Aileen is an accomplished professional educator with 20 years’ experience in teaching, curriculum development at national level, and in creating effective and award-winning learning programmes. She holds a B.Sc. in Science Education and spent a decade working as a secondary school science and global development teacher, during which she secured funding from Irish Aid to lead the Climate Justice Schools Programme connecting schools in Ireland and Tanzania.

From 2015 until 2024, Aileen served as Head of Discovery & Learning at Dublin Zoo, Ireland, where she developed the Conservation Education Master Plan and was instrumental in the creation of key learning infrastructure including the Discovery & Learning Centre, Zoorassic World and improved interpretation. She also lectured part-time in Science Education at Dublin City University, supporting trainee primary school teachers with science and climate change education.

As a firm believer in continuous professional development, Aileen has studied management, strategic planning, innovation and leadership to enhance her effectiveness in conservation education leadership. She is passionate about building teams and their capacity to empower people to make informed choices that positively impact wildlife and the planet.

Aileen also serves on the EAZA Conservation Education Committee since October 2023 and in July 2024, she was appointed as Director of Fota Wildlife Park in Cork, Ireland.