Meet The Team
The Brussels-Strasbourg Staff
Parliamentary Assistant – Brussels
Rose Ní Chléirigh
Rose supports Grace’s work on the Committee on the Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI). From Clare in Ireland, she studied in Dublin and Rotterdam before moving to Brussels in 2017.
Prior to joining Grace’s team in the European Parliament, she worked as a Policy Officer in the Irish Permanent Representation to the EU.
Office Coordinator – Brussels
Jonathan Martín Brennan
Jonathan has taken on the role of office coordinator, whilst also supporting Grace’s work on the Delegation to the Euro-Latin American Parliamentary Assembly and the Delegation for relations with Mercosur. Jonathan also supports Grace’s work by monitoring the Animal Transport Inquiry Committee and LGBTI Intergroup.
Born and raised in Mallorca to an Irish mother and Spanish father, he studied in London before pursuing a Master’s degree in European Public Affairs in Maastricht, which led him to move to Brussels in 2018.
Before joining team Grace, Jonathan worked for two different Members of the European Parliament on issues ranging from single-use plastics and access to drinking water to human rights and foreign affairs.
The Ireland-South Constituency Staff
Constituency Officer
Liz O'Dea
Liz joined the team in early 2020 as Constituency officer. She deals with a wide range of issues arising in the Ireland South Constituency. As constituency officer, Liz is the local point of contact to respond to the representations and needs of constituents.
A native of Kerry, Liz has lived in Waterford for the past 30 years where, prior to joining Grace’s team, she worked for 29 years as a solicitor with the Legal Aid Board and also trained as a mediator working with the Family Mediation Service. She completed her masters in Law in 2000 in the areas of Family and
Environmental Law.
During her time in Waterford Liz has been involved in the arts and was a Director of The Imagine Arts Festival for 14 years. Liz also served as a board member on Framework, an organisation providing support and training to community and voluntary sectors.
Constituency Officer
Rob O'Donnell
Rob joined Grace in 2022 as an Intern in the Brussels Office, before taking up the role of Constituency Officer
in the Ireland South constituency. Rob manages Grace’s calendar during her designated constituency weeks,
and provides communications and media support
to Team Grace.
Rob hails from the Limerick / Tipperary border, and studied Engineering in Trinity College Dublin. He previously worked as a staff member with the Irish Second-Level Students’ Union, and spent many years volunteering in the Irish and global student movement.
Media & Communications Advisor
Gavin Nugent
Gavin joined Grace’s team with over a decade of experience in communications across politics, the public and private sectors, specialising in sustainability and environmental issues. He was previously Communications Manager with the Green Party from 2015 to 2018.
He has a BA in politics and economics from UCD, and an MA in Public Affairs and Political Communications from TUD. He is currently studying for a Postgraduate Certificate in Sustainability Leadership from TUD.
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Constituency Trainee
Alannah O'Connor
Alannah has recently graduated from University College Cork with a BA in Politics and English. She was an active member of the UCC community and served as both Welfare Officer and Gender Equality Representative on the Students’ Union during her time there.
The Cork native joined Team Grace in October 2023, working on the ground in Grace’s Cork Office.
She has a keen interest in the environment, gender equality & LGBTQ+ issues, and human rights.
Constituency Trainee
Grace Keane O'Connor
Grace is a West Cork native, and joined the team in November 2023, working on the ground for Grace O'Sullivan in the Ireland South constituency office.
Grace graduated in 2022 from University of Galway with a BA in Human Rights, Sociology & Politics and French. Using this time at university to engage in issues important to her, Grace was an active member of the university's Failte Refugees committee, European Youth Parliament Ireland, and partook in activism and organised fundraisers for climate and biodiversity causes.
Constituency Pupper
Yasser O'Donnell
Yassie is the Constituency office 'good boy' who has extensive experience in chewing tennis balls, eating peanut butter, and giving sweet licks when you need them most. Originally from Palestine, Yassie is not quite as fond of the Irish weather, but does love going on walks through the lovely Irish countryside with his
dad Rob.
Yassie can often be spotted lounging on the Cork office sofa, aptly defending his space from passers by.