Ashling Keogh
A Black Belt with over 15 years’ experience of developing Lean Six Sigma programmes and delivering process improvement projects, Ashling has worked in a range of industries including telecoms and technology, retail, financial services, education, healthcare and logistics.
Ashling has lead projects working with teams across the globe and has deployed changes in fast-changing and complex environments. She has a very practical approach to projects and has strong change management skills. She has trained and mentored over eight hundred Yellow and Green belts. Ashling has also deployed Customer Experience projects where processes were enhanced to deliver a step-change in the quality of the interactions with customers.
Whether training is delivered in person or online, Ashling puts an emphasis on practical examples and activities that directly relate to the environment of the trainees. The Lean Six Sigma tool demonstrations are peppered with real-life examples and advice on the most efficient way to get results.
Ashling enjoys working with people to develop their Lean Six Sigma skills in applying the tools to gain insights into their business challenges and develop targeted plans to achieve their project goals.
Always looking to continuously improve, Ashling has recently completed a Diploma in Digital Learning Design, applying the best practice in digital learning to all her online courses.
Éamon Ó Béarra
As an experienced ASQ certified Black Belt and passionate advocate of Lean Six Sigma, Éamon has gained a reputation for his common sense approach and practical know how as a continuous improvement consultant and trainer in a variety of blue chip companies. Since co-founding ASST in 2001 and partnering with SQT, Éamon has trained and certified hundreds of Lean Six Sigma Green Belts and Black Belts in a range of environments in the Manufacturing and Services Sector and most recently in the Food and Beverages Sector.
Prior to becoming a trainer Éamon worked in key management positions in quality, process engineering, process auditing and warranty arenas with such marquee companies such as AlliedSignal, GenCorp, Enterprise Ireland and Eagle Registrations.
Éamon attained his 3rd level education in NUI Galway with a Bachelor of Technology and a Masters of Applied Science.
Today, Éamon is a Director of ASST Ltd. whose primary role is the delivery of training on behalf of SQT but in addition, the tutors also provide a broad range of Lean Six Sigma support services such as project mentoring, programme support, analytical services and coaching. This ensures that as trainers they have their finger on the pulse of what is happening in Industry which they bring to every Lean Six Sigma Training Programme.
John Ryan
John, BE, is one of Ireland’s leading experts in Lean Six Sigma, having trained over 250 Black Belts and hundreds of Green Belts across all industry sectors. A Lean Six Sigma Master Black Belt and ASQ certified Black Belt with over 20 years’ experience , John is chair of the Irish Six Sigma Network hosted by SQT, a network of continuous improvement experts from all over Ireland which has met quarterly since 2004. With a background in Quality from the automotive industry, John has over 10 years’ experience working at senior management and VP level within various multinationals in the US, before returning to Ireland in 2001.
As a Lean Six Sigma consultant John is contracted with a number of large multinational organisations to provide global programme and project support as well as with several smaller Irish companies to support their Lean Six Sigma deployments. John is Managing Director of ASST Ltd. whose primary role is the delivery of training on behalf of SQT but in addition, the tutors also provide a broad range of Lean Six Sigma support services such as project mentoring, programme support, analytical services and coaching. This ensures that as trainers they have their finger on the pulse of what is happening in Industry which they bring to each and every Lean Six Sigma Training Programme.
Nicola Donohoe
Nicola, a Science graduate from NUI Maynooth (B.Sc.), is a Master Black Belt in Lean Six Sigma with almost 20 years experience in a large variety of industries including manufacturing, transactional and pharmaceutical both in private & public sectors. Nicola has designed, project managed and successfully implemented process improvement solutions in operational and service functions ranging from engineering to supply chain and from finance to human resources. While working at Dell she conducted extensive project mentoring which enabled the delivery of savings in excess of €100m through Lean & Six Sigma programmes. She is an experienced hands-on facilitator of Lean Strategy methodologies such as Hoshin Kanri and X-Matrix in a wide variety of business functions and with Senior Leadership teams within Dell. In addition to her experience in a manufacturing environment, Nicola has many years of experience in Financial Services and IT environments and with the management of both Global and pan-European Lean Six Sigma programmes roll-outs.
Nicola is a superb trainer and a specialist process improvement and development expert who works extensively with organisations and companies to reduce risk and optimise efficiency, productivity and profitability. She enjoys demystifying Lean Six Sigma for learners.
Padraig Kelly
Padraig Kelly has a Bachelor of Engineering Degree in Industrial Engineering, has a Masters of Business Administration and is a Lean Six Sigma Black Belt. He has a total of 20 years of experience in the field of Process Improvement and Lean Systems, as an Engineer, Senior Manager and Senior Consultant.
For the past 10 years Padraig’s work has focused entirely within the Healthcare sector with change management and process improvement roles within Large University Teaching Hospitals. During this time he has led major Lean Implementation projects within individual Hospitals and Hospitals groups.
In the past four years Padraig has trained over 500 Lean Healthcare practitioners and mentored over 30 major lean Healthcare projects that have resulted in dramatically improved patient service, reduced turnaround time (TAT), increased job satisfaction and reduced workload for staff, reduced costs, and increased capacity.
He has also developed and taught Lean Healthcare White, Yellow, Green Belt courses specifically tailored to the healthcare environments.
Organisation that Padraig has worked with to introduce Lean Healthcare Systems include, the Health Services Executive, the National Cancer Control Programme, Mater University Hospital, Rotunda Maternity Hospital, RCSI Hospital Group, Royal College of Surgeons, Dublin Dental Hospital, Cork University Hospital, Abbot Diagnostic, Wyeth, Academy of Clinical Science and Laboratory Medicine, and Qaigen.
Currently undertaking a Doctorate by publication on developing and implementing a roadmap for the introduction of a Lean Six Sigma quality methodology into laboratory and Healthcare environments. He is known for his effective results-oriented training solutions and activity-based lean leadership workshops.
Padraig is a past overall winner of the Irish Institute of Engineers National Maintenance Project award and is three-times winner of the Xerox International Earth award for Lean project implementation.
Some articles and publications:
- In vitro fertilisation optimisation: a structured approach to removing variation during the in vitro culture process using the Lean Six Sigma industrial model
- The Lean A.R.T (Assisted Reproduction) Journey: Painting a new landscape
- Compliance in Assisted Reproduction Journey: Keeping your finger on the Q-pulse
- Lean Laboratory Step 1: Implementing 5S
Pat Cullinane
Pat has 20 years’ experience in lean, six sigma, project and change management. He is a certified Black Belt, Lean Expert & Certified Change Management Practitioner with international experience at site and corporate levels, supporting up to 31 locations, in financial, supply chain, process & quality improvement. He is experienced in manufacturing projects and business process improvement, with a strong focus on financial return.
Pat is highly qualified and his qualifications inlclude;
- Bachelor of Mechanical and Manufacturing Engineering, Cork Institute of Technology, Ireland (1996)
- Stanford Project Management Certified (SCPM)
- Certified Change Management Practitioner by Prosci
- Certified Lean Manufacturing Expert by the University of Kentucky
- Certified Six Sigma Black Belt by Tyco Healthcare