Dr. Katherine Zappone is Director of The Centre for Progressive Change. She is an educator, public policy and human rights expert. An Taoiseach appointed Katherine as a Senator to Seanad Eireann in 2011. She was a Commissioner with the Irish Human Rights Commission for two terms.
Katherine and her spouse, Dr Ann Louise Gilligan are Co-founders of An Cosán in Tallaght, one of the largest community education and enterprise centres in Ireland.
Katherine has been involved in the public policy arena since her time as Chief Executive of the National Women’s Council of Ireland. She has also taught ethics, practical theology and education in Trinity College Dublin. She has published research in national equality frameworks, effective children’s services, equal opportunity in education, theology and spirituality, and human rights.
She holds a PhD from Boston College and an MBA from the Smurfit Business School at UCD. Earlier this year Senator Zappone co-published a legislative proposal to radically reform Seanad Eireann and has lead calls for retention and reform of the Seanad.
