Barretstown children’s charity today announces the appointment of two senior staff to its Executive level. Siobhan Kavanagh and John Mitchell have been appointed as Directors to the Barretstown Senior Leadership Team.

Kavanagh is now Director of Medical and Programme and Mitchell is the Director of Partnerships.

Kavanagh and Mitchell will join the senior Leadership team which includes CEO; Dee Ahearn, Director of Development; Tim O’Dea, Finance and Operations Director; Mairéad Forristal and People Director; Catherine Moriarty.

Welcoming the appointments, Barretstown CEO, Dee Ahearn said:

“As we at Barretstown expand and grow our services, the experience, insight and knowledge both Siobhan and John will bring to the senior leadership team is immeasurable.  Their collective contribution will ensure the senior leadership team continues to deliver best-in-class psychosocial care and therapeutic programmes to children affected by cancer and other serious illnesses, and their families. Last year alone, through these medically endorsed programmes we proudly served 22,000 campers and we are on track to exceed this number in 2025. I know I speak for the wider senior leadership team when I say we are very much looking forward to continuing to work with Siobhan and John to deliver our long-term service expansion strategy”.

Kavanagh has extensive paediatric cancer care experience having worked for more than two decades at Children’s Hospital Ireland, Crumlin ahead of joining Barretstown in 2022. In her new role, Kavanagh will direct all medical operations in Barretstown and drive programme innovation across all our residential and Outreach Programmes.

Mitchell originally joined Barretstown in 2004 and has held several roles within the organisation. More recently he held the position of Head of Partnerships. Mitchell will now be responsible for the continued development of relationships with key stakeholders, leading national and international medical research academia and well as charity partners and universities both home and abroad.