<table width="100%" cellspacing="0" cellpadding="2" border="0">
<tbody>
<tr>
<td style="vertical-align: top;" valign="top">Dr Brendan O’Keeffe is Director of O’Keeffe &amp; Associates. He holds a PhD in Geography from Maynooth University and has served as Director of Quality and a Lecturer in Human Geography in Mary Immaculate College, Limerick. Brendan has contributed to several ICLRD projects, and has been particularly active in examining models and practices in other European countries in respect of cross-border collaboration, governance and local development. He has extensive experience in social research, and has undertaken several evaluations in varying geographical and institutional contexts. He successfully coordinated Round 8 of the European Social Survey in Ireland. Brendan has a strong background as a practitioner in local development and intimate knowledge of LEADER and other area-based initiatives throughout Europe. He is actively involved with several community and voluntary organisations, and is a strong advocate of bottom-up and community-led local development.&nbsp;

Research Interests: Rural Communities, Community Development, Area-Based Strategies, Rural Economic Development, Place-Making, Cross-Border Collaboration, Governance, Evaluation, Transnational and Inter-Territorial Collaboration.

Contact: Breandán Ó Caoimh - brendanok7@gmail.com</td>
<td width="300px" valign="top"><img class="alignnone
wp-image-4810 size-full" src="http://dev.iclrd.org/iclrd2/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/Brendan-OKeeffe-Headshot.jpg" alt="" width="512" height="768"></td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>