Team

Dr Sarah O’Malley is a Climate Action Officer with Limerick City and County Council, Ireland. This involves reporting on the implementation of the Local Authority Climate Action Plan, promoting behavioural change through a staff Climate Champions programme and surveys, as well as building climate action awareness across the organisation. She has lectured, researched and worked in the areas of (dis)connection with nature, environmental sociology, climate action, primary education, disability and inclusion. She has published on these subjects. In her spare time, she is by, in, or on the sea!

Christopher Kennedy is Associate Director at NYU’s Urban Systems Lab and a Senior Research Scientist specializing in climate resilience, urban systems, and AI-enabled decision tools. He leads global research and partnerships that bring together governments, NGOs, and private-sector organizations to manage climate risk, integrating advanced modeling with nature-based solutions and community-based adaptation strategies. Kennedy holds a BS in Environmental Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute, an MA in Environmental Conservation Education from NYU, and a PhD in Educational Leadership and Management from the University of North Carolina.

Sara is a Psychology BA graduate from Trinity College Dublin and is currently working as a Research Assistant for the GoGreenNext project. Her work explores the links between nature, climate change and well-being, and she is involved in creating a nature-based walking intervention known as GoGreenTrails. As a multilingual individual with Finnish/Irish roots, Sara also assists in translation as part of her role in GoGreenNext and other projects.

Emma is the Communications Lead/Senior Research Assistant at GoGreenNext. She recently completed an MSc in Public Policy & Human Development from the United Nations University, specialising in Innovation Governance. Based at the Innovation Value Institute at Maynooth University, she coordinates and delivers the communication and dissemination outputs related to the project, across multiple channels. She has a particular interest in community-led social innovation, and its role in advancing climate action. She is an An Taisce Climate Ambassador for 2026, and regularly organises local community climate action initiatives.

Loan Diep is Assistant Director and Research Scientist in Nature-based Solutions at the Urban Systems Lab at New York University. She works at the intersection of research, policy, and practice, fostering global collaboration on urban nature-based solutions through the NATURA network. Her research focuses on urban water governance and environmental justice, with particular attention to marginalized communities and informal settlements in cities of the Global South. With GoGreenNext, she is developing a “serious” game on nature-based solutions under Work Package 3.

Craig is a chartered psychologist who advocates for higher education and is currently the CEO for Parlo English in the UK.  He advertises for students to have more freedom and individuality in their academic pursuits and his interest lies in promoting differentiated teaching, emphasising student-centred individualised learning environments, leveraging technology for learner support, and fostering the development of open educational resources. Craig’s passions have led him to launch an EdTech English language learning app which creates personalized learning pathways, helping individuals acquire spoken English. Craig has publications across a wide range of fields including children’s fitness, health, sport, exercise, performance, and education. On top of all this, he is also a chair of the H2020 European funded GoGreenRoutes project.