Jeanne McDonagh
Chief Executive Officer at Open Doors Initiative
Jeanne McDonagh is CEO of the Open Doors Initiative, which works with a large number of companies and NGOs to help create pathways to education, employment and entrepreneurship for people who are marginalised or face barriers to these.
Previous to this, she was Head of Society and Engagement in Diageo, worked in communications and strategy for Our Lady’s Hospice, was campaign manager for Stephen Donnelly TD in the 2016 election, Communications Co-ordinator for Yes Equality (the Marriage Campaign) and Head of Communications for the Bar Council of Ireland. She also worked for two years in the US Embassy as a Press Officer
She was previously a board member of HIV Ireland, Pride and the Community Law and Mediation Service. She is on the Advisory Panel for the HIV and AIDS Monument.
She has Dysphoric Elation, a form of bipolar and uses this to inform her work through lived experience.
Awards and invitations
Nominated for Ally of the Year in the NFX LGBTQ+ awards
DEI Image Business Woman of the Year 2023 (runner up)
Diversity in Tech Impact Award 2022
Irish Enterprise Awards 2022 awarded The Open Doors Initiative ‘Best New Employment Services Social Enterprise 2022’
Jeanne McDonagh was named the OECD Local Development “Practitioner of the Moment” 2021
The European Network for Social Enterprises and Impact Driven named Jeanne as among the top 100 Women in Social Enterprise 2021
Think Global Inclusivity - winner of the Accessibility category 2021
Dublin City Social Enterprise Award 2020
Dublin City FM Business Spirit Award finalist 2020
Diageo Purpose Amplifier for founding Open Doors