About Karina
After extensive soul-searching, I returned to college as a mature student in my mid-twenties and earned a First-Class Honors Degree in Social Care. Subsequently, I was honored with the Social Care Ireland Award for Academic Excellence and went on to obtain a Master's in Health Promotion from NUIG. My master's thesis focused on the perceived benefits of sport participation within LGBTQ+ inclusive sports clubs. Throughout the years, I have gained experience in various sectors, including homelessness, youth work, mental health, and LGBTQ+ community development.
Volunteering is also a passion of mine. I have dedicated numerous years to volunteering in the LGBTQ+ physical activity promotion sector with Sporting Pride. In 2016, I took the initiative to establish the LGBTQ+ Women's Health and Fitness Group, now operating as Queer Adventures under new leadership.
Photo Credit: Debbie Hickey - Studio Ten Photography
I currently serve as the Secretary for Aisteach, a Queer Housing Co-operative with the mission to provide housing and housing support for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer individuals through mutual aid based on cooperative principles.
Through these diverse experiences, I have honed skills in event planning and execution, design and delivery of training, volunteer recruitment, and health promotion, among other key skills that contribute to my current work.
On a personal level, I place great value on connecting with others and believe that surrounding oneself with those on a similar journey is one of the best ways to grow and develop in life. I often contemplate an expression that is sometimes viewed quite negatively - "Memento Mori" - remember you must die. I firmly believe that only through acknowledging the inevitability of death can we truly make the most of our brief time on Earth, striving to be the best version of ourselves as we navigate this life.
To learn more about Karina's personal story, you can tune into the shows below: