Sinéad Gibney – Chief Commissioner

Chief Commissioner Sinéad Gibney leads the Irish Human Rights and Equality Commission in its mission to build a just and inclusive society that protects and promotes human rights and equality. She is driven by equality, people’s inherent dignity and a passion to make society work for those among us with the most acute and complex needs.

Sinéad was the inaugural Director of the Commission, bringing together the former legacy bodies in the merger period and building up the organisation in terms of teams, facilities, planning and structure. Prior to this she built and led Google Ireland’s corporate social responsibility function, Social Action.

Most recently Sinéad has been self-employed providing training, consultancy and media production to a range of organisations in the civil society and public sectors.

Sinéad is a lifelong learner with an undergraduate degree in History from University of Ulster and four postgraduate qualifications in the topics of Information Technology & Education (MSc), Cyberpsychology, Equality Studies (MSc) and Human Rights Law from Trinity College Dublin, IADT Dun Laoghaire, UCD and the Law Society respectively.

Sinéad is a former chair of the board of One Family and has served on a number of other boards; Digital Charity Lab, Victims’ Rights Alliance, Responsible Research & Innovation industry advisory group.

Outside of the Commission, Sinéad is a lone parent, a non-drinker, and she loves crosswords, reading, cooking and hill walking.