Caroline Casey (activist)

Caroline Casey (born 20 October 1971)[1] is an Irish activist and management consultant. She is legally blind due to ocular albinism.[2][3] In 2000, aged 28, she left her job in Accenture to launch the Aisling Foundation, with an aim to improve how disability is treated.[1][4][3] In 2001, she trekked across India, solo, on elephant back for c.1,000 km, raising €250k for The National Council for the Blind of Ireland and Sightsavers.[4] Casey became the first female mahout from the west.[5] The journey was the subject of a National Geographic documentary Elephant Vision[3] and a TED Talk.[4]

This article is about the Irish activist. For the American soccer player, see Caroline Casey (soccer).

Background

Casey was diagnosed with ocular albinism as a child but was not personally informed until her 17th birthday.[2] She graduated from University College Dublin with BA, DBS and MBS degrees.[6] She worked at a couple of jobs including as a management consultant for Accenture.[4]

Aisling Foundation/Kanchi

The Ability Awards, styled as the O2 Ability Awards for sponsorship reasons, were set up by the foundation in 2005 to recognise organisations that promote disability inclusion.[7][8][3][5] In 2011, the Telefónica Ability Awards were launched in Spain, with further versions planned for other countries in Europe.[5][9] In 2008 the foundation was renamed in honour of the elephant "Kanchi" used on the Indian expedition.[3][10]

The Valuable 500

Casey founded The Valuable 500, an organisation that aims to get disability on the leadership agenda.[11][12]

Recognition

Affiliations

[14]

  • Board member of 98FM
  • Board member of Sightsavers
  • Former board member of Comhairle/Citizens Information Board (2002-?)
  • Former board member of Jack and Jill Children's Foundation
  • Former board member of FÁS (2001-?)
  • Former board member of Irish Charity Tax Reform Group/Charities Institute Ireland

References
  1. "International Women's Day 2016". HSE. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
  2. Casey, Caroline (21 October 2014). "Would being legally blind change the way that you see yourself?". Irish Independent. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
  3. Reddan, Fiona (27 June 2008). "Aisling Foundation is going global". Irish Times. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
  4. "Inspiring Irish legally blind adventurer's TED Talk". IrishCentral. 11 May 2017. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
  5. "Para integrar la discapacidad en la sociedad hay que cambiar la mentalidad, no las leyes" [To integrate disability in society a change in mentality, not laws, is needed] (in Spanish). 14 April 2011. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
  6. "Caroline Casey – UCD Entrepreneurial Graduates". NovaUCD. Archived from the original on 5 August 2017. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
  7. "O2 Ability Awards - 2005 Overall Winners". 2006. Archived from the original on 19 November 2006. Retrieved 17 May 2017 – via archive.org.
  8. "O2 Ability Awards 2007". RTÉ.ie. 2007. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
  9. "Caroline Casey wows the audience as BPW marks quarter century". Galway Advertiser. 26 May 2011. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
  10. Burke, Sinead (9 October 2014). "Inspiring businesswoman Caroline Casey on how she's managed the tough times". Irish Independent. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
  11. "Sky News Daily Podcast: Meet the women shattering the glass ceiling - but is it job done?". Sky News. Retrieved 4 February 2022.
  12. "500 global firms put disability inclusion on boardroom agendas". TheGuardian.com. 18 May 2021.
  13. "2020 Henry Viscardi Achievement Awards".
  14. Conway, Pádraic (7 April 2016). "Caroline Casey – Doctor of Laws" (PDF). National University of Ireland. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
  15. "Nominations sought for Dublin's outstanding young people awards". IrishLegal.com. 16 February 2017. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
  16. "Our Advisory Board". Ashoka Ireland. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
  17. "The Power of Believing in the Right Thing and Your Extraordinary Potential". AspireWomen.co.uk. Retrieved 17 May 2017.
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