Jim Fitzpatrick

B.Soc.Sc, M.A., PhD

Jim Fitzpatrick is the Managing Director of Fitzpatrick Associates. He has over 20 years’ experience of economic consultancy in Ireland and internationally. Specialities include sectoral studies, industrial policy, international trade and development, science and technology, EU structural funds, regional and local development and public service modernisation. As well as Ireland he has also carried out consultancy projects for international organisations and in a wide range of countries including Hungary, Romania, Kenya, Vietnam, Uganda, Tanzania and Mozambique. Prior to establishing the firm he worked for three years at the Irish National Board for Science and Technology and for four years with United Nations development agencies. The author of a large number of publications on economic and industrial development issues, he has a Doctorate in Economics from University College Dublin.

Michael Donnell

Michael Donnelly has been a professional facilitator for over 14 years. In that time he has built up a huge wealth of expertise and a network of contacts. His work has allowed him to work at a senior level with hundreds of organisations across a wide breadth of issues. Michael’s work on participation processes has built up over the years with training and comprehensive experience of some of the most innovative methodologies globally. These include World Café, Open Space, ICA’s Technology of Participation and, in particular, Future Search. He also has experience of further processes including Appreciative Inquiry and Theory U. The methodologies have allowed him to work across society at all levels in Ireland and the UK. He regularly collaborates with facilitators in other countries.

Tara Haughian

Tara Haughian has been a professional facilitator for over 14 years; she has worked with a wide range of clients ranging from communities to government ministers. Tara has designed processes, delivered workshops and provided Participatory Facilitation Tools and Techniques training to stakeholders.

Elizabeth Kennedy

Liz is the former Manager of the Research Centre, based at the Dublin Institute of Technology. Elizabeth holds an MBS in Tourism Research from the University of Limerick (National Centre for Tourism Policy Studies). She has gained considerable experience working with educational bodies, public sector bodies, industry bodies, product providers and government departments, at national, regional and local level, in the area of market research, integrated rural development, rural tourism, customised training and facilitation. Elizabeth has over 10 years experience of successfully managing numerous EU projects in tourism.

Dr Ziene Mottiar

Ziene is a Tourism Economics lecturer with 10 years experience of researching and publishing in Tourism. She has more than 15 peer reviewed journal articles and book chapters and is currently editing a book entitled ‘Contemporary Issues in Irish and global Tourism and Hospitality’. In 2009 she chaired The Tourism and Hospitality Research in Ireland conference and has also been a member of a number of International Scientific Conference Committees. In addition she is a member of the Editorial boards of two international journals and acts as a peer reviewer for key tourism journals such as Journal of Sustainable Tourism and the Journal of Vacation Marketing. She has conducted, and been involved in, research projects in many parts of Ireland including Westport, Courtown, the Green box, Monaghan, Killarney and Lahinch. Her key areas of research interest are in destination development, regional development and tourism entrepreneurs.