The Bradley Family Leadership Educator in Residence (LEIR) Program

Miriam O’Donoghue is the Director of Miriam O’Donoghue Education Services Ltd, based in Dublin, Ireland. She is a highly experienced trainer, facilitator, and consultant with over 40 years of expertise in education at both national and international levels.

Throughout her career, Miriam has held key positions across various sectors of education. She began as a teacher before progressing to roles such as Project Officer for the National Council for Vocational Awards and Support Officer for the Leaving Certificate Applied Support Service for Teachers. Her leadership experience includes serving as Head of Department at St. Catherine’s Teacher Education College, an associate college of Trinity College Dublin; National Manager for the Further Education Support Service; and Deputy Director and Director of the CDETB Curriculum Development Unit. She has worked across Primary, Post-Primary, Further Education, and Higher Education sectors.

Miriam has made significant contributions to education, particularly in enhancing student learning experiences by promoting accessibility, engagement, fun, and memorability in teaching and learning practices.

Renowned for her hands-on, interactive workshops, Miriam integrates innovative props and tools to create dynamic and engaging learning environments. As an international expert in LEGO® Serious Play® (LSP) and creative learning methods, she delivers facilitation, certified training, and masterclasses to global audiences, training educators, corporate leaders, and facilitators in LEGO® Serious Play®, LEGO® Six Bricks, and DUPLO® Play and Learn. Her masterclasses and workshops, delivered at conferences and professional development events, explore topics such as leadership, team building, strategic planning, and reflective practice.

Miriam is known for her ability to inspire and empower participants, combining her vast educational expertise with a passion for creativity and participatory learning. Her international contributions and decades of educational leadership make her a respected voice in professional learning and development worldwide.

Interested in having a session with Miriam just for your department or organization? This document has a list of workshops that Miriam has created for her time on Tulane's campus.

If you would like to host an event for your class, department, or organization? Please contact Bridget Fish, Associate Director for Leadership Learning, with your request. 

These are the open session for Miriam's time on campus. Sign up today! Spots are limited! Food will be provided at each session.

March 31

• Opening Lunch and Learn: Quack, Create, and Connect with the LEGO® Duck
  • 12:00 PM - 1:30 PM
  • LBC 203 - Stibbs
  • Leader of the pack—what can we learn from the duck? This session invites participants to embrace creativity, collaboration, and curiosity through the iconic LEGO® duck. Using the duck as a metaphor and tool for creative thinking and reflection, participants network and explore together leadership traits and uncover together how the duck’s simplicity inspires innovative thinking and connection.
  • RSVP HERE
• Student Session: The Leadership Elephant: Building Collective Leadership using LEGO® Serious Play®
  • 4:00 PM - 5:30 PM
  • LBC G01 - Reiss Room
  • When we think of leadership, we often picture a single figure leading the way. But true leadership is rarely a solo act; it’s a shared effort, where different strengths come together to create something greater than the sum of its parts. Just like an elephant, strong and steady, leadership thrives on collective support and shared responsibility. This will be an interactive LEGO® Serious Play® workshop where participants collaboratively build a "Leadership Elephant"; each contributing a section that symbolizes their role in shaping and supporting a unified leadership structure. Through creative model-building and guided discussion, this session will explore the power of collective leadership, encouraging participants to step up, support one another, and move forward together with purpose.
  • RSVP HERE

April 1st

• Student Session: Leadership in Bloom: A LEGO® Serious Play® Reflection with Rose, Thorn, Bud
  • 9:30 AM - 11:00 AM
  • Howard Tilton Memorial Library B08
  • Great leadership requires reflection, adaptation, and growth. In this hands-on, interactive workshop, we’ll use LEGO® Serious Play® alongside Rose, Thorn, Bud, a powerful retrospective tool to explore your leadership journey. This session offers a unique way to look back in order to move forward, using structured reflection and creative problem-solving to uncover key insights about your leadership approach. Through guided LEGO® building and storytelling, you’ll gain fresh perspectives, deeper self-awareness, and actionable takeaways to enhance your leadership practice. Whether you're an experienced leader or stepping into leadership for the first time, this workshop will help you reflect, adapt, and grow.
  • RSVP HERE
• Open Session: Climbing the Stairs to Insight using LEGO® Serious Play®
  • 3:00 PM - 4:30 PM
  • LBC 210
  • When we picture progress, success, or overcoming obstacles, a staircase often comes to mind. But not all staircases are straightforward. Some turn corners, some have handrails, and others feel unstable. In LEGO® Serious Play® building a staircase is more than just stacking bricks; it’s about exploring the unique paths we take in life, work, and learning. Climbing the Stairs to Insight using LEGO® Serious Play® invites participants to explore personal and professional growth. Through creative LEGO® modelbuilding and guided reflection, participants can delve into themes such as leadership and navigating change. By constructing and sharing unique models, participants will gain fresh perspectives and actionable insights to enhance their journey in a supportive space where they can reflect and grow.
  • RSVP HERE

April 2nd

• Manager's Session: The Power of Focused Conversations in Leadership: A Framework for Building Structure and Clarity
  • 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM
  • SOM Hutchison Building, Room 5001 (Downtown Campus)
  • Great leaders don’t just speak, they listen, reflect, and guide conversations that create clarity and drive action. But how can leaders move discussions beyond surface-level dialogue to unlock deeper insights and meaningful outcomes? The Power of Focused Conversations in Leadership is an interactive LEGO® Serious Play® workshop that applies the Focused Conversation Method (ORID) to leadership discussions. Through hands-on model-building and guided reflection, participants explore how structured dialogue can bring clarity, align perspectives, and lead to actionable decisions. By engaging with leadership concepts in a tangible, creative way, this session provides a powerful framework for fostering meaningful conversations that shape stronger, more effective leadership.
  • RSVP HERE
• Student Session: Crossing the Bridge: Your Journey with LEGO® Serious Play®
  • 5:00 PM - 6:30 PM
  • 1834 Club - Lavin-Bernick Center
  • In every journey—whether personal, professional, or leadership-related—there are challenges to overcome, gaps to bridge, and milestones to celebrate. In this interactive workshop, you’ll use the LEGO® SERIOUS PLAY® method to build a bridge that represents your current journey, exploring where you started, where you are now, and where you want to go. Through hands-on building and guided reflection, you’ll uncover insights about the obstacles you face, the supports that keep you going, and the next steps needed to move forward. Whether you’re a leader navigating change, a professional striving for growth, or someone at a career crossroads, this session will help you see your path more clearly.
  • RSVP HERE

Spring 2023 - Dr. Marcy Levy Shankman, co-author of Emotionally Intelligent Leadership: A Guide for Students (Second Edition) (Jossey-Bass, 2015)

Fall 2023 - Amatoga Jeremie and Monique McGhee, Learning and Development Consultants with Gallup

Spring 2024 - Dr. Jamie Washington, cofounder of the Social Justice Training Institute and co-president of the Washington Consulting Group

Fall 2024 - Celeste Headlee, Communication and Human Nature Expert, Award-winning journalist, and Author