Darina Dunne
Darina Dunne’s first CrossFit workout was Cindy in Dublin in 2012. Eleven years later, it’s still one of her favorite CrossFit workouts.
As the Commercial Director for the CrossFit Filthy 150, Dunne’s role is to build and maintain relationships with partners and sponsors, and help them see the value in the CrossFit partnership, said Dunne, who is also the head of DNA/RNA Molecular Materials for Merck.
Clearly, she’s doing a good job, as the Filthy 150 has become a world-class event year after year, something Dunne is very proud of. More than anything, though, she loves seeing the entire Irish CrossFit community “gathered together under one roof” every year for one weekend.
“It’s absolutely electric, and I am very proud to play a small part in making that happen,” she said.
Q&A with Dunne:
How do you take your coffee?
Dunne: “Americano, apologies to all coffee lovers … for me, the weaker, the cheaper, the better.”
What does a day in your life look like?
Dunne: “I have global responsibilities so my day is long. I can be on Asia-Pacific at 6 a.m and North America at 8 p.m. I tend to work at the gym so I can do a workout during my downtime and also get to see people. I am very lucky to be able to base myself at the gym. It enables me to do the day job and also be actively involved in our CrossFit gyms and the Filthy 150.”
What’s your advice for up-and-coming women looking to pursue a career in the fitness space?
Dunne: “It’s very difficult to have a viable career in fitness but surrounding yourself with the right people/mentors can make all the difference. Seek out the people you admire and do what you can to spend time with them.
The other thing to keep in mind are the skills you acquire by being involved and around the CrossFit community. These skills are 100 percent transferable life skills that can play a significant role in who you are and what you do.”
