Salon Sessions Speaker Biographies
Join our incredible line-up of guest speakers and find out what’s new, how to stay ahead of the competition and boost your business for a successful 2024. This is the perfect opportunity for you to discover what will be shaping the beauty, hair, spa and wellness industry in 2024, allowing you to unlock new opportunities for your business.
Melanie Morris
Journalist, Beauty Influencer, Founder of Genius Ideas Inc and Director of Image Media
Melanie Morris was destined for a life in media since, at aged 7, she insisted on wearing her tie-dye pyjamas to school. After completing a b.Comm in UCD, Melanie’s first job was in London, working in fashion PR with Lynne Franks, the original inspiration for TV comedy ‘Absolutely Fabulous’.
She returned to Ireland in the 1990s to begin a career in journalism and media. She published and edited dSIDE, a style magazine, for a decade before working with Ashville Media, and writing freelance on beauty and popular culture with The Irish Times, The Sunday Tribune and The Examiner.
In 2005 she was appointed editor of IMAGE Magazine, and in 2013 was promoted to Editor-in-Chief. In that time, she also established, oversaw and MCd the successful events division and founded the IMAGE Businesswoman of the Year Awards, and the IMAGE Business of Beauty Awards.
In 2018 Melanie founded Genius Ideas Inc, a marketing and branding consultancy. Melanie remains a board member and contributing editor with IMAGE Media.
Nadine Reid
Make Up Artist, Trainer for MAC Cosmetics, TV Presenter (Xposé), Plus Size Fashion & Beauty Influencer
Raised in Birmingham, Nadine worked for over 10 years as a trainer for Mac Cosmetics in London, Birmingham and Edinburgh before moving to Paris to fulfill her freelance fashion dreams. After a year of fashion weeks and magazine editorials, she returned to Birmingham to be with her mother who was ill at the time. Then the notion came to move to Dublin. After just two years working in a prestigious Dublin salon as a MUA & Now Eyebrow artist, Nadine was offered a role as presenter on the leading fashion and beauty TV show Xposé. When the show was cancelled 2019 Nadine worked as an ‘Ugly Sister’ in the Olympia Theatre Pantomine.
Nadine now lives in Donegal, working as an online Plus Size Fashion & Beauty Influencer and Audiobook Narrator.
Ray Goggins
Former Special Forces Operator and Ultimate Hell Week Star
Dr. Karen Weekes
Endurance Adventurer, Sports Psycologist, Irish Sports Woman of the Year 2022
Dr Karen Weekes is an adventurer, sports psychologist and University lecturer. In February 2022, she became the first Irish female, and 20th female worldwide, to row any ocean solo, successfully rowing 3,000 miles across the Atlantic Ocean in 80 days. Endurance exploits and music have been Karen’s lifetime passions. Journeys have included both water and land based adventures.
Working with teams and individuals, from elite and non-elite backgrounds for thirty years, Karen specialises in proactive cognitive and practical coping strategies. Through her research she has explored motivation and coping within endurance environs, which are reflected in her shared experiences within sporting and corporate genres.
Eoin McGee
Expert Financial Advisor, Author, and TV Presenter
Eoin McGee is a Certified Financial Planner CFP© and Qualified Financial Advisor QFA. In 2008, after years of working as a Head Financial Planner, Eoin set up Prosperous Financial Planning. His ambition with Prosperous was to establish a fee-based client-centric offering in the belief that ‘doing right’ by the client every time would result in long-lasting, long-term relationships.
Eoin made his TV debut in 2017, giving financial advice to young people looking to move out of home in RTE’s This Crowded House. This led to Eoin presenting four seasons of How to be Good with Money – the popular show where Eoin helps households to manage their money better and achieve their financial goals.
Eoin has written a book by the same name which is a No.1 bestseller and is in the top three bestselling Personal Finance books of all time. Last year, Eoin released his second book, How to Make Your Money Work. This book has been at the top of the charts since its release.
As well as regularly contributing features in the national press, he presents a financial segment on Today with Claire Byrne on RTÉ Radio One. In his spare time, Eoin is a keen runner and GAA fan.
Suzanne Jackson
Entrepreneur, Influencer, and TV Presenter
Suzanne Jackson is an award-winning blogger and influencer turned businesswoman.
She is the founder of SOSU Cosmetics & Dripping Gold Luxury Tan and co-founder of Mantra Official.
She is a leading fashion, beauty and lifestyle influencer in Ireland with an outstanding reach across a trusted audience.
Suzanne is also the host of The Style Counsellors TV show on RTE.
Dr. Brian Pennie
Doctor of Neuroscience, Author, Specialist in Resilience, and Former Heroin Addict
Brian Pennie is a former heroin addict turned doctor who’s on a mission to show people that change is possible.
Since embracing his second chance at life in 2013, he has become a doctor of neuroscience and psychology, a lecturer at the top two universities in Ireland, an executive coach to some of Ireland’s most influential leaders, and a consultant to some of the world’s largest organisations.
He is also a keynote speaker, best-selling author, founder and CEO of Change is Possible, and he has reached millions of people with his online content at www.brianpennie.com
Laura Dowling
Qualified Pharmacist, CEO and Founder of Fabu Wellness
Pharmacist and mum-of-three Laura Dowling (a.k.a. Fabulous Pharmacist) is passionate about sharing her knowledge of all things health-related in an accessible, relatable manner via her Instagram channel.
Her primary audience is females across a wide age range who tune in to hear Laura’s thoughts on medicine, illness, natural therapies, nutrition, supplements, exercise, yoga and cooking amongst other things. With a degree from Trinity and almost 20 years’ experience under her belt, Laura aims to give her followers the tools to live a balanced, healthy lifestyle without resorting to short-term crazes or fads.
Whether talking about skin concerns, constipation, female incontinence or mental health, Laura aims to educate her followers and shine a light on topics that people can often shy away from. In addition to her social media presence, Laura is a frequent contributor to Irish media and can be regularly seen on TV and in print as well as heard on radio.
Conor James Doyle
Hairdresser, Educator, and Content Creator
Three-time L’Oréal Professionnel Colour Trophy winner, Conor James Doyle launched his business ‘Conor James Education’ in 2018.
Pre-COVID, Conor travelled the world presenting colour techniques in what would become his signature style. During lockdown, Conor lost all his business. He turned to his social media following and took the opportunity to make people laugh, creating connections of light in a time of darkness.
Dismantling the toxic narrative around hairdressing has become the ethos of his education and business today. Respect for the industry’s heritage combined with a determination to make fundamental changes for the future, Conor James Doyle is using his platform to research and open conversations on the neurodiverse needs within the industry, and how education has to change to fulfil these needs.
Dom Lehane
Hair Industry Podcaster and Host
Dom Lehane is the host and creator of the UK & Ireland’s No.1 hair industry podcast since 2017; ‘How To Cut It in the Hairdressing Industry’.
Regarded as an industry expert, Dom was the original founder of the online hairdressing community and live events platform, HairClubLive.com. More recently he has gone on to build the How To Cut It community – a vibrant twenty thousand plus members group of hair professionals coming together to share, network, and learn.
Regularly hosting and presenting many of the hair industry’s top events and live streams, it would be fair to say that as a fourth-generation hairdresser, hairdressing runs through his veins, making him an expert in commentating on all areas of the hairdressing and barbering industry.
Maddi Cook
Innovator, Educator, and Business Coach
Maddi Cook is cultivating her experience as a hairdresser and salon owner to positively disrupt the industry. A social media and marketing maverick, Maddi is the epitome of entrepreneurship. As a hard-working northerner, she applies her skills in forecasting, mentoring, and online business to help improve the mental and financial health of hairdressers.
Boss Your Salon is her coaching platform that supports the industry through business education, masterclasses and the renowned Pricing Calculator.
Kind, creative and not afraid to stand up for others, Maddi has developed a growing audience that looks to her for practical, simple and effective business tools. Determined to help others achieve their own potential, she sees business through the eyes of the hairdresser, understands modern-day demands, and is ready to fight the good fight.
Dr. Ciarán O’Carroll
Doctor of Philosophy & Green Chemistry
Aisling Fox
Nutritional Therapist and Herbalist
Aisling Fox a.k.a. Aok Nutrition, is a nutritional therapist, herbalist, and the owner of Aok Nutrition. She grew up surrounded by herbal medicine and naturopathy through the family naturopathic clinic, Breath of Life.
Aisling’s main area of expertise is in women’s health issues and fertility support. She uses a combination of science and traditional medicine to support her clients.
Aisling also hosts a very popular podcast ‘Spilling The Tea with Aok Nutrition’, a female health-focused podcast, where she chats about all things hormones, vaginas, periods, sex, fertility and so much more! Her goal is to educate and empower women on their health and hormones!