Maureen Gaffney – Keynote Speaker

Dr. Maureen Gaffney is a well know psychologist, writer and broadcaster, and a commentator on current trends and changes in Irish society. Her special interest and expertise is the science and art of peak performance – being ‘At your Best’ at an individual and organisational level. Her book Flourishing which sets out the scientific principles underlying ‘Being at Your Best’ remained in the Irish non-fiction bestseller list for 22 months. She is a much-sought after speaker at conferences around the world.

She has worked with major companies in Ireland and in the US including the Intel Corporation, Boston Scientific, Microsoft, and Hewlett Packard. She designs and delivers programmes on leadership and emotional intelligence; resilience and change management; and on how to build flourishing teams and organisational cultures. She has a special interest in gender intelligence and helps companies to understand and leverage gender differences and gender-specific strengths to build high-performing teams.

Dr. Gaffney has experience in many other sectors. She was Director of the Doctoral Programme in Clinical Psychology in Trinity College Dublin for many years and Adjunct Professor of Psychology and Society at University College Dublin. She served on a number of state and private boards, including the Law Reform Commission, The Health service Executive, the Council of the Economic and Social research Institute and as Executive Chair of the National Economic and Social Forum, and as Chair of the Insurance Ombudsman Council of Ireland.

She earned her B.A. in Psychology at University College Cork, her M.A. in Behavioural Sciences at the University of Chicago and her PhD at Trinity College Dublin and completed Executive Education programmes in leadership and corporate governance in the Harvard Kennedy School and the Kellogg School of Management, Northwestern University. She is a member of Harvard Kennedy School Women’s Leadership Board and serves on its Executive Committee.