MADRA's Leadership and Governance
Responsible for the governance of MADRA, the Board ensures that there are systems and processes in place so that MADRA achieves and sustains its charitable objectives with integrity, and is managed in an effective, efficient, accountable and transparent manner. The Board ensures that MADRA’s Vision, Mission and Values are upheld and adhered to at all times.
Our Board of Directors
Marina Fiddler
Co-founder and Chairperson
Co-founder of MADRA, Marina hails originally from Dublin but has lived west of the Shannon for most of her adult life.
MADRA was conceived around the kitchen table of Connemara Kennels (a dog boarding facility) by Marina Fiddler, Paul Holme and Tara Nic Dhiarmada, as the numbers of unwanted dogs being put to sleep in local authority pounds was reaching a crisis point.
As MADRA grew, it gradually took over the whole kennels so that as many dogs as possible could be rescued. A lifelong advocate for animals, Marina has been invited to contribute to a number of national forums on issues of animal welfare in Ireland, she has served as Co-Chair of the Irish Pet Advertising Advisory Group (IPAAG) and is presently a Trustee of the ADCH.
Gráinne Ní Mháille
Secretary
Gráinne first began volunteering with MADRA in 2009 and has been a member of the Board of Directors since 2017. After volunteering in the kennels for several years she then began working in the kennels and the shops. This experience has been hugely beneficial when it comes to decision making on behalf of MADRA’s staff and volunteers. Her work as a primary school teacher means she can usually be found around the kennels during the school holidays.
Edel Comerford
Board Member
Edel is one of the original team that brought MADRA into being, first as a volunteer, then committee member, and finally as director. After many years keeping us on track operationally, Edel has stepped back from the minutiae of the day-to-day, but continues to oversee and support all the work that we do.
Ciara O’Flynn
Board Member
Ciara joined MADRA as a volunteer dog-walker in 2007 and has served as a director since 2015. She has been passionate about dogs and animal welfare since childhood and has a wealth of experience including 20 years working in retail along with her legal background from 15 years as an information provider with Citizens Information Centre. A key member of the social media team, she thrives on multi-tasking with various campaigns within MADRA including compassionate appeals and upbeat campaigns encouraging positive changes in animal welfare and participation in Irish daily life.
Dawn Divilly
Director of Operations
After completing her degree in Hotel Management in Galway, Dawn spent almost 20 years in the UK hospitality industry where she specialised in the project management of large scale organisational changes across a broad range of hotel, leisure and retail businesses.
During this time she also completed her MBA. After moving home to Galway, she fostered her first MADRA dog in 2014 and began volunteering regularly in 2018; she became Director of Operations in 2019. Dawn represents MADRA on the Department of Rural and Community Development’s Dog Control Stakeholder Group.