More about our team…let’s chat to

Maria Connolly, a EUPATI Project Coordinator

As part of our ongoing series introducing the EUPATI Secretariat team, we’re helping you get to know the people behind the scenes — how we work, how we support patient education, and who to contact for your area of interest. Based in the west of Ireland, Maria talks about her day-to-day work, the responsibilities she manages, and what she loves most about being part of EUPATI.

Stay tuned as we highlight more of the dedicated individuals driving EUPATI’s mission forward.

What’s your name and where are you dialing in ?

Maria Connolly, I’m Irish and I live in the countryside in Mayo, in the west of Ireland.

What is your main work stream?

My EUPATI journey commenced in September 2024 as a EUPATI Intern, which focused on developing a systematic impact assessment of EUPATI Fundamentals and Essentials trainings. Since January 2025, I assumed the role of EUPATI Project Co-Ordinator for the EU project PATH-FOR-YOUNG.  The Personalized Adjuvant Treatment for HR+/HER2- breast cancer for young patients (Path-for-young) project aims to establish and implement a new standard of care for young women with hormone receptor (HR) positive, human epidermal growth factor receptor (HER)2 negative breast cancer.

As Project Coordinator for EUPATI, I ensure our contributions are delivered effectively across multiple fronts. This includes recruiting EUPATI Fellows for the Co-Creation Stakeholder Board to ensure the patient voice is central to the project, delivering expert training in co-design and patient involvement for the consortium, and developing a digital course on clinical trial operations and the novel care pathway for both patients and healthcare providers.

I manage the smooth execution of all EUPATI project tasks from initiation to completion, coordinating schedules and resources to meet objectives on time and within scope. Serving as the key point of contact, I facilitate communication among team members and stakeholders to keep everyone aligned and informed. The role encompasses managing documentation, tracking progress, identifying potential issues and solutions, and providing budget tracking, logistics, and day-to-day administrative support to ensure project success.

What is your favourite part of your role?

My favourite part of my role is being part of a committed team truly at the forefront of shaping the future of healthcare through patient involvement. I’m passionate about connecting all healthcare stakeholders—healthcare professionals, patients, caregivers, patient organisations, industry, and academia—while raising awareness about patient engagement and involvement, concepts still not fully understood across the ecosystem.

Having worked across various sectors including healthcare, the medical device industry, and non-profit organisations, I’ve witnessed firsthand the misconceptions that exist between different stakeholders, which is why bringing everyone to the table to understand each other and collaborate is so crucial. All stakeholders play a pivotal role in health innovation. I believe patient engagement and involvement remains relatively novel to many key players in healthcare, and more awareness is needed to promote its importance and benefits.

What truly inspires me is working toward integrating patient engagement and involvement into formal academic training for healthcare professionals and researchers, fostering patient co-creation and co-design within research projects, and ultimately making a positive impact on health outcomes for everyone through empowering education. Being part of EUPATI’s mission ‘to provide education and resources that enable patients and researchers to collaborate, co-create, and innovate, inspiring collective global change across the health innovation system’, is both inspiring and fulfilling.

Describe your typical working day?

My typical working day revolves around managing project tasks, planning, and prioritization while working closely with both internal and external stakeholders. I monitor schedules and budgets, facilitate team meetings and stakeholder updates, and troubleshoot problems as they arise. A key aspect of my role involves conducting project research and developing innovative approaches to maximize EUPATI’s contribution and drive successful project outcomes.

Acting as the central hub, I connect with team members and project partners, while juggling multiple tasks simultaneously—updating documentation, resolving blockers, clarifying requirements, and adjusting plans accordingly. Success depends on staying flexible, managing priorities effectively, and maintaining clear communication across all project stakeholders.

What is your favourite quote – be it for work or your personal life?

My favorite quotes help me to maintain balance across all aspects of life. I’m particularly drawn to an Irish proverb, known as a ‘Seanfhocal’ in Gaeilge (Irish):

‘Ní threabhadh tú pairc go brách á chasadh timpeall i do intinn.’

This translates to ‘You’ll never plough a field by turning it over in your mind.’ I find it deeply motivating—a powerful reminder that there’s a time for reflection and a time for action. When I need to slow down, or when progress feels slow and demands patience, I turn to this wisdom:

‘Walk always even if slowly; you will make progress just the same.’

Thank you to Maria for chatting to us about her work for EUPATI. If you have any questions on the PATH-FOR-YOUNG project get in touch with [email protected].