About us
Uplift is a people-powered campaigning community of over 320,000 people who take coordinated action for progressive change across Ireland.
As a self-supporting independent organisation, we are dedicated to the belief that united efforts can transform society for the better.
We know that people are not apathetic but desire engagement in our democracy. People want to have a say in decisions that determine the type of society that we live in. By connecting with each other we will help to create a stronger, more powerful voice and have much broader impact.
Campaigns are informed by our shared values; to promote social justice, to defend fairness, protect our rights, preserve the planet and to deepen democracy. Using digital tools and a variety of campaigning strategies, our members participate and take action to advance Uplift campaigns.
Uplift is run by a small team of volunteers and staff experienced in social justice campaigning. The Board of Directors advises and supports the core team.
Uplift is completely independent and not aligned to any political or corporate interests.
People
Staff Team
Siobhán O’Donoghue, Executive Director | [email protected]
Siobhán is a community worker and social justice activist for many years. Her experience ranges from community and youth work, to national policy advocacy and campaigning. She has a particular interest in economic justice, women’s equality, anti-racism, and workers rights. From 2002 to 2014, Siobhán was the Director of the Migrant Rights Centre Ireland. In 2012, Siobhán completed an M.A. in Applied Social Studies in NUI Maynooth. Prior to qualifying as a community and youth worker, she trained to be a nurse. In 2010 she was awarded the Captain Cathal Ryan Scholarship for Social Entrepreneurship.
Brian Cuthbert, Director of Fundraising & Technology | [email protected]
Brian joined the team in March 2022 as Director of Fundraising & Technology. He works closely with the Campaigns team to make sure that Uplift are effective at what we do. Brian has spent years campaigning on Democracy and Climate Justice issues with a number of different grassroots organisations. He is also a certified project manager with experience in management consulting and software engineering. Outside of campaigning Brian’s hobbies include GAA, MMA, a little bit of coding and music.
Alex Barton, Operations & People Manager | [email protected]
Alex joined the Uplift team after having volunteered on the Member Support Team for a number of years. Alex is a mother of three and her background is in digital marketing, PR and event management. Alex grew up in Kenya where she was involved in NGO work in healthcare and education. Since living in Ireland Alex has campaigned for the provision of services and medication for people with Cystic Fibrosis as well as Repeal the 8th campaign.
Jacob Sosinsky, Digital & Campaigns Support Worker | [email protected]
Jacob works as a Digital & Campaigns Support Worker, focusing on making sure the staff team has the tools they need to empower members to take action to deliver real change.
Jacob is studying towards M.A. in Community Development and Global Youth Work. He is an LGBTQ+ and climate activist, empowering communities, leading training and workshops. He is an active volunteer in Youth and Climate organizations. Outside of work and volunteering, he is a proud father of 2 cats – Kitty and Dixie.
Patrick Kelleher, Campaigner | [email protected]
Patrick joined the Uplift team in January 2024 as a campaigner. His background is in journalism and communications, and he has spent much of his career advocating for the rights of marginalised communities, from LGBTQ+ people to those who have fled their homes to seek asylum elsewhere. Underpinning Patrick’s work is his desire to help build a kinder and more welcoming society for all, where people can be themselves without fear of persecution. At Uplift, his focus is on holding big tech to account so the internet can be a better, safer place for everyone.
Shany Sunder, Accounting Technician
Shany joined Uplift as an Accounting Technician in January 2024. Shany has a background in Financial Accounting and reporting. Shany completed her BCom Accounting Degree at the University of Johannesburg.
Shany is an activist for kids on the spectrum and is passionate about the world embracing the Neurodivergent community is every place. She is a firm believer that our words and actions have the power to shape and frame the essence of our existence.
Board Members
Anna Nolan
Chairperson
Bex Hay
Director
Anne Gibney
Director
Bruce Clark
Secretary
Beatriz Gómez Moreno
Board Member
Patricia Munatsi
Board Member
Laura Sullivan
Board Member
Rachel Murphy
Board Member
Volunteers Corner
Patrick Ryan-O’Brien
Technical Support
Ross McGann
Social Media
How we are funded
Here is a breakdown of our funding in 2024
Uplift doesn’t accept money from the Government or big corporations.
We are a fivers and tenners movement and rely on the support of our members.
In 2024, a large chunk of our funding came from one off and regular member donations as well as grants from groups such as the Rowan Trust, The Community Foundation of Ireland, Luminate, and Sunrise.
The average member donation is €14. We also partner with social justice groups and trade unions to campaign on issues that Uplift members care about.
How we spend money
Here is a breakdown of our predicted spending in 2024
We put a lot of time and effort into running meaningful campaigns for our members and like any organisation we need to keep the lights on and pay things like tax, insurance and audit fees. We keep our costs down where possible and we don’t need lots of money to have impact.
Those spending include salary costs. In 2024 Uplift have a team of 7 employees. No one gets paid big bucks but all staff members are paid a decent living wage. Staffing costs include salaries, pensions, working from home allowances and payments to Revenue.
You can read a copy of our donations policy here.