Leading for Equity in Brain Health: Reflections on Leadership Week 2024

Atlantic Fellows Ignacio López Barrenechea, Temitope Farombi, and Sonata Mačiulskytė, along with the incoming GBHI Site Director at Trinity, Iracema Leroi, share their experiences from Leadership Week 2024 in Ireland—a week of camaraderie, self-discovery, and reflection on the fellows’ futures.

GBHI Community members on bridge over River Shannon

GBHI Community Members on the Living Bridge over the River Shannon at the University of Limerick.

This year’s leadership retreat in Ireland was a transformative experience, centered on self-discovery, collaboration, and community-building. Journeying through Limerick, Tipperary, Offaly, and Dublin, we explored what it means to lead, examined different leadership styles, and reflected on how we can better serve our communities. 

Day 1: Self-Mastery and Self Awareness—Iracema Leroi and Ignacio López Barrenechea

Introductions on the first morning in Adare, Co. Limerick uncovered many surprising fun facts about our group—from sourdough bread-making skydivers to grandmothers with nearly two million Instagram followers. It was a wonderful ice breaker that highlighted just how diverse our work, cultural and personal backgrounds are. 

As we set the scene for the week ahead, we reflected on the values, such as openness, respect, compassion, and humility, which would be central in guiding our Leadership Week experience. 

The day featured two very different sessions led by GBHI faculty members. Brian Lawlor’s talk, drawing lessons from Ireland’s history, reminded us that leadership thrives in times of conflict and highlighted Chuck Feeney’s efforts to foster peace by building bridges. Meanwhile, Nick Johnson led a session on drama-based practices for leadership, allowing us to experience firsthand how our body and movement can dramatically influence both how we communicate and how we perceive our inner selves.

We took time for self-reflection by designing a personal Coat of Arms, representing our past, present, and future. This creative activity revealed the challenges many of us have overcome to reach this point and how our current efforts are moving us toward a brighter future, strengthening our networks and maintaining balance between our passions.

Day 2: Radical Collaboration— Ignacio López Barrenechea

On Tuesday, we welcomed musician and Atlantic Fellow alumnus Mike Hanrahan, who shared how the fellowship had made him a better leader. He set the tone with a singing exercise to harmonize the group and cast aside our egos—“the main obstacle to creativity,” as he described it. Energized, we brainstormed scenes for a VR movie about dementia. This exercise had the clever twist: each of the five groups had to create a scene without knowing the others' parts, requiring us to put an important aspect of leadership and collaboration into practice: compromise. Only through dialogue and compromise can great and fresh ideas flourish. 

We considered equity-based and interdisciplinary approaches to leadership in sessions led by faculty Iracema Leroi and Agustín Ibáñez. Iracema challenged us to consider the underrepresentation of the Majority World in global research, using a case study of a cognitive decline intervention designed in a high-income country but implemented in a low-income one. We identified common issues—imbalances of power, lack of cultural adaptation, and absence of restitution—while brainstorming innovative solutions for more equitable research and grant applications. Agustín built on this with insights into the workings of journals and grants—key for advancing our careers, supporting our teams, and addressing community needs. This session fueled lively discussions and inspired us to take tangible steps toward collaborating on potential multicenter projects.

Day 3: Systems Thinking—Ignacio López Barrenechea

We awoke to the emerging results of the US election count—a historic election that has been remarkable to watch unfold. Reflecting on leadership, we shared impressions and discussed the importance of understanding differing positions, ideas and beliefs and not being quick to judge. 

The day’s focus shifted to “Systems Thinking,” working in small fellow groups to devise a project—identifying stakeholders, allies, potential opposers, resources, values, and interests. A great exercise for broadening our understanding of what we need to consider as leaders when moving projects forward. 

With much to reflect on after three intense days, we embraced the opportunity to talk, ideate collaborations, and let ideas settle during a rejuvenating walk along the River Shannon. The Autumn leaves marked our arrival at the University of Limerick where we visited the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance—funded by Chuck Feeney. We were captivated by the beautiful mosaic in the foyer, which tells the story of Irish Celtic Goddess Sionna’s search for the hazelnut of wisdom.

Musicians and educators Dr Matthew Noone and Nick Roth led a fascinating conversation, stimulating ideas for investigating brain activity during music improvisation, thanks to José David López Hincapié and Agustín Ibáñez. After this mind-blowing dialogue, we enjoyed Sarod and saxophone performances while participating in a group improvisation with closed eyes, creating an ambient of active meditation.

We ended the day inspired by the promise of future collaboration between the Irish World Academy and GBHI.

Leadership week 2024 mosaic at UL
Feeney Way sign

Mosaic at the Irish World Academy of Music and Dance and appreciation for Chuck Feeney at the University of Limerick.

Day 4: Reflection Time 

We said goodbye to Adare and embarked on our journey back to Dublin, but not without some meaningful pit stops—at the Rock of Cashel in Tipperary and the Acquired Brain Injury (ABI) Ireland center in Offaly.

Temitope Farombi

Leadership week was filled with incredible moments, but the visit to the Rock of Cashel stood out as something truly unforgettable. Standing before those ancient buildings, I felt a deep sense of wonder at the legacy left behind by the medieval people. They built with purpose, creating structures meant to endure, and in doing so, left pieces of their world for us to uncover and learn from. Their intentionality reminded me that each era shapes the next and that we, too, are part of a larger story. We may stumble and make mistakes, but we are still building for the generations to come. That visit connected the dots for me—past, present, and the future—inspiring me to believe that we too can leave behind a legacy that speaks to the resilience and hope of our time.

Sonata Mačiulskytė

We then headed deeper into the Midlands, visiting the Acquired Brain Injury Ireland center in Mount Bolus. Gráinne McGettrick, Research and Policy Manager at ABI Ireland and Atlantic Fellow alumna, and a wonderful team of staff welcomed us. The center is a residential service for four people with acquired brain injury and a hub for community service covering the Irish Midlands. Local service manager Carol Dillon, principal psychologist Dr Brian McClean, and others shared details of their daily work. As we listened, we were struck not only by their professionalism but also by the human dedication and commitment to their work. We were very lucky that two clients shared their stories with us. Their stories are more than the stories of rehabilitation, they are stories of return to life and hope. Stories of personal empowerment—what a person can do after a brain injury if they receive neuropsychological rehabilitation that accurately responds to their needs. It was inspiring to see that excellent services and professionals can be found not only in major cities but also in remote regions of the country.

Rock of Cashel visit Leadership Week 2024

Visiting the Rock of Cashel in Tipperary during Leadership Week 2024.

Day 5: Sustaining the Work—Ignacio López Barrenechea

We concluded the week by learning how to sustain our work during and after the fellowship—and who better to provide these insights than alumni? In an Atlantic Fellows panel, alumni from diverse fields, including music, neuroscience, and biostatistics, discussed GBHI’s remarkable connection between art, science, and caregiving, and how its values, such as Openness and Authenticity, helped them uncover their own priorities, broaden their vision, and pursue roles and projects they might not have considered before the fellowship.

Examples of neuroscientists working with the government and artists, as well as artists publishing scientific papers, highlighted the diverse opportunities made possible by the fellowship. It was reassuring to hear that friendships and networks built during the fellowship are truly lifelong, providing a safety net for advice and collaboration when needed.

The Leadership Week finale was a keynote talk by Jo-Hanna Ivers, Professor in Addiction at Trinity College, who shared how her personal story shaped her career and the importance of building a community and competencies to create a lasting impact. She left us with wise parting advice: “It is better a no with meaning than a resentful yes” when it comes to taking on new projects.

It was a truly magnificent week of camaraderie, self-discovery, and reflection on our futures. 

Leadership Week 2024 GBHI group at Trinity College

The Atlantic Fellows for Equity in Brain Health 2024 cohort—along with alumni and other GBHI team members—at the conclusion of Leadership Week.