Our Staff

Michelle Thunder – Chief Executive

Michelle Thunder was appointed CEO of Saint John of God Housing Association in March 2021.  She holds a B.Comm. and Masters of Business from the Michael Smurfit School in UCD.  She also has a Post-Graduate qualification in Leadership for Non-profit Organisations from National College of Ireland.

She has worked in both Ireland and abroad, beginning her career in ICT, where she worked for both Irish and multi-national companies, before moving to education and the NGO sector.  She has worked with the Saint John of God Organisation since 2008.

Niall O’Shea – Head of Finance

Niall, a qualified Chartered Accountant with a Bachelor of Commerce degree from UCD, joined the Saint John of God Housing Association in February 2019. Niall held Finance Director roles in various companies and sectors, which include Medical Devices, Pharmaceuticals, Manufacturing and Electronics in both the UK and Ireland.

Martin Ward – Head of Housing

Martin is a Chartered Member of Chartered Institute of Housing (CIH) and holds a Bachelor of Science in Housing Management from University Ulster (UU) and Diploma in Advanced Management Performance from UCD.  An experienced housing professional with over 15 years’ experience in Housing Management and Property Services for general needs, sheltered housing and supported housing types. Martin joined the staff of the housing association in July 2020 as Housing Manager where he has overall responsibility for the repairs and maintenance function as well as overseeing tenancy management at the Housing Association.

Andrew Montague – Head of Development

Andrew is a former Lord Mayor of Dublin and was a city councillor from 2004 to 2019. He has a master’s degree in Spatial Planning from TUD and was the Chair of Dublin City Council’s Planning and Development Strategic Policy Committee from 2014 to 2019. He was awarded a Certificate in Energy Demand in Buildings from the University of Delft in 2021. Andrew joined St. John of God Housing Association in 2022 and became Head of Development in 2024.

Alan Balmaine – Asset Planning Officer

Having qualified from Bolton Street College of Technology (DIT) in Land Surveying, Alan started his career in London, followed by a move to Boston and Los Angeles before returning to Ireland. Alan has experience of working in multi-national engineering companies with specific skills in the area of project management, budgetary and safety assessments requiring liaison with architects, engineers, solicitors, the Land Registry (PRA) and local authorities. Alan is also qualified in Building Information Management and is a professional member of the Irish Institute of Surveyors.

Declan Corrigan – Housing Officer

Declan brings nearly 30 years of experience from the photographic industry to our Housing Association. His extensive background has equipped him with valuable knowledge and practical skills in machine and building maintenance, as well as the responsibilities of managing large facilities. Currently, Declan oversees the day-to-day management of reactive repairs, tenancy changes, and rent account management of our larger apartment blocks at Tessa House and Exchange Hall in Tallaght, as well as the general housing stock in Dublin, Kildare, and Wicklow. As a housing officer, he is committed to delivering a high-quality, tenant-focused service to our residents.

Donna Coulahan – Finance Officer

Prior to joining the Saint John of God Housing Association in November 2017, Donna had been working in finance for 16 years in a number of multinational companies such as Accenture and Whirlpool Corporation. As the Finance Officer with our Housing Association, Donna is responsible for compiling the monthly management accounts and board reports.

Brian McCarthy – Senior Development Officer

Brian joined St. John of God housing in September 2024.  Brian has worked across the real estate industry, starting out his career in residential sales and lettings.  He then moved on to the commercial, development & acquisition sectors. In recent years his attention has been focused on Approved Housing Body acquisition and stakeholder management. He is a member of the Institute of Professional Auctioneers and Valuers (IPAV) and is also a Tegova (European) registered valuer. 

Mladen Manda – Administration Officer

Mladen joined Saint John of God Housing Association in September 2022.  He has a third level education in civil engineering, media technology and mathematics.  He has extensive experience working in database management and is the technical administrator of our tenant and asset Housing Database,  as well as many other administrative roles.