YWCA Ireland’s senior management team and staff work with the Board to implement its strategic vision.

Dr Claire Rush - Chief Executive & General Secretary

Dr Claire Rush has been CEO of the Young Women’s Christian Association of Ireland since 2021 and has twenty years of experience leading local, national and international Christian charities focussed on turning up the volume of hope for girls and women. Claire studied for her BA and MA at Queen’s University Belfast, and her PhD was funded by the Department for Employment and Learning. She is co-editor of Have Women Made a Difference? Women in Irish Universities, 1850–2010 (Peter Lang, 2010).

Claire’s influence and mission extend beyond Ireland and the UK. She has been elected to the European YWCA Board for 2026–29 at its General Assembly in Helsinki in May 2026. Previously, she was the youngest-ever Vice-President of Girls’ Brigade International, a global Christian ministry dedicated to helping girls “live life to the full”. In that role, she trained leaders, led workshops, organised global gatherings for young women and delivered keynote speeches in more than 18 countries. Claire remains connected with Girls’ Brigade International as Advocacy Director, helping the movement engage with advocacy issues by mobilising young women to put their faith into action. In 2024, she facilitated, equipped and supported a team of young women from eight nations to attend and advocate at the UN Commission on the Status of Women in New York.

Motivated by her Christian faith, Claire is passionate about empowering girls and young women to become all God created them to be. She serves on the NI Leadership Team of the Kyria Network and has helped lead retreats and conferences for Christian women leaders. She is also a member of Kyria’s Council of Reference and contributes to its Collab programme. Committed to equipping women, Claire is part of the Hope 4 Europe – Women in Leadership team, an initiative of the European Evangelical Alliance. She will deliver one of the keynote sessions at the Rise in Strength consultation in Cairo in November 2026.

Claire has also served on the faculty of History Makers, an initiative of the International Leaders Institute, and has led training weeks for 18–30s in Iceland, Ukraine, Moldova, Macedonia, Turkey and Lithuania. She is frequently invited to speak across UK and Irish media on how faith, justice and popular culture intersect in the lives of young women.

Claire lives beside the sea in Carrickfergus, Co. Antrim, and is happiest at the top of a mountain amid God’s creation.

KEVIN O’MEARA - FINANCE AND OPERATIONS MANAGER

Kevin is a Qualified Chartered Accountant and has been the Finance and Operations Manager of YWCA Ireland since June 2022. Kevin has had many years’ experience in Financial Management roles in both the Private and Public Sectors and has managed finance teams in both Ireland and the UK.

His current role covers all aspects of Finance including Audit & Regulatory Compliance, Budgeting, Accounts, and managing all aspects of day-to-day financial control. Within the Operations role he manages the portfolio of assets and properties owned and operated by the charity.

Kevin reports directly to our General Secretary and is tasked with preparing the charity’s Annual Budget for approval by our Board.

He is a regular attendee at Board Meetings in his capacity where he reports on financial performance against Budget. He also advises the Board on matters pertaining to Financial and Operational activities of the charity.

TREVOR POWER - YWCA MONAGHAN CENTRE COORDINATOR

Trevor has been the Centre Coordinator at YW Monaghan for almost five years. Before stepping into this role, he worked as a Project Worker with YWCA on a joint initiative with YWCA for more than three years. This November will mark his ninth year working with YWCA, a journey that reflects his long-standing commitment to the organisation and its mission.

Trevor's connection with YWCA began long before his employment. Growing up, he was actively involved in its youth programmes, so the organisation has been a significant part of his life for many years. It is a privilege for him to now contribute professionally to an organisation whose values, faith, and commitment to supporting people align so closely with his own.

Academically, Trevor's background is in education, learning development, and educational development. These foundations have been invaluable in his work, enabling him not only to fulfil the responsibilities of his role but also to contribute to the wider mission of YWCA through learning, development, and community engagement.

In more recent years, Trevor has pursued further professional development in operational studies, with a particular focus on compliance, data protection, governance, and GDPR. He has developed a strong interest in the operational and logistical side of organisational management and is passionate about embedding good practice, robust systems, and effective governance into the day-to-day running of the organisation.

Trevor is passionate about helping and supporting people, and he genuinely enjoys the logistical and organisational aspects of his role. As Centre Coordinator, no two days are the same. While his position includes a front-facing element, much of his work in recent years, particularly as the centre has continued to grow following the COVID-19 pandemic, has focused on governance, compliance, health and safety, administration, operational planning, and staff management.

It is a demanding and ever-evolving role, but one that Trevor finds incredibly rewarding. Supporting staff, volunteers, and the wider community, while helping to ensure the centre operates safely, effectively, and in line with the organisation's values, is a responsibility he is proud to carry. He would not have it any other way.