Dr. Anne-Marie Butler has this week, commenced her role as the new head of the Teagasc education programme.
The appointment was made by the Teagasc authority in July.
Dr. Butler will lead the Teagasc education programme which is delivered through the agriculture and horticulture colleges, Teagasc education centres and is in collaboration with the universities and institutes of technology.
She is an agricultural scientist and joins Teagasc from Ulster Bank where she held a leadership role as senior agriculture manager and relationship director.
She qualified with a first class honours in a Bachelor of Agricultural Science degree from University College Dublin (UCD), winning the Hussey Prize.
She went on to obtain a PhD from UCD, completing her doctorate research at Moorepark, under the Walsh Scholarships Programme.
Dr. Butler also holds numerous financial qualifications, including a university diploma in financial services.
From a tillage farm in Freshford in Co. Kilkenny, she is a former president of the Agricultural Science Association (ASA), and was recently appointed honorary president 2021/2022 of IASTA, the Irish Agricultural Science Teachers’ Association.
In her early career, she was a lecturer in farm business management at UCD and was responsible for the delivery and examination of core subject material for academic degree – including masters and PhD degree – programmes.
Speaking following her appointment, Dr. Butler said: “It’s a very exciting time in education, as we seek to prepare and develop the farmers, horticulturalists, foresters and equine students for a modern and dynamic agri-food sector.
“In particular, equipping them with the knowledge to meet and address the economic, environmental and social sustainability challenges facing the sector.”
She replaces Tony Pettit, who retired earlier this summer.