CMETB Appoints New Director of Organisation Support and Development (OSD)

Cavan and Monaghan Education and Training Board (CMETB) has announced the appointment of Ms. Karen McBride as its new Director of Organisation Support and Development (OSD), succeeding Ms. Berni Power, who retired in February 2024.

Hailing from Monaghan, Karen has been a part of the ETB since 2018, initially serving as the Head of FET Finance (Further Education and Training) before progressing to the role of Head of Corporate Services in 2022. Prior to her tenure with CMETB, Karen held the position of Internal Auditor within the Internal Audit Unit of ETBs. Before transitioning to the ETB sector Karen commenced her accounting career in PricewaterhouseCoopers, Dublin and then progressed to working in DEPFA bank plc as a Treasury Accountant and Regulatory Reporting specialist, ensuring compliance with Central Bank of Ireland regulations.

Karen’s educational background includes a degree in Accounting and Finance from Dublin City University, alongside her accreditation as an Associate Chartered Accountant with the Institute of Chartered Accountants, later achieving the status of Fellow Chartered Accountant (FCA) in 2013.

Speaking about her appointment Ms. McBride said, “I am delighted to lead CMETB’s Administrative team who are instrumental in delivering exceptional service across Cavan and Monaghan, playing a pivotal role in supporting CMETB’s mission to provide excellence in education in our schools and Further Education and Training centres. I am excited about the challenge of building upon our current successes, and I look forward to contributing to the further development of CMETB as a leading education and training provider in the region”.

CMETB is the largest education and training provider in the region with almost 1,400 staff across the two counties, along with an operating budget €110M (2023). CMETB plays a leading role in the provision of high-quality education and training in the region encompassing post-primary schools, Further Education and Training, Youthreach centres, Outdoor Education, Prison Education, Arts in Education and Youth Services.

Dr Fiona McGrath, (Chief Executive, CMETB), extended her congratulations to Karen on her appointment, remarking, “I am pleased to welcome Karen to the Senior Management team at CMETB and I am looking forward to working with her as we strive to provide quality public service to the communities of Cavan and Monaghan.”

Karen officially assumed her duties as Director of OSD at the beginning of March, bringing her wealth of experience and expertise to CMETB’s leadership team.