Please join us for TENI's General Assembly on Saturday 20th October from 3.30-5.30pm at the new offices of TENI, 10 Ellis Quay, Dublin 7 (close to Smithfield Luas stop).
We are looking forward to launching our annual Activity Report 2018 and telling you about the work that we do.
This is also your opportunity to tell us what matters to you and what direction you think we should be going.
Board Election
A key part of the General Assembly is the election of new board members. This year we have four spaces to fill. Seven passionate, intelligent and qualified people have applied to join TENI's Board of Directors. You can find more out about the candidates below
**Online voting is now open and will close at 1pm Friday 19th October at 1pm.** Cast your vote today!
If you have a valid TENI membership you can vote at the link below:
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/TENIBoardElection2018
Any questions regarding the General Assembly or the election can be sent tooffice@teni.ie.
Candidates for Election to the Board of TENI
Denise Breen
Denise Breen is married with two adult children. Originally a Dub, she married a Lilywhite and now lives in Newbridge, Co. Kildare. Professionally, Denise has been working as a Project Manager in the engineering and construction sector for over thirty years. She has worked for the ESB, Arup, Jacobs, PM Group, Google and currently works with Iron Mountain, headquartered in Boston. With Iron Mountain she is responsible for delivery of Data Centres in EMEA and APAC - so she travels a lot! Denise has lived and worked in Ireland, the UK, the US and Asia and has experienced transgender issues across these countries and regions. In her spare time Denise works with KFM radio, the commercial station for Kildare and is passionate about broadcasting. She loves cinema and writes a blog on www.thefourthwall.xyz
Denise transitioned some years ago while living in the US and since returning to Ireland has experienced first hand the challenges that trans and non-binary people face in Ireland. It is because of this, together with a desire to give hope to others who may be questioning their identity that she would welcome an opportunity to serve on the board of TENI
Aoife Martin
Aoife Martin is a trans woman and a passionate trans rights advocate. In January, 2017, Aoife became the first person to transition globally within her workplace. Since then she has given numerous talks and interviews about being transgender in Ireland today. She is passionate about educating people around transgender issues and believes that it is only by talking to people and putting her story out there that she can help make a difference and change how people perceive transgender people. She has written an on-going transition diary for Headstuff and has appeared on a number of podcasts and on radio. She also took Irish Blood Transfusion Service to task over their refusal to change her details on their database and to allow her to donate blood. Aoife is a firm believer in equality for all people and is determined to help make Ireland a better place for all trans and gender non-conforming people.
Louise Hannon
Louise has worked in trans advocacy since arriving in Dublin in 2000, when there was very little support for trans people. Her friend had died by suicide . She ran an online Yahoo support group from 2001 supporting trans people and / partners / families up until 2013 with 3500 members. She was a member of the TENI committee in 2007 and helped kick start Chuck Feeney's initial TENI board funding of €450,000. A board member from 2011 to 2014. Vice chair two years
“When I was a member of the Labour Party I lobbied politicians on the GRA including Joan Burton TD. I was a board member of Dublin Pride for four years. I successfully took a discrimination case which allowed for the first time for trans people to be included under equality legislation. A landmark case in Irish law 2011. I was a member of the Equality and Rights Alliance working on equality proofing legislation for four years.”
“Currently we have underfunded health supports. If I'm fortunate to be elected to the board that will be my first priority along with supporting non-binary and those under 18 to gain full legal recognition as per the published committee recommendations.”
Steven Harris
Steven is 31 years old and is a trans man, born & raised in Dublin.
After finishing school he worked as a teacher and in child care for 8 years and then went on to study Zoology in UCD.
Steven is passionate about advocating and creating opportunities for all in the trans community. He has demonstrated his commitment and ingenuity in this role since coming out and throughout the past two years. He has spoken publically about his own experiences to university students and volunteers with ShoutOut, an organisation which works with secondary school students to educate them around LGBTQIA issues and prevent bullying.
Most recently he has played a pivotal role in coordinating and delivering Trans Training showing dedication towards the admin, planning, and resourcing, along with his colleagues, and as the Chair of ITSA. Trans Training is a residential event lasting five days bringing 70 trans people of all ages, genders, and walks of life together. A unique event of which he is proud to have worked on.
Steven values the work and importance of TENI enormously and, if elected, will endeavour to uphold and protect the invaluable work that TENI does for the community.
Sara R Phillips
Sara has been Chair of TENI for the past 6 years. She played a leading role in negotiating gender recognition based on self-determination in 2015. More recently, she served on the Government’s Committee for the Gender Recognition review. Sara, as a founding member of the Dublin trans peer support group, also facilitated the group for over 4 years. Sara was honoured as Grand Marshall for Dublin LGBTQ pride in 2018. She has been a human rights activist for over 40 years.
Sara is the National Manager for American construction manufacturer. A qualified Chartered Accountant, she has experience in international business and company management in both the construction and entertainment industries.
“I believe in the work that we do in TENI. As Chair and Interim CEO, I understand there is still so much more to do and our community needs a strong, professional organisation to advocate for our needs. Despite our gains legislatively, we remain on the margins of Irish society. Our healthcare has reversed rather than progressed and areas such as education and employment need more investment. Most of all we need to be united as a community and I hope to continue to serve in bringing about the change we need”.
Alexis Riva
Alexis Riva is a young Trans Woman who originally comes from the west of Ireland who has worked and studied her way to the east of Ireland. Alexis completed six years of college resulting in an honours degree amongst other qualifications. She founded and chaired, The Positive Mental Health Society “SmileSoc” at Dundalk Institute of Technology when a student there. This society, in its first year, won “Overall Best Society” in 2016. She now works in Donor Marketing for a leading Irish Children’s Charity. She is an active Transgender online influencer, which earned her a nomination at The GALAS 2017 for the Online Award. She joined TENI on NewsTalk in 2016 where she shared her knowledge and experience of being Transgender in Ireland. Along with a staff member of TENI she spoke unfiltered and honestly about being Transgender and living with Mental Health challenges as part of the TRANSforming Lives Campaign.
Alexis has a passion for using every opportunity available to change and improve the lives of others, be it in the Transgender Community, Mental Health or her work in the charity sector
Seven Veronica Victor
My name is Seven Veronica Victor. I moved to Ireland just over two years ago. Living in rural Ireland has given me the calm of mind to be able to accept things about myself that I may have never accepted before. I am fortunate to have the love and support of an amazing husband and the lovely home we’ve made together, though at one time the fear of being alone, unlovable, and homeless kept me from transitioning. I have the resources to present myself the way I feel most comfortable, though at one time I lived hand to mouth. I have the courage to live as a proud transwoman and offer myself in service to the community that has inspired that very courage, though I once hid. And yet I still fight back the tears of self-loathing and rejection every time somebody misgenders me or makes a nasty comment. Gender is not the only spectrum, and we must acknowledge the real-world challenges that stand in our way. None of this is news to any of you. I wanted to show you that none of it is news to me either. Please consider me for your top three votes. Thank you.
