Katy Lumsden, Head of Human Resources at the National Library of Ireland, joins the judging panel for the HR Leadership & Management Awards 2026, bringing values-led, creative HR leadership grounded in systems thinking, leader-follower dynamics, and generative organisational engagement.

With a background spanning visual communications and calligraphy, and expertise in developing leadership and followership programmes through Know No Bounds, she brings unique perspective on building resilient, transparent, and equitable workplace cultures that balance systemic excellence with human-centred practice.

As Head of HR at the National Library of Ireland, one of Ireland's foremost National Cultural Institutions, Katy leads an HR function distinguished by excellence, professionalism, trustworthiness, fairness, and approachability. Her distinctive approach integrates creative thinking with systems leadership, drawing on her unconventional professional background to shape HR strategy that prioritises both individual agency and organisational resilience.

Her intellectual focus on leader-follower dynamics, organisational epistemics, and systems thinking informs a leadership philosophy centred on generative, collaborative engagement. This orientation ensures HR initiatives operate as interconnected system components rather than isolated programmes, recognising that sustainable culture change requires transparency, expertise, best practice integration, and the delicate balance of equity and equality.

Katy's commitment to developing leadership capability extends beyond organisational boundaries. Through Know No Bounds, a programme she developed for children and young people in leadership and followership, she has worked with children from age nine upwards, embedding systems thinking and collaborative engagement principles early in leadership development pathways. Her regular contributions as a speaker, podcast guest, and social media voice on leadership, followership, and culture demonstrate her engagement with emerging conversations in the HR and organisational development community.

Holding a Masters in Business Practice from UCC through IMI, Katy combines academic rigour with creative and systems-informed practice, positioned to evaluate HR initiatives through multiple analytical lenses simultaneously.

As an awards judge, Katy evaluates submissions through the lens of systemic resilience, equity-equality integration, and generative culture. Her assessment focuses on HR initiatives that demonstrate transparent, collaborative engagement; balance operational excellence with human-centred values; and build organisational resilience through equitable, inclusive systems thinking.

The HR Leadership & Management Awards 2026 ceremony will take place on Thursday, October 15th, 2026 at the Crowne Plaza Hotel, Santry.

Visit the official HR Leadership & Management Awards website to review award categories, access entry guidance, and explore past winners. Subscribe to the newsletter for updates on judging panel announcements, category insights, and exclusive event coverage.