Meet the Team

We Are Oxygen Advantage®

What started as one man's search for a better way to breathe became a worldwide movement for better breathing. Today, we're a science-backed, heart-driven collective all on a mission to help the world breathe better.

Our Origin Story

Our Origin Story

Oxygen Advantage® was born from the work of Patrick McKeown, who discovered life-changing breathing principles while seeking relief from chronic asthma and sleep issues in the late 1990s.

Patrick's personal transformation led him to study with Dr. Konstantin Buteyko in Moscow — the creator of the Buteyko Breathing Method — and in 2002 he became an accredited Buteyko instructor. Over the next two decades, Patrick integrated clinical experience, cutting-edge research, and performance science to form the Oxygen Advantage®.

From small workshops in Ireland to a worldwide community, we now have millions of people using the method globally.

15,000+

certified instructors

60+

countries

23+

years of teaching

12

books published

Founder & Director of Education: Patrick McKeown

Founder & Director of Education: Patrick McKeown

Creator of the Oxygen Advantage® Method, author of 12 published books, and educator to thousands of instructors across the world. With over 23 years of teaching experience, Patrick continues to innovate at the intersection of breathing science, health, and high performance.

Patrick developed the OA method to share functional breathing with the world — from elite athletes and law enforcement to people managing chronic health conditions in everyday life.

Our Team

The People Behind Oxygen Advantage®

  • Kate McDonnell-Dowling

    Kate McDonnell-Dowling

    Academy & E-Learning

    Built curriculum at Harvard Medical School. Now building ours. PhD in Neuropharmacology, postdoctoral research at Tufts as a Fulbright Scho…

    Kate McDonnell-Dowling

    Kate McDonnell-Dowling

    Academy & E-Learning

    Built curriculum at Harvard Medical School. Now building ours. PhD in Neuropharmacology, postdoctoral research at Tufts as a Fulbright Scholar, then leading curriculum development at Harvard Medical School (HMX) — safe to say she knows how to build a world-class learning experience. Now she applies that firepower to OA, shaping courses that are clear, engaging, and actually useful in real life. Based in Mayo, she's usually cooking up a new recipe or deep in a true crime documentary when she's off the clock.

  • Jon Murray

    Jon Murray

    Chief Commercial Officer

    Ran a half marathon with his mouth closed. Runs OA's operations with the same discipline. Leads day-to-day operations across sales, marketi…

    Jon Murray

    Jon Murray

    Chief Commercial Officer

    Ran a half marathon with his mouth closed. Runs OA's operations with the same discipline. Leads day-to-day operations across sales, marketing, the Academy, and customer support. Over 20 years in senior roles at global organisations including Unilever, Masterfoods, and Essity, now bringing that commercial expertise home — helping expand breathing education from the West of Ireland to a global audience. Fully converted to nasal breathing himself, and motivated most by the stories of people who've transformed their health through breath training.

  • Orla Kyne

    Orla Kyne

    Customer Relations

    Keeps course enrolments, invoicing, and support running without a hitch. Since 2022. Leads customer relations across the business — course …

    Orla Kyne

    Orla Kyne

    Customer Relations

    Keeps course enrolments, invoicing, and support running without a hitch. Since 2022. Leads customer relations across the business — course enrolments, invoicing, e-commerce logistics, and communications, working with internal teams and external partners to keep things seamless for learners worldwide. Holds a Diploma in Sports Massage and is completing a business degree, with a genuine people-first approach behind the day-to-day operations.

  • Borrys Kobylnyk

    Borrys Kobylnyk

    E-Commerce & Web Systems

    Wires together the systems running behind every OA purchase and click. Specializes in e-commerce systems, website development, and marketin…

    Borrys Kobylnyk

    Borrys Kobylnyk

    E-Commerce & Web Systems

    Wires together the systems running behind every OA purchase and click. Specializes in e-commerce systems, website development, and marketing automation, integrating platforms and improving efficiency across the business. Driven by continuous learning, he builds scalable solutions that support customer engagement and growth. Off the clock, he's usually outdoors on a long walk with his Golden Retriever or discovering new music.

  • Niamh Colfer

    Niamh Colfer

    Marketing & Community

    Fifteen years building communities. Now doing it for the world's leading breathing education brand. From her own retreat venue in Ireland t…

    Niamh Colfer

    Niamh Colfer

    Marketing & Community

    Fifteen years building communities. Now doing it for the world's leading breathing education brand. From her own retreat venue in Ireland to an award-winning retreat centre in Spain, Niamh has spent her career in wellness marketing and events. At OA she handles campaigns, emails, socials, events, podcasts, and community.

    Based between Ireland and Spain. Crochets to decompress, lifts weights to balance it out.

  • Collins Nwokolo

    Collins Nwokolo

    Digital Marketing

    Physiology degree in one hand. SEO strategy in the other. Nearly ten years in SEO, content marketing, and health blogging, with a Bachelor'…

    Collins Nwokolo

    Collins Nwokolo

    Digital Marketing

    Physiology degree in one hand. SEO strategy in the other. Nearly ten years in SEO, content marketing, and health blogging, with a Bachelor's in Physiology and a Master's in Digital Marketing from the University of Galway. Focused on evidence-based health communication that actually educates rather than just performs. Off the clock, he's volunteering, cooking, or playing football.

  • Katherine Ivy

    Katherine Ivy

    E-Learning & Curriculum

    A decade making complicated things simple. Now doing it for breathing. Specializes in building digital learning experiences that are clear,…

    Katherine Ivy

    Katherine Ivy

    E-Learning & Curriculum

    A decade making complicated things simple. Now doing it for breathing. Specializes in building digital learning experiences that are clear, engaging, and easy to follow, with a background in educational programming and media production. Particularly focused on accessibility making sure courses work for everyone. Sits right at the intersection of content, design, and technology.

  • Sean Hayes

    Sean Hayes

    Customer Service & Wholesale

    Uses OA's breathing techniques in his own rugby training. Now helps run the business behind them. Bachelor's in Business Management from AT…

    Sean Hayes

    Sean Hayes

    Customer Service & Wholesale

    Uses OA's breathing techniques in his own rugby training. Now helps run the business behind them. Bachelor's in Business Management from ATU Galway, with strong experience in customer service and wholesale operations. Known for clear communication and building real client relationships. Originally from North Tipperary, now based in Galway, he unwinds with travel, sport, and a good TV series.

  • Tijana Krstović

    Tijana Krstović

    Customer Support & eLearning

    Years in e-learning. Knows the little things matter most when you're learning something new. The friendly voice guiding students from first…

    Tijana Krstović

    Tijana Krstović

    Customer Support & eLearning

    Years in e-learning. Knows the little things matter most when you're learning something new. The friendly voice guiding students from first login to final certification, focused on making the experience feel easy, clear, and supportive. Especially motivated by watching people grow in confidence as they put breathing techniques into real life. Outside of work, she's into creativity, fashion, and time with family.

  • Ronan Maher

    Ronan Maher

    Logistics & Digital Content

    Ronan has been around the Oxygen Advantage® world for a long time - long enough to have worked on Patrick’s very first book. These days, he…

    Ronan Maher

    Ronan Maher

    Logistics & Digital Content

    Ronan has been around the Oxygen Advantage® world for a long time - long enough to have worked on Patrick’s very first book. These days, he handles logistics and digital content, bringing a mix of practical know-how and creative background (journalism, editing, screenwriting - he’s done a bit of everything).

    He’s also used the breathing techniques himself to help manage asthma, so this isn’t just work - it’s personal. When he’s not working, he’s usually training, watching films, or following Liverpool.

  • Lorraine Smith

    Lorraine Smith

    Sales & Business Development

    Led sales and partnerships across industries. Now does it for OA and Buteyko Clinic International. Years of international experience in sen…

    Lorraine Smith

    Lorraine Smith

    Sales & Business Development

    Led sales and partnerships across industries. Now does it for OA and Buteyko Clinic International. Years of international experience in senior sales and partnership roles, now focused on expanding OA and BCI's reach and building meaningful collaborations. Recently completed her Elite Academy fitness qualification, so her interest in performance goes well beyond the desk. Outside of work, she's weightlifting, travelling, at the theatre, or lost in a good book.

  • Eoin Tonge

    Eoin Tonge

    Ecommerce & Digital

    A sharp eye for user experience. A data-driven approach to ecommerce. Real results to show for it. Years of experience helping brands grow …

    Eoin Tonge

    Eoin Tonge

    Ecommerce & Digital

    A sharp eye for user experience. A data-driven approach to ecommerce. Real results to show for it. Years of experience helping brands grow online across tech, mobile apps, and consumer goods — with the ability to see both the big picture and the finest detail. In his spare time, he coaches kids' soccer, watches lots of sport (especially rugby), and loves a good quiz or crossword. Since joining Oxygen Advantage, Eoin has integrated nasal breathing into his daily life and is now a MyoTape evangelist.