BIOGRAPHY
INTRODUCTION
Dr Patricia O’Lynn is most commonly known for being the first woman, in the history of Northern Ireland, elected to represent the constituency of North Anrtim.
Prior to becoming an MLA, Patricia served as an Executive Director, academic researcher, political activist, education consultant and local government representative. She has a demonstrated history of leadership in the field of education and youth studies where she champions collective impact approaches to reducing the use of school exclusion.
In the field of politics, Patricia is passionate about social cohesion, feminism and the protection of democracy. She campaigns for a shared future, greater educational equality, women’s rights and effective services for young people.
She identifies her proudest achievements to include giving a presentation to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II on the future of democracy, becoming Fellow of the prestigious Cumberland Lodge Institute, participating in the Washington Ireland Programme and rescuing an abandoned kitten which has since become a fully integrated member of the O’Lynn family, also known as Smudge O’Lynn.
Since resigning from her political career, Patricia has launched her first profit with a purpose company called, 'The Institute for Disruption.' This entity exists to challenge the status quo, enact school systems change and end the use of school exclusion. Patricia believes that marginalised young people are central to ensuring an inclusive future for all and therefore works to harness their persistently disruptive behaviour at school as a force for social good.
EDUCATION
Patricia completed doctoral research at Queen’s University, which focused on better understanding young people’s experiences of exclusion from school within the context of Northern Ireland. Her thesis is called ‘Mainstreams, Margins and the Spaces In-Between: Youth Experiences of School Exclusion in Northern Ireland.’
Prior to embarking on doctoral research, Patricia achieved a Master’s in Social Science, a Degree in Law and a Diploma in Strategic Level Leadership and Management. She has authored several peer reviewed articles and also featured as a guest lecturer across the disciplines of Law, Criminology, Teacher Education and Political Science. Patricia is also a recipient of the Sir Tomas Dixon Award and the Department for Economy doctoral scholarship.
POLITICS
Patricia was a candidate in the most recent Westminster and Assembly elections and is a former congressional intern to Senator John McCain. In 2019 Patricia was elected to local government to represent the people of Ballymena town via the Alliance Party of Northern Ireland.
Since then, she received a public appointment from the Health Minister, where she served as a Commissioner to the Northern Health and Social Care Trust and also recently served as a Special Political Advisor to the Alliance Party Leader and Justice Minister for Northern Ireland- Naomi Long MLA. She was elected as an MLA on the 5th of May 2022.
Patricia has a strong reputation for having a strategic mind, a stubborn determinism and a resilient attitude when it comes to adversity. Throughout her short political career she has received harsh criticism for her progressive views, sexual harassment from both constituents and elected representatives and has also been the subject of media controversy as a result of her candid criticism of sectarian behaviour and sexist attitudes towards women. Patricia uses her adverse experiences as fuel for continued work in this field and refuses to give in to bigotry.
LEADERSHIP
Prior to becoming an MLA, Patricia held a series of leadership positions. Most recently she led a small company called Politics in Action, where, as an Executive Director, she secured new funding, designed a new methodology of engagement and re-wrote the company’s signature programmes which are now delivered across the NI education system.
Patricia is also a Chartered Manager and represents leaders and managers from Northern Ireland on the regional board for the Chartered Management Institute. She has lectured on the subjects of Inclusive Leadership, Ethical Management and Sustainable Business. She currently serves as an Executive Level Coach where she employs 'servant leader' approaches to engagement with C-Level Clients.
Patricia is working on her first business called 'The Institute for Disruption' which exists to enact systems change by learning from the lived experiences of marginalised groups, challenging the status quo and re-framing instances of disruption as a force for social good.