l-r, Audrey, Catherine W, Catherine N, Sarah, Aoife
Meet your Hosts
Welcome to the 2025 International Health Promoting Campuses Conference, hosted at the University of Limerick (UL), Ireland. We are the executive team of Healthy UL and since our inception in 2019, Healthy UL has been a beacon of health promotion, aligning with national and international initiatives such as Healthy Ireland, the National HEA Healthy Campus Charter and Framework, and the International Health Promoting Campuses Network.
Our journey has been marked by significant achievements, driven by the collective efforts of our wonderful students, staff, and external partners.
Our dedicated team is thrilled to bring together global leaders, researchers, practitioners and policymakers to advance health-promoting campuses worldwide.
Your Conference Hosts
Associate Professor Catherine Norton – Conference General Chair
📍 Role: General Chair, strategic leadership, oversight and coordination. I am juggling strategy, science, and sanity to drive the Healthy Campus movement forward—locally, nationally, and globally, with a smile (and a lot of coffee)!
📚 Background: A Registered Dietitian (RD) and Associate Professor in Sport & Exercise Nutrition at UL, with almost 25 years of experience across healthcare, professional sport, industry, and academia, I specialise in harnessing the power of food for health, and performance. Passionate about integrating health, performance, and education.
🎉 Fun Fact: Once cycled the Wild Atlantic Way!
📍 Local Tip: Don’t leave Limerick before visiting King John’s Castle. Try a traditional Irish music session at The Locke Bar or Dolan’s Pub—great atmosphere and live music every night.
Professor Catherine Woods – Chair, Charter Renewal Committee
📍 Role: Leading the renewal of the IHPC Charter
📚 Background: Chair of Healthy UL, and Director of the Physical Activity for Health Research Centre (www.ul.ie/ehs/pafh). I enjoy developing and testing theoretically sound interventions to change population levels of physical activity, and seek better, more systematic methods of bringing research, practice and policy closer together to achieve real and sustainable impact. I believe that physical activity is a best buy for public health as it has the potential to improve health and wellbeing for everyone, irrespective of age, ability or condition. Committed to creating healthier university environments and systems
🎉 Fun Fact: I climbed Half Dome in Yosemite.
📍 Local Tip: Visit the Milk Market on a Saturday morning for the best local food and coffee.
Professor Audrey Tierney – Chair, Scientific Programme
📍 Role: Overseeing the conference’s academic content
📚 Background: Professor of Clinical Nutrition & Dietetics at UL, with research primarily on diet quality and lifestyle medicine to improve health, prevent and treat chronic diseases. Audrey has worked in clinical and academic settings for over 20 years. She is Discipline Lead of Nutrition and Dietetics in UL and Research Lead for the Mediterranean Lifestyle Medicine Institute.
🎉 Fun Fact: Once climbed Kilimanjaro!
📍 Local Tip: Take a walk through UL’s stunning campus—home to one of the longest pedestrian bridges in Europe. Grab a coffee and enjoy the scenic views at the Living Bridge.
Sarah Kennedy – Healthy UL Manager
📍 Role: Leading campus-wide health and well-being initiatives
📚 Background: A Physiotherapist, Sarah has worked clinically in the public sector and in clinical education for over 20 years. With a special interest in preventative health, Sarah has been instrumental in shaping UL’s commitment to health promotion, as Project Lead for Healthy UL.
🎉 Fun Fact: Climbed Machu Picchu!
📍 Local Tip: The three bridges walk in the City Centre is a great route for a stroll along the banks of the Shannon, passing some of Limerick’s iconic landmarks, street art and parks.
Aoife Noonan – Doctoral Candidate, Healthy UL
📍 Role: Conducting the charter renewal research and coordinator of the PGR Hub.
📚Background: A PhD researcher with an M.A. in psychology and a B.A. in psychology and Spanish at UL. My PhD focuses on health promotion in higher education settings, which encompasses contributing to the advancement of the Okanagan Charter.
🎉Fun Fact: Former showjumping competitor.
📍 Local Tip: Take a trip to Adare to see some historical landmarks, traditional Irish crafts, souvenir shops, and its famous thatched cottages.
Join Us in Limerick! We look forward to welcoming you to the University of Limerick and sharing an unforgettable conference experience. Stay tuned for more updates, and don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions!