The new Chief Executive of Galway Simon Community carries an unquenchable faith in the power of the community – and the ability to bring social change from the bottom up.

Carol Baumann also believes in the dignity and potential of every individual – a stance that was key to her taking on this onerous new role.

She succeeds Karen Golden, who had served the organisation with dedication and compassion for many years – and she brings with her a wealth of experience in community development, social justice advocacy, and public service.

Most recently, Carol served as CEO of the Local Development Companies Network (formerly the Irish Local Development Network), where she led the expansion of the national network’s capacity and visibility, supporting frontline responses to major challenges – including the arrival of Ukrainian refugees and the aftermath of Storm Éowyn.

Originally from Cabra in Dublin but living in Galway for 30 years, Carol is from a large family in a busy community.

Her personal experiences of her own upbringing, combined with the values instilled by her community-minded mother, laid the foundation for a lifelong commitment to fairness, inclusion, and speaking out for those whose voices are too often unheard.

“Like many families in that place, and of that time, there wasn’t much money growing up, but I was lucky. I got to stay in school and ended up doing a business degree,” she said.

“At the time I saw a business degree as almost a working-class degree, something I could relate to – practical, vocational. It gave me a foundation, but it was my early teaching experience with young people living with disadvantage that opened my eyes to the structural barriers in their lives,” she added.

Carol’s diverse career has included working in education, European social programmes, the Money Advice and Budgeting Service (MABS), and a domestic abuse service where she helped further develop a high-quality, client-centred refuge.

Throughout her roles, a consistent thread has been her belief in the power of local communities, bottom-up action, and the dignity and potential of every individual.

“The clients we supported in MABS, people who found themselves in real difficulty through no fault of their own, taught me so much,” she said.

“Those who found themselves with unsustainable levels of personal debt and mortgage arrears following the banking collapse were often portrayed unfairly.

“In reality, they were incredible managers of scarce resources – people with very little are forced to manage with exceptional skill. That experience taught me huge respect – and that respect has driven my work ever since.”

Carol’s work with MABS led her to completing a PhD, leaving her with a commitment to evidence-based policy and decision making.

A passionate advocate for sustainable community infrastructure, Carol has long called for greater investment and fairer working conditions within the sector.

“You can’t run a values-driven sector on goodwill alone,” she said. “If we say community work matters, we need to back that up with proper funding and respect for those doing the work.”

Chair of Galway Simon Community, Ciarán Forken, said the organisation was thrilled to welcome Carol on board.

“Her deep commitment to social justice, her leadership experience, and her first-hand understanding of the challenges facing communities today make her an ideal person to guide us forward,” he said.

“We also wish to thank Karen Golden for her exceptional leadership and legacy,” he added.

And as she steps into her new role, Carol brings not only professional expertise, but a heartfelt connection to the place she has called home for 30 years, and a belief in the collective power of local action.

“Ireland has a long tradition of community. When something goes wrong, we rally,” she said.

“That spirit – that sense of place, of mutual responsibility – is something we must nurture. Galway Simon Community has always been at the heart of that, and I’m honoured to be part of its future.”

Pictured: Carol Baumann…new Chief Executive of Galway Simon Community.