Coaching

Coaching in UCD

Defining Coaching in UCD
Coaching can be used to great effect at significant junctures in our work life. Coaching is a professional relationship which facilitates learning, performance and development of people. It is about improving effectiveness and achieving results, focussing on measurable steps of success. The role of the coach is to facilitate this process through active listening and questioning within a space of trust, safety, and challenge. The coach is not advising, telling or influencing, it is based on the premise that each person has all the answers to their questions, and the role of the coach is to facilitate the coachee in gaining clarity, setting goals, and taking action.

You may have identified a need for specific coaching in discussion with your manager during your Performance for Growth conversation. The following are two ways in which you can access coaching in UCD.

External Coaching Panel:
The People and Organisation Development Team maintains a panel of approved Executive Coaches designed to support managers and leaders. This may be suitable for those stepping into a new management or leadership role. With the exception of new Heads of School, the costs of engaging with this service is normally paid by the School or Unit in which the coachee is based and Line Management approval should be in place prior to contacting (opens in a new window)(opens in a new window)peopledevelopment@ucd.ie.

UCD Internal Coaching Panel:

Internal coaching is free and open to all UCD employees and ordinarily involves approximately 4 or 5, sixty minute meetings, once every 3-6 weeks, arranged at a mutually convenient time for the coach and coachee. The meetings are usually completed within 6 months.

UCD has a small panel of internal coaches, all of whom have a coaching qualification and have put themselves forward to be part of the panel. Please see below for our Internal Coaching Panel members. If you wish to avail of this coaching service please contact (opens in a new window)(opens in a new window)peopledevelopment@ucd.ie

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Meet our UCD Internal Coaching Panel

Agnieszka King

Programme Manager, UCD China Joint Colleges Office

Agnieszka is an experienced Business Coach with a strong background in change management, conflict resolution, cross-cultural awareness, & diversity and inclusion. She has coached senior leaders, teams, & individuals across sectors including Financial Services, Telecoms, Professional Services, Engineering, Not-for-Profit, Pharmaceutical, Health & Education. Her use of a wide range of psychometric tools enhances her clients’ self-awareness and development. A long-standing member of the UCD Internal Coaching Panel, Agnieszka supports the personal and professional growth of internal colleagues. She has worked in the education sector for 20 years, progressing from primary teaching to leadership roles in University College Dublin, where she managed major programmes such as the Smurfit Full-time MBA & the Business & Executive Coaching Professional Diploma. Committed to helping others reach their potential, Agnieszka focuses on executive coaching, leadership development & change management.

Alanna O'Sullivan

Researcher Development Specialist, HR People & Organisation Development

Alanna joined UCD in 2017 and brings broad HR experience, having played a key role within the People & Organisation Development team. She currently develops services that support early career researchers. Prior to joining UCD, she worked in stakeholder-management roles in large organisations in Ireland & North America. She holds a BA in Psychology, an MSc in Occupational Psychology, & a Diploma in Executive & Leadership Coaching accredited by the Association for Coaching. She is also an MBTI Practitioner & DiSC certified.
Alanna is passionate about supporting personal and professional growth, particularly during times of transition. She views coaching as an opportunity to pause, reflect, explore possibilities, and consider the future within a confidential & supportive environment. Alanna works with clients to uncover what truly motivates & fulfils them, guiding them to align their time & energy with development opportunities and career paths that offer meaningful rewards.

Amanda Gibney

Associate Professor, School of Civil Engineering

Amanda commenced her career as a structural design engineer before transitioning to academia in UCD. She holds Bachelor, Masters, & Doctoral degrees in engineering & is a Fellow of Engineers Ireland. Amanda obtained a Professional Diploma in Business & Executive Coaching & is an Accredited Practitioner & Member of the European Mentoring & Coaching Council. Amanda’s motivation for coaching stems from a lifelong interest in supporting
potential, growth, & meaningful change in others. She views coaching as a collaborative partnership & her coaching philosophy is rooted in the belief that clients are inherently resourceful. She uses creative tools, and Gestalt principles to facilitate insight & action. Amanda focuses on empowering clients to develop awareness, capability & confidence, leading to sustainable change. Her passion areas include supporting clients in leadership development, emotional intelligence, career progression, and achieving enhanced career satisfaction.

Annabelle Phelan

Business Development Manager, School of Business

Many of you may know Annabelle from her journey across UCD - from HR and International Student Recruitment to her current role at Smurfit Executive Development. Throughout these years, Annabelle’s passion has always been the same: helping people realise their full potential.
Beyond her desk, Annabelle serves as a mentor for the UCD Aurora Women in Leadership Programme and a coach for UCD staff. Annabelle’s coaching style isn't about giving advice; it’s about facilitating your breakthrough. By combining her background in psychology with advanced training in career and relationship coaching, Annabelle helps you cut through the noise, clarify your goals, and take decisive action.
If you are looking for a confidential partner to help you navigate your next chapter, Annabelle would be delighted to have a chat.

Aoife MacGabhann

Director of HR Digital Transformation, HR

Aoife is an experienced executive coach and senior leader with a career spanning over 30 years. Her diverse background includes ten years in consultancy leading large-scale change management and complex system implementations, followed by 17 years in senior HR roles. She holds a Bachelor of Business Studies and French, an MSc in Strategic HR Management and a Diploma in Business & Executive Coaching.

A dedicated practitioner with over 200 coaching hours across professional services, the public sector, and technology, Aoife has served on the UCD Internal Coaching Panel for five years.

Passionate about supporting individuals to find meaningful ways of working, Aoife applies an unbiased, pragmatic coaching style. She focuses on creating awareness and encouraging multiple perspectives to enable deep insight, maximize potential, and build capacity.

Jacob Eisenberg

Associate Professor, School of Business

Jacob is an Associate Professor at the UCD Smurfit Graduate School of Business, where he is teaching on the MBA, MSc, & Executive Development Programmes. He earned his PhD in Social/Organisational Psychology at Colorado State University & his research & teaching interests relate to Organisational Behaviour, Creativity, Learning & Cross-Cultural Management. He has lectured in Canada, China, Cyprus, Denmark, Hong Kong, Hungary, India, Israel, Singapore & USA. Jacob worked on training & consulting projects with public & private organisations, including IBM, ICON, Microsoft, Davy, SEAI, Irish Prime Minister’s Office, Olympics Training Ireland & the UN. He has supervised graduate student teams who delivered consulting projects for various multinationals including IBM, Henkel, HP, McDonalds, Salesforce & Accenture. Having completed an intensive Business & Executive Coaching postgraduate diploma, Jacob is an accredited coach who has coached managers and executives from various industries.

Mary Casey

Associate Professor, School of Nursing, Midwifery and Health Systems

Mary has more than 25 years of experience in nursing and health systems research. Facilitating collaborative interdisciplinary approaches to identify areas for improvement in existing service
provision, to improve the quality of services is the main focus of her research. She has developed international research networks and led successful multi-institutional interdisciplinary bids from EU funding agency. She is a registered nurse, midwife and tutor with a background in hospital management as a Director of Nursing.

She has considerable experience of educating nursing students, policy makers and managers and has supervised students undertaking both clinical and applied research in Irish healthcare. She obtained a PhD from the School of Business, Trinity College Dublin (TCD) and is also a graduate of the Harvard Kennedy School for Executive Education and the Smurfit Business School, UCD.

Ruby O'Riordan

Library Assistant, UCD Library

Ruby qualified as an Information Professional in 2015 and began working with UCD Library in 2016. Since joining the Library, Ruby has worked at both Library Assistant and Assistant Librarian level and has contributed to several Library committees. Ruby is currently an active member of the Library's newly formed Health & Wellbeing Committee.

Alongside Ruby’s work in the information profession, she is also a coach. As a neurodiverse individual living with chronic health challenges, Ruby understands first-hand how complex navigating work, wellbeing, and everyday life can be. Ruby offers a calm, supportive and non-judgmental space where clients can explore challenges openly. Ruby believes that people already carry the strength and insight they need within themselves, and that her role is simply to help uncover those answers, support clarity and confidence finding, and be a steady cheerleader as they move toward meaningful, sustainable change.

Tara Hughes

Career & Skills Consultant, UCD Careers Network

Tara has been a Career & Skills Consultant in UCD since 2021, prior to this her professional career was in HR. She has lived and worked in Dublin & London. Her education and qualifications include an MBS in HRM, Diploma in Leadership & Executive Coaching & a Professional Certificate in Teaching & Learning. She is an accredited member of the Association for Coaching and also a member of AHECs and AGCAS. As part of her role in UCD she coaches Postgraduate Researchers, Postdocs and alumni.

UCD People & Organisation Development

Roebuck Offices, University College Dublin, Belfield, Dublin 4, Ireland.

T: +353 1 716 4919 | E: peopledevelopment@ucd.ie

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