CASE in Ireland
Location
O'Connor Centre for Learning, UCD Main Campus, Dublin 4, D04 V1W8, Ireland
Join colleagues from across Ireland’s higher education sector for a focused day dedicated to alumni relations, advancement operations, and fundraising. Hosted at University College Dublin, this gathering will bring together professionals working in advancement, development, alumni engagement, and operations to share insights, strengthen connections, and explore emerging opportunities for Irish institutions.
This event offers a valuable chance to connect with peers facing similar challenges and ambitions across the sector. Through a mix of discussion-led sessions and practical insights, we’ll explore current priorities in alumni engagement, operational effectiveness, and fundraising strategy within Irish higher education.
Why attend?
- Build your network with colleagues from advancement, alumni relations, and fundraising teams across Irish institutions
- Share practical insight on alumni engagement, donor relations, and operational best practice
- Explore current trends shaping advancement and philanthropy in higher education
- Exchange ideas and challenges in a collaborative, peer-led environment
- Strengthen cross-institution connections within the Irish advancement community
Whether you are focused on alumni engagement, advancement services, operations, or fundraising, this event provides a welcoming forum for learning from one another, exchanging ideas, and building lasting professional relationships.
Programme outline
09:30–10:00 — Registration and Refreshments
10:00–10:15 — Welcome
Jordan Campbell | Chief Executive, University College Dublin Foundation
10:15–11:00 — Universities and the Importance of Trust
Dr Shane Bergin | Associate Professor in Science Education, University College Dublin
11:00–11:15 — Break
11:15–12:00 — Roundtables and Breakout Sessions
Roundtable Topics (These discussions will be scheduled throughout the day, and pre-registration links will be shared with delegates)
Annual Giving / Reunions
Alumni and Development strategic collaboration
Endowments
The Future of Alumni Engagement and How Might We Use AI to Scale Up Meaningful Connections?
Legacies
Corporate Giving
Stewardship (Major Gifts)
Breakout Sessions
Inside the Campaign Room: Turning Ideas into Campaign Reality
Kate Bond | Chief Advancement Officer, Trinity College Dublin and the Chief Executive Officer of Trinity Foundation
Paul Tyack | Director of Advancement, Newcastle University
Hosted by: Liz Reilly | Partner, More Partnership
Starting Fresh: Reinventing Your Alumni Programme From Scratch
Rachael Green | Head of Alumni Engagement (Faculties), University of Nottingham
12:15–13:00 — Roundtables and Breakout Sessions
Breakout Sessions
Tracing the Student Lifecycle: How to Deliver Consistent, Scalable Student Engagement Through Core Alumni Programmes
Gerard Jones | Head of Alumni and Supporter Relations, UCL
Communications - Alumni Surveys
Camille Rogers | Associate Director of Marketing, UCD Foundation
Kate McSweeney | Director of Advancement Communications, University College Cork
13:00–14:00 — Lunch and Networking
14:00–14:45 — In conversation with Professor Orla Feely | President, University College Dublin
15:00–15:45 —Roundtables and Breakout Sessions
Breakout Sessions
Alumni Engagement Metrics
Jenny Cooke-Smith | Executive Director of CASE Insights in Data, Research & Technology
Hosted by: Jennie Blake | Director of Strategic Engagement, UCD Foundation
Major Gifts Fundraising
Heather Gelles-Ebner | Senior Consultant, Philanthropy Company
Hosted by: Kerry Bryson | Director of Business Development & Advancement, University College Cork
16:00–16:45 — Closing Session
Kingsley Aikins | CEO, The Networking Institute
17:00 — Drinks Reception
UCD University Club
Registration Fees
CASE Member - €75
Non-Member - €105
Co-Chairs
Jennie Blake
As Director of Strategic Engagement at UCD Foundation, Jennie drives transformational change during a pivotal era for University College Dublin. She ensures the Foundation’s mission aligns with the university's bold, ambitious vision for the future.
With thirteen years of advancement experience, Jennie fosters meaningful connections across the university ecosystem. She leads the Supporter Journeys initiative, empowering alumni to act as instrumental partners in university progress. Collaborating with colleagues, she develops innovative strategies to leverage alumni expertise and resources toward critical institutional goals.
Jennie also serves on the CASE Europe Regional Council, helping shape the organisation's strategic direction. By benchmarking UCD against global peers and utilising CASE insights, she implements cutting-edge engagement approaches. Her strategic mindset and passion for advancement ensure the UCD Foundation achieves a lasting impact on its global community.
Kerry Bryson
An alum of Trinity College Dublin and the London Business School, Kerry worked for the National Trust and PricewaterhouseCoopers before joining Queen’s University Belfast as Head of Alumni Marketing & Donor Relations in 2000. After gaining over a decade’s experience in alumni engagement, annual giving, volunteering and major gift fundraising, Kerry moved to Stirling University spending five years as Director of External Relations taking on a portfolio which also included student recruitment, international affairs, admissions and events and then spent a further five years as Director for Global Advancement focused on business development which included a secondment to a small sprint team to work on the Regional City Deal raising over £200m for the region on projects related to Food Security; International Environment and Ageing/Dementia.
Kerry joined UCC in 2021, where she also serves as the CEO of Cork University Foundation. Her career in higher education spans over 26 years, and she never ceases to be amazed at the importance of education to transform individual lives, address complex global issues, and work to build a safer and equitable planet.
Thank you to our sponsors
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