Karen Brosnan
Innovator
CERES
Ireland
Environmental
Rural Areas
Rural area close to city
The innovation journey
CERES was founded by ten leading female professionals, from diverse backgrounds including academia, consultancy, and agri-business. The aim of CERES is to develop and promote leadership and diverse thinking within agriculture. The network is named after Ceres, the Roman goddess of agriculture and growth, known as the protector of the land and its products.
Karen Brosnan is originally from a dairy farm in County Kerry and is one of the founding members of CERES.
She has worked nationally and internationally as a strategy consultant, facilitator, and executive coach. She works with companies, boards, and executives to plan strategically for organisational change, to implement leadership development programmes and to facilitate culture change. She is a Director of Nuffield Ireland and a board member of Gurteen College.
The innovation impact
Through the delivery of a range of dynamic, engaging, and thought-provoking events, the network provides a platform for knowledge sharing, collaboration, and peer support. CERES
events are now open to everyone with an interest in critical thinking and leadership in Irish agri-business. Karen has also delivered a report on the Pathways of Leadership Development in the Agri-Food Sector.
CERES is committed to evaluating the current role of women in agriculture and hold network-building events for women in agriculture and contribute to gender equality in agriculture in Ireland.
“It’s great to have a lot of really credible women in ag as role models today, however, there isn’t necessarily a succession plan in place where women are equally coming up behind. The movement will continue to require encouragement and nudging for another decade, and we’re part of the machine that does that – we are part of the many other agencies that are nudging forward,” (Karen Brosnan, cited in Agriland, 2017).