Leading with Hearts and Minds

In this episode of Leading with Hearts & Minds, Marie Kilduff speaks with Dr Pádraic Dunne, Senior Lecturer at the RCSI Centre for Positive Health Sciences and Principal Investigator of the Digital Health Research Group. Pádraic’s background spans immunology, psychotherapy, lifestyle medicine, and health coaching, giving him a unique perspective on what supports human wellbeing in a world that is moving faster than ever. Pádraic explains what positive health science entails, breaking it down into positive psychology, lifestyle medicine, and health psychology. He discusses why lasting change is challenging, why quick fixes rarely work, and why awareness, compassion, acceptance, and vulnerability are essential foundations for both personal and professional well-being. This thoughtful conversation offers practical insight for anyone seeking to support their own well-being or that of their teams in a high-pressure healthcare environment. Guest: Dr Pádraic Dunne, Senior Lecturer, RCSI Centre for Positive Health Sciences Host: Marie Kilduff, National Clinical Leadership Centre for Nursing & Midwifery

In this episode of Leading with Hearts and Minds, Marie Kilduff speaks with Amy Carroll, Assistant Director of Midwifery at St. Luke’s Hospital, Kilkenny. Marie begins by asking Amy how she first entered midwifery, opening a conversation about resilience, mentorship, and the reality of learning under pressure. She shares insights from her time as a Spark Innovation Fellow, including how design thinking, curiosity, and psychological safety can transform services and support teams. The episode also explores Amy’s award-winning work on the MUMA Postnatal Hub, her approach to conflict and communication, and her advice for midwives who want to grow into leadership roles. A concise, uplifting conversation about compassion, innovation, and leading with authenticity.

In this powerful and deeply personal episode, Prof Áine Carroll joins Marie Kilduff to reflect on how her mother’s final months shaped her understanding of what integrated healthcare should truly be. Despite decades of professional leadership in integrated care, Áine found herself navigating a fragmented system that left her feeling powerless as a daughter advocating for her mum. That experience intensified her long-standing commitment to person-centred, coordinated care and exposed the gaps that so many families still face. Together, Marie Kilduff and Prof Carroll explore: What happens when care isn’t joined up, even for those who understand the systemThe barriers that continue to block progress, from siloed services to poor communication and digital limitationsWhy leadership in a complex adaptive system must evolveThe role of data, partnership, and meaningful relationships in driving improvementHow the International Foundation for Integrated Care (IFIC) supports global learning through the Nine PillarsWhy hope, action, and collective responsibility are central to making real change.

In this episode of Leading with Hearts and Minds, Marie Kilduff speaks with Caroline O’Regan, a respected leader in healthcare education and organisational development who has contributed significantly to the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) and the Health Service Executive (HSE). Caroline reflects on more than three decades of experience in leadership development—charting how the focus in healthcare has shifted from hierarchical management to a more inclusive, collaborative, and compassionate approach that values communication, empathy, and systems thinking. They discuss: How leadership in healthcare has evolved over the decadesThe impact of Caroline’s work with RCSI on leadership educationPreparing emerging leaders for complexity and changeWhy compassion and clarity remain at the heart of effective leadership Presented by Marie Kilduff. Produced by the National Clinical Leadership Centre for Nursing and Midwifery.

In this episode of Leading with Hearts and Minds, Marie Kilduff speaks with Claire Zangerle, CEO of the American Organisation for Nursing Leadership and CEO of the American Hospital Association. Claire describes her unconventional path into leadership, from a second career in nursing to leading two of the most influential healthcare organisations in the United States. She reflects on the lessons learned along the way: the value of vulnerability, the importance of finding your “why,” and why leadership is as much about how we lead as what we achieve. From addressing workplace incivility and burnout to inspiring the next generation of nurse leaders, Claire’s message is both practical and deeply human: nurses shouldn’t just have a seat at the table, they should set the table. 🎧 Listen for insights on: Redefining what leadership looks like in nursingBuilding confidence and authenticity as a leaderAddressing bullying and incivility in healthcareFinding purpose and balance in demanding roles Follow Leading with Hearts and Minds for more conversations with those shaping the future of compassionate, courageous healthcare leadership.