of Economics and an International BA (First Class Honours) in History and Politics from University College Dublin. He was a Fellow of the 2022 Global Messaging Programme for campaign communicators. David is a member of the Public Relations Institute of Ireland, and a board member of the Museum of Childhood Ireland.
Something you didn’t know about David – he was a volunteer delivery driver of school meals during Covid-19.
