Mary-Louise Lynch is a survivor leader, facilitator, advocate and systems-change practitioner working to improve responses to domestic, sexual and gender-based violence in Ireland and beyond.
She is the Founding Director of SiSi (Survivors Informing Services and Institutions), a national survivor-led organisation that supports women and children affected by intimate partner violence while advancing survivor-informed policy, research, leadership development and systemic reform. Since founding SiSi, Mary-Louise has led the development of innovative survivor-led programmes, including a unique peer-led model of delivering the Freedom Programme, designed to reduce isolation, strengthen survivor leadership and improve long-term outcomes for women navigating coercive control and post-separation abuse.
Under her leadership, SiSi has supported hundreds of women through advocacy, mentoring, court accompaniment, specialist programmes and information services; trained facilitators and survivor leaders; delivered training to professionals across multiple sectors; and contributed to national and international research, policy and legislative reform initiatives. The organisation has become a recognised voice on coercive control, post-separation abuse, family justice reform and the role of lived expertise in shaping effective services and public policy.
Mary-Louise serves as Ireland's appointed expert to the European Women's Lobby Observatory on Violence Against Women and is a member of the Executive Board of the National Women's Council of Ireland. She previously served as a Board Member of West Cork Beacon and has extensive experience in governance, strategic planning, organisational development and collaborative advocacy.
Her professional interests include survivor leadership, mens and systemic violence against women, family justice reform, systems change, organisational development, adult learning, facilitation and the meaningful inclusion of experts by experience in policy and service design. She holds academic qualifications in History, Philosophy, Women's Studies, Transformative Leadership and Specialised Group Facilitation and has completed specialist training in domestic violence intervention programmes.
Mary-Louise is a sought-after speaker, trainer and contributor whose work is driven by a belief that those most affected by systems are often best placed to improve them.