Meet Our Volunteers
Meet Our Volunteers
Our volunteers are a passionate and diverse group of people from our local communities. They work on our Board of Directors and across various Committees, giving their valuable skills and time to develop and enhance the services of Life Credit Union. The Board of Directors provides leadership and oversight. It is guardian of the mission and vision of Life Credit Union and ensures compliance with legal and regulatory requirements. Directors are policymakers, ambassadors, partners and strategic thinkers.
In addition to board commitments, Directors participate in various committees established to support the work of the Board of Directors.
In addition to board commitments, Directors participate in various committees established to support the work of the Board of Directors.
For a full understanding of the role of a volunteer with Life Credit Union please read our Nominations Recruitment Pack.
Frank Murphy (Chairman)
Frank Murphy, FCCA, is Group Finance director of Gowan Group, a large motor importation Group representing Peugeot, Opel and Honda in Ireland. He has extensive commercial experience having worked previously in Senior Finance roles in Dunnes Stores, Ireland’s largest retailer and Irish Life, Ireland’s largest Life and Pensions Group. Frank is originally from Cork and has lived in Naas for over 18 years. He is married to Fiona and they have 3 children. He is Chairman of the Parents Council in Naas CBS for a number of years and is a member of Naas Golf club.
Michael P Kelly (Vice-Chair)
Michael is the former CEO of the County Carlow Enterprise Board and now a Director of a number of private companies. Michael also served as the Economic and Commercial Attaché in the Irish Embassy in London. Michael’s public service career included service at the Department of Industry and Commerce and as an Executive in the Registry of Friendly Societies. Michael brings to the Board lifelong business experience, as well as deep experience of good governance practices.
Mary Fox (Secretary)
Mary Fox is a retired Senior General Manager and Director with extensive experience in Operations, HR, Change Management and Sales. Mary has held management roles in Kerry Foods, Aurivo Co-Op, Queally Group and Rathwood Home & Garden World. She has been a non-executive director of the National Dairy Council and the National Dairies Association. Mary is originally from Wicklow, having lived in Canada, Sligo, Leitrim, and is now living happily in Kildare. Mary strongly believes in the Credit Union movement and has been a Credit Union member for over 30 years.
Daithi Galvin
Daithi has over 20 years’ experience as a retail manager, working for such companies as GameStop, Starbucks, Woodies and, currently, Screwfix. In 2019 Daithi returned to part-time education to study the QFA modules and currently holds APAs in Loans, Pensions, Savings & Investments and Life Assurance. Originally from Waterford, Daithi moved to Newbridge in 2013, having also lived in London for 10 years. He is an avid photographer and can regularly be found flying stunt and power kites on the Curragh plains.
Julie Lanigan
Julie Lanigan, is an Internal Audit Manager with PwC Ireland. Prior to joining PwC, she worked in Internal Audit in Bank of Ireland in both Dublin and London. Julie is a member of the Institute of Banking and the Compliance Institute and holds qualifications in Risk Management, Compliance and Financial Advice. She has a Bachelor of Business from the University of Limerick and a Masters in Accounting and Finance from Griffith College. Julie lives in Maynooth but is originally from Kilkenny and has a keen interest in Tennis, Hurling, Running and Hiking having hiked to the top of Kilimanjaro and Everest Base Camp.
Brid O'Brien
Brid O’Brien is a Senior HR leader with extensive experience in building and leading profitable teams, managing organizational transformation and partnering with business leaders to optimize performance. She is founder & MD of Albatel, HR, Recruitment & Payroll outsourcing consultancy. She has over 25 years of national and international experience, and she has a track record of providing organisational and people solutions at the highest levels in telecommunications, utilities, software & FMCG. Prior to founding Albatel, Brid spent several years in leadership roles with GE, Meteor Mobile Communications, Britvic plc., and Actavo. Brid holds a BA and MA in Human Resource Management and European Law, Post Graduate Diploma in Accounting (ACCA), successfully completed the Institute of Directors Chartered Director Programme and is a fully accredited Executive Coach. Previous Board Experience includes Chairperson of the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development, Ireland (CIPD), Board Member of CIPD UK, Irish representative on the Board of the European Association of Personnel Management (EAPM) and Britvic Ireland Limited.
Gerry Egan
Gerry is a governance and data protection specialist with extensive experience across private, public, and non-profit sectors where he has worked with over 150 clients since 2018. A former Group Director at Coillte, Ireland’s State forestry company, he now advises organizations on governance reform, board performance, ESG strategies, and data protection compliance.
As a Chartered Director and experienced non-executive director, Gerry has held roles as Chairman of a successful tourism enterprise and Director of major windfarm projects and has served on the boards of two leading charities. and Governance Consultant for over 130 clients since 2018. With a proven track record in business transformation, regulatory relations, and sustainability, he brings strategic insight and practical expertise to every engagement.
Gerry has his MSc (Management), Business Administration from TCD/IMI and is also a Chartered Director with the Institute of Directors. He currently resides in Maynooth and is a member of Life Credit Union and Maynooth Community Council.
Colin Canny
Colin currently serves as Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Paysend Europe, where he oversees all operations for the European entity. With a focus on operational excellence and regulatory compliance, Colin plays a key role in ensuring Paysend Europe delivers innovative solutions and exceptional service to its customers while adhering to the highest standards of integrity. Colin holds a PCF role, reflecting his deep understanding of regulatory frameworks and his commitment to best practices.
With extensive experience across fintech, embedded finance, and global payments, Colin has a proven track record in commercial strategy, outsourcing, operational resilience, regulatory licensing, and cross-border operations. His leadership has driven growth, product innovation, and strategic partnerships across Ireland, the UK, and Europe. Colin has worked closely with senior management teams to execute go-to-market strategies, design new financial products, and support institutional fundraising initiatives.
Throughout his career, Colin has demonstrated a commitment to empowering teams and fostering industry collaboration. Colin is APA’d and has a BSc in Business Information Technology from Galway-Mayo Institute of Technology. He currently resides in Maynooth and is a member of Life Credit Union
Julie Woulfe
Julie Woulfe is a Senior Data Manager in a large financial services organisation, where she drives data strategy and ensures initiatives align with business goals. With a strong background in Data and IT, she has played a key role in using data to support strategic decisions and business transformation. Before stepping into her current role, she held several senior IT positions across the financial services industry.
Julie holds a Bachelor of Science from Trinity College Dublin and a Professional Diploma in Data & Analytics from the Institute of Banking. Originally from Co. Wexford, she now lives in Co. Kildare with her family. In her free time, she can often be found running in her local area.
Tony Burke (Board Oversight)
Tony has been involved with the credit union for over 48 years. He served on the Board of Directors for many years and has served on various committees. He has enjoyed his time with the credit union and watching it grow to the great organisation it is today. Tony was on the Supervisory committee for several years and is now currently the Secretary of the Board Oversight committee.
Gareth Conway (Board Oversight)
Gareth comes from a Legal, Privacy and Compliance background having worked as a self-employed consultant across a broad variety of industries including Banking, Technology and Pharma. Gareth holds qualifications from The Institute of Bankers ,The Compliance Institute, Prince2 and The International Association of Privacy Professionals among others . From Dublin originally his now a resident of Kildare for over 14years and considers himself a Lilly White . He has a keen interest in Technology ,Reading ,Travel and is a huge Manchester United supporter!
Eugene Forde (Board Oversight)
Eugene has lived in Naas since 1980 and his family have been Credit Union members since the early days. He has been very active in many Naas organisations over the years including school Boards of Management, GAA and soccer clubs, the Moat Club and Theatre, Naas Musical Society and is currently a member of Naas Golf Club. Eugene retired as a civil servant in 2022 having worked at home and overseas for more than 40 years. He has extensive experience in the fields of enterprise development and international trade. Eugene is also currently a Board member of a small national charity for people with intellectual disabilities. Eugene is married to Antoinette and they have two grown up children. Eugene enjoys all sports and all forms of music and enjoys walking with his Golden Labrador, Kinder.
