Meet our diverse and dynamic board of directors who each bring their own experiences and expertise while also deploying their collective enthusiam and commitment to equality in education and social justice in our community.
Stefania Lauciello Director & Chair Stefania is a risk management professional, has an international family and has travelled around the world. Having lived in various cities worldwide, she understands that diversity, when properly directed, benefits communities. As chair, she leverages her professional expertise to support ILS in their noble endeavour of bringing value to a multicultural united community through teaching English and hosting cultural events. Especially helping those who finds language barriers an obstacle for integration and contribution to the society. Anne Daly Volunteer Tutor & Director Annie is a volunteer teacher at ILS and has been for two years now. She finds the experience enjoyable and rewarding, meeting lovely students and enthusiastic fellow volunteers. She has worked in various jobs over the years including teaching English as a Second Language, which was a good foundation for volunteering at ILS. She was delighted to be asked to join the ILS Board and hopes to be of assistance and support in her new role. Mamy Nzema Nkoy
Director Mamy is a recognised community leader, honoured with the Leader in the Community title by the Ballyfermot Chapelizod Partnership. Mamy is actively involved on several boards; is a member of the Ballyfermot Anti-Racism Network and The For All Group, promoting diversity and inclusion. She is committed to environmental activism demonstrated through founding the Cherry Orchard Environmental Group. She is also an active member of the Cherry Blossoms Community Festival, organising events to foster unity and promote education. Dr Peter Sheekey Founder & CEO Peter has been a language trainer for 36 years with 15 years working as a teacher and teacher trainer in Switzerland and Italy. For the past two decades, Peter has been a researcher and practitioner in the field of second language learning and social orientation and the lived experiences of refugees and migrants in Ireland. His doctoral research focussed on the lived experiences and social barriers facing border-crossing adult migrant English language learners in Ireland. In 2016, he set up the Intercultural Language Service. He has created the European Award-winning Intercultural Storytelling Project, where members of local and new communities share their stories to promote greater understanding and social cohesion in communities under pressure. |
Karen Jones Director & Secretary Karen is the Registrar at the National College of Ireland, based in Dublin 1. She is also a resident of Drumcondra but originally from Wales. Karen is passionate about changing lives through education having worked in higher education for 30 years across the world. Karen joined the ILS Board to support our commitments to fostering social cohesion in the communities and areas of Dublin's inner City. Nasouh Hossari Director Nasouh is an Irish-based poet and artist Originally from Syria, Nasouh received his education in schools and universities in Damascus. His poems are featured in the Dubylon anthology curated by the International Language Service. His arts exhibitions include ‘Storytelling with Portraits’ in the Ballybough Community centre, as well as in local library as part of Five Lamps Festival, and ‘A Second Home’ in Cloud Café. Nasouh is an active participant and a member of the poetry workshops course. Vadym Olefirenko
Ex-student & Director Vadym Olefirenko came to Ireland in 2014. In his country of origin, which is Ukraine, he worked in sports medicine. Vadym was a student during the founding days of Intercultural Language Service and has become somewhat of an ambassador for the school. Vadym says he considers ILS to be his new family and reports that ‘from my perspective many others like myself have benefited from it’. He joined the ILS board to be able to help other people to be at least just a bit happier in this unstable world. Dr David Singleton Director David Singleton is an Emeritus Fellow of Trinity College Dublin, where he was, until his retirement from that institution, Professor in Applied Linguistics. He also, thereafter, held the title of Professor at the University of Pannonia, Veszprém (Hungary) and at the State University of Applied Sciences, Konin (Poland). He served as President of the Irish Association for Applied Linguistics, as Secretary General of the International Association of Applied Linguistics and as President of the European Second Language Association. David has been a director for several years at ILS and is very active in the linguistic and academic mission of the company. |