From Petals to Purpose 

My journey began with flowers during my childhood, growing up on a farm. I was enchanted by the scents, colours, and shapes of flowers; primroses, cowslips, daisies, daffodils, and lilacs. They stirred something deep within me, a feeling I couldn’t name, but one that never left me.

My life’s journey took me far from those early days among wildflowers. I spent over three decades working overseas, travelling across Asia, Africa, the Middle East, and Haiti. Even in the harshest environments, like famine-stricken Ethiopia, I would catch sight of vivid bougainvillaea, its brilliance a defiant burst of life in the face of suffering.

One moment remains forever etched in my heart: arriving in a Bangladeshi village to meet a group of women, among the poorest I had ever visited, to find them lining a dusty path with vibrant flowers. They had almost nothing, yet offered such beauty with grace and reverence. That gesture spoke more profoundly than any words could.

Everywhere I travelled, I noticed the quiet, constant presence of flowers in celebration and mourning, in rituals and rites of passage. My early enchantment evolved into a deeper curiosity. I studied herbalism and discovered that what looks similar on the surface can hold very different properties.  Some flowers heal, some nourish, and some can harm. This subtle wisdom captivated me.

This exploration led to the writing of my first book, "Spirituality of Flowers: What Flowers Do For Us," which I joyfully launched at the National Botanic Gardens, Glasnevin, Dublin, on 15 February 2025. My book is an invitation into a gentle unfolding through scent, colour, and form, into the deeper relationship flowers hold within Earth’s ecosystems and all of creation. It is both a walk-through wonder and a return to something we’ve always known. 

Since then, like seeds scattered by flowers, invitations have bloomed. I’ve been asked to speak to various groups and will be presenting at the International Network for the Study of Spirituality’s global conference in June 2025 at the University of Northampton, UK.

Today, my passion is to help people realise their hidden potential through my talks and workshops, whilst reminding them of their interconnectedness with all life. By caring for Mother Earth, we care for ourselves; and by caring for ourselves, we care for all life.

Throughout my career, I managed diverse, high-performing teams, recruiting and overseeing up to nine direct reports and supporting approximately 800 staff. I was responsible for securing funding, delivering quality programmes, and managing budgets of up to €55 million, directly benefiting around two million people each year. 

I also represented Concern Worldwide in key partnerships and advocacy efforts with donors, the Irish government, the media, and at UN fora. I served on the Steering Committee of the Irish Consortium on Gender-Based Violence (ICGBV), contributing to strategic dialogue and policy influence on critical global issues.