Sara O'Riordan is an experienced project management professional with expertise in organisational efficiency, change management, and process development. She applies her diverse skill set to support transformation and innovation initiatives at UCC Academy.​

A Geography graduate from the University of Edinburgh, Sara also holds a postgraduate certificate in Technical Communication, an ILM certification in Leadership and Management, and a diploma in Business Innovation and Digital Transformation. She is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and a qualified Scrum Master.​

Sara’s career began in media, working with the BBC and American Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) News before joining RTÉ upon relocating to Cork in 2003. She then transitioned into project management, working with a consultancy supporting charitable organisations before joining Dell Technologies. At Dell, she worked on software development projects and later joined the Customer Solution Centre as a program manager delivery strategic high-value opportunities.​

Her experience also includes leading operations at a Cork-based AI software development start-up, where she managed data teams and user journey development. Now at UCC Academy, Sara plays a key role in the Project Centre, driving projects focused on transformation and change.