Dr. Sarah Otten is a lecturer at Carlow College, teaching across the Humanities, Social Care, and Social, Political and Community Studies programmes. She delivers courses in ethics, political philosophy, and feminist philosophy, helping students understand how philosophical ideas shape public life, social systems, and personal decision-making. She is committed to reflective, student-centred learning and to fostering strong critical-thinking skills.

Sarah completed her PhD at Trinity College Dublin in 2016, examining concepts of justice in the writings of Adam Smith. Her research offers a fresh perspective on his moral and political thought, highlighting its relevance to contemporary debates on inequality, responsibility, and collective wellbeing.

Before joining Carlow College, she spent four years in Namibia and Malawi working on development projects. This experience significantly shaped her understanding of global justice, community development, and the ethical dimensions of international aid, grounding her academic work in real-world contexts.

Her research interests include social justice, feminism, and animal ethics. She contributes to conferences, public lectures, and interdisciplinary initiatives, advancing dialogue on gendered power, the moral status of non-human animals, and the conditions needed for equitable societies.

Dr. Otten brings a strong commitment to human dignity, critical inquiry, and transformative education, supporting students to become informed and compassionate contributors to society.

Gerard Murphy is Director of WTTC Consulting and a former Chief Superintendent in An Garda Síochána, bringing over 33 years of leadership experience in policing, organisational transformation, and strategic governance. Throughout his career, he has been central to shaping modern policing practices, particularly in strategy development, change management, and organisational performance. As a consultant in excellence and performance improvement, he advises public and private organisations on governance, risk, and operational resilience, helping them achieve high standards of accountability, transparency, and service delivery.

Gerard has significant expertise in adult and child safeguarding and has led national programmes that embedded victim-centred approaches and strengthened multi-agency collaboration. His work has contributed to more robust safeguarding frameworks and better outcomes for vulnerable individuals. He also serves as an International Security Representative for a major global sports organisation, providing strategic guidance on security operations, risk assessment, and stakeholder coordination for safe and secure international events.

Committed to human-centred leadership and data-driven decision-making, Gerard promotes a culture of continuous improvement and public value. He believes that empathetic, evidence-based leadership is essential for organisations navigating complex and rapidly evolving environments. Across all his roles, he remains focused on protecting people, strengthening institutions, and enabling resilient, high-performing organisations.

MBA DipFL holds a Master’s in Leadership and a Diploma in Family Law, combining strong academic grounding with over 25 years of experience in youth and community development. She began her career as a youth service worker and later became Chair of Laois Youth Service, shaping her long-standing commitment to supporting young people and families.

For the past 12 years, Sarah has managed Teach Dara Community & Family Resource Centre in Kildare Town. She leads a wide range of community, family support, and social inclusion initiatives, with line management responsibility for 13 Centre staff and 3 staff delivering a National Pilot Mental Health Programme. Her work strengthens local responses to mental health needs and promotes community wellbeing.

Sarah has also contributed extensively to local government and community representation. She served as the Social Inclusion representative on the Kildare County Council Local Community Development Committee from 2014 to 2023, participated in the Children and Young People’s Services Committee from 2019 onward, and was MD District Representative on the Kildare Public Participation Network Secretariat from 2021 to 2023.

In addition, she is Chair of North Leinster MABS and Vice President of the Society of St. Vincent de Paul branch at St. Conleth’s Day Care Centre.

Sarah remains dedicated to inclusive, collaborative approaches that empower individuals, support families, and strengthen communities. (Director of RCC)

Sarah completed her PhD at Trinity College Dublin in 2016, examining concepts of justice in the writings of Adam Smith. Her research offers a fresh perspective on his moral and political thought, highlighting its relevance to contemporary debates on inequality, responsibility, and collective wellbeing.

Before joining Carlow College, she spent four years in Namibia and Malawi working on development projects. This experience significantly shaped her understanding of global justice, community development, and the ethical dimensions of international aid, grounding her academic work in real-world contexts.

Her research interests include social justice, feminism, and animal ethics. She contributes to conferences, public lectures, and interdisciplinary initiatives, advancing dialogue on gendered power, the moral status of non-human animals, and the conditions needed for equitable societies.

Dr. Otten brings a strong commitment to human dignity, critical inquiry, and transformative education, supporting students to become informed and compassionate contributors to society.

David Gahan is a psychotherapist with over six years of experience running a successful company and private counselling practice. With a professional background in the corporate sector, he brings a nuanced understanding of organisational dynamics and individual challenges, enabling him to support clients facing workplace pressure, career transitions, leadership demands, and interpersonal conflict. His therapeutic approach centres on fostering emotional insight, resilience, and personal growth, helping clients develop healthier behaviours and more fulfilling relationships.

David works with a broad range of issues, including anxiety, stress, trauma, depression, identity concerns, family and relationship difficulties, and challenges related to self-worth. He integrates evidence-based therapeutic modalities and is committed to ongoing professional development through continuous training, reflective practice, and supervision. He prioritises creating a safe, confidential, and non-judgemental environment where clients feel supported as they explore their experiences and pursue meaningful change.

Drawing on his corporate experience, David also offers consultation and mental-health awareness support to organisations seeking to strengthen employee wellbeing and build psychologically safe workplace cultures. Passionate about bridging mental health and organisational life, he believes compassionate leadership and emotionally intelligent communication enhance both people and performance.

Gerald Preteau is a Canadian professional who moved to Ireland in 2010 to take up a management role with Canada Life, overseeing IT architecture and risk functions. With more than 40 years of experience across financial services and technology, he has developed a strong reputation in systems design, cybersecurity awareness, operational resilience, and strategic risk management. Throughout his career, he has led high-performing teams, supported major technology transformations, and helped build secure and efficient IT environments in complex, regulated industries.

Now semi-retired, Gerald works part-time as a contractor with Aviva, where he draws on his extensive expertise to provide guidance on IT and risk initiatives. This flexible role allows him to remain professionally engaged while enjoying more time for personal interests, family, and friends.

Outside of work, Gerald pursues a wide range of activities that keep him intellectually challenged and socially connected. He is an enthusiastic golfer and appreciates the mental discipline and strategy involved in both Contract Bridge and Chess. These interests reflect his lifelong dedication to problem-solving, analysis, and continuous learning.
Proud to call Ireland home, Gerald values its strong sense of community, culture, and quality of life, and looks forward to balancing meaningful professional contribution with an active, fulfilling retirement.