My research and academic work has focused on analysing and gaining an increased understanding of leadership and management behaviour in nursing. I have experience and expertise in evaluative health service research, with a particular interest in health policy, strategy, organisational behaviour, culture and implementation science.

Topics: Nursing Leadership, decision making, influence or strategy, integrated care, health policy, organisational behaviour and culture.

Cora is an Associate Professor of Nursing and Midwifery at the Department of Nursing and Midwifery, University of Limerick. Originally graduated from Limerick School of Nursing as a Registered General Nurse. Cora holds a Diploma of Higher Education in Professional Studies Nursing from the University of West London and completed a MSc in Health and Social Policy with City University of London in 2003. Cora was awarded an Irish Research Council Scholarship in 2019 and graduated with a Doctor of Philosophy at the University of Limerick in 2024. Her Phd explored the role of nurse executives in acute hospitals in Ireland. Cora was awarded a Fellowship of the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery, Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (FFNMRCSI) in 2021 and she was elected to the Board of the Faculty of Nursing and Midwifery in June 2021.

Cora has worked in a variety of nurse manager, practice and project management roles in Ireland and the UK. She has previously worked regionally in the Nursing and Midwifery Planning and Development Units Mid-West and lead National Projects within in the HSE Office for the Nursing and Midwifery Development. She established the HSE National Clinical Leadership and Innovation Centre in 2010 and continued as the Director until 2018. Leading the development of leadership capacity and capabilities in nursing and midwifery nationally.

She has 15 years' experience in facilitating inter-disciplinary leadership development and management programmes in a variety of health care settings in Ireland and the UK. She holds an Advanced Diploma in Personal, Leadership & Executive Coaching from Kingston College Dublin.