Marie is a native of Lissadell, Co Sligo and was educated at St Patrick’s NS, Maugherow, Mercy College Sligo and Athlone Institute of Technology. A fellow member of the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants and has an Executive MBA from Coventry University. Marie Joined Sligo Local Authorities in March 2001 as a Project Accountant on the implementation of the new Financial Management System Agresso and has overseen all of the developments and changes to the financial systems over the 7 years as Financial Management Accountant for both Sligo County Council and Sligo Borough Councils up until April 2008 when she moved to the position of Head of Finance. In September 2006, Marie took a years career break to volunteer with the Irish Humanitarian Aid organisation GOAL in North Sudan as Financial Controller. Marie was based in the Capital city Khartoum visiting the GOAL field sites in Darfur, Abyei and Kassala as part of her duties. Prior to joining Sligo County Council, Marie had been employed as Financial Accountant with Johnson & Johnson (Ireland) in Tallaght, Dublin and has other experience in both Accounting Practice and Industry. She also spent a year in Australia where she worked as an Accountant in the Financial Services and spent some time travelling.