CEO & FOUNDER

Jennifer founded Thrive Marketing in 2018 and is an experienced marketing and communications professional with a demonstrated history of working in the private and not-for-profit sector. She is skilled in all areas of branding, marketing, communications, strategy, planning, event management, PR and all things digital.

Jennifer is also a personal brand and employer brand strategist working with individuals, senior management and C-suite executives to manage their personal, professional and employer brands, along with their online and offline reputation. She is a lover of all things brand…and the one who gets over excited about the logo round in a table quiz!! Oh, and she’s a Yoga teacher too!

DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS

James has been an avid supporter of Thrive Marketing since it all began in 2018 and officially joined the team in 2023 as Director of Operation! As an accountant and business owner himself James fully understands what it takes, especially behind the scenes, to run a successful business and is a king of operations. Supporting the team on all things finance, processes and procedures James is an expert in his field.

GRAPHIC DESIGNER & CREATIVE ASSOCIATE

Mairéad is a graphic designer with extensive experience across agency and in-house environments. She creates clear, cohesive design work for brands across print, digital, and marketing materials. Her approach combines strategic thinking with considered craft, balancing creativity and consistency with strong attention to detail. Mairéad is also passionate about illustration, bringing custom visual elements into her work when she can, to help brands develop a distinctive personality and stand out meaningfully.

SOCIAL MEDIA & CONTENT ASSOCIATE

Molly is a freelance social media manager who works closely with brands to create clear, engaging, and consistent content across their platforms. 

She has experience working with fitness, food, and lifestyle businesses, helping them build a strong online presence through thoughtful content and a clear understanding of what resonates with their audience. With a background in psychology and digital media, she brings both a creative and analytical perspective to her work. 

Her approach combines creativity with a practical, hands-on mindset, with a strong focus on delivering content that feels authentic to each brand. 

She’s always keeping an eye on emerging trends and usually has a coffee in hand while doing it! 

DIGITAL ASSOCIATE

Andrew Parle is a Digital Fundraising Specialist with over 20 years of experience across charity and agency environments. He specialises in Digital acquisition strategy—helping clients attract, convert, and retain donors while driving long-term value through effective stewardship and data-driven campaigns.

As the founder of Social For Good, Andrew supports charities in building sustainable digital growth through strategic, performance-led fundraising campaigns focused on increasing income, lead generation and lifetime donor value.

Alongside his consultancy work, Andrew lectures on digital fundraising with the Charities Institute Ireland and Carmichael House, and has also lectured at the National College of Ireland. He co-chairs the Charities Institute Ireland Digital Forum and has partnered with Meta Ireland to deliver training and events for the nonprofit sector.

EVENT MANAGEMENT ASSOCIATE

Karen Owner & Founder of Kick-Off Event Management. She is an expert in the event management space and is passionate about delivering high quality event experiences for her clients. With years of experience working in the sports industry, and as part of the Gaelic Players Association team for almost 10 years, Karen has developed close relationships with Ireland’s leading GAA sports stars and community, and a network of sports contacts in Ireland, across Europe and the States, and further afield. Karen has managed many sports related events and conferences including the PwC All Star Awards, GPA Legends Lunches, reunion dinners, networking events and charity and corporate fundraising dinners in amazing venues from Irelands iconic Croke Park to The Plaza in New York. During her time with the GPA she was also responsible for managing the third level education programme for players and has been heavily involved in the design, implementation and delivery of the GPA’s flagship leadership programme.

SPONSORSHIP & EVENT STRATEGIST

Leigh Gillen is an expert in the fields of Events, Branding & Sponsorship. Leigh has over 25 years of experience working in these areas and acts as a strategic ally for her clients, helping them to optimise these areas of their business.

Since establishing the business in 2018, Leigh has worked with a variety of clients in the areas of Events, Branding & Sponsorship, including Air France KLM, KPMG, Irish Examiner, Lidl and many more.

Leigh has helped a variety of clients raise sponsorship and funding for events and activities, including Cork City Marathon, Space Week, Cork on a Fork and the Irish Hotels Federation Cork Branch.

Leigh has worked with many not for profits and charities also including 7 years on the board of the Cork Printmakers, 5 years on the Cork Simon Ball committee and a has spent the past 2 years on the Marketing Institute of Ireland Cork Branch committee, where she has been Chair since September of this year.

GRANT & FUNDING ASSOCIATE

Joanne is a Funding Consultant and the Founder of Trust Grant Writing. She brings a deep commitment to equity, innovation and community to her work in the grant and funding space. Joanne supports SMEs, non-profits, arts organisations and social enterprises to identify the right funding opportunities, clarify their mission, and improve their success in securing funding. 

Joanne is passionate about building the capacity of organisations to grow sustainably. Since 2023, she has also served as an assessor for the Good Governance Awards, highlighting her expertise in governance and her dedication to promoting transparency across all sectors. 

Joanne is known for her practical insights, drawn from her own experience in the sector. Her advice is grounded, honest, and designed to help organisations think creatively and confidently about their funding strategies. At Thrive, Joanne works closely with our clients to navigate the often complex funding landscape and uncover the opportunities that will help them grow and thrive.