Kate Clifford – Organisational & Development Manager, Rural Community Network

Kate holds the post of Organisational & Development Officer within RCN having previously worked as a Rural Enabler (Institutions) within the Rural Enabler Programme and will be working with the Orange Order, the GAA, Churches and others to address issues of sectarianism and racism.

Kate is a graduate of Queen’s University Belfast, with a BSc in Agricultural Economics and Management and an MSc in Rural Development. She has a strong background in creative thinking techniques, facilitation skills, research techniques, and supporting groups in the areas of project development and implementation. Kate has tutored on the MSc in Rural Sustainable Development for the past ten years and also co-ordinates, designs and teaches on the NUI Galway Community Development Practice Diploma course.

In the past, Kate has been a mentor for the International Fund for Ireland’s Community Leadership Programme and was Vice Chair of Rural Community Network, she was part of the DARD Monitoring Committee for the Rural Development Programme 2007-2013, a member of CFNI’s Communities in Transition Team and their Supporting Communities Initiative.

Kate’s particular interests are partnership co-ordination and development, storytelling for peace building, networking and managing local development.