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About US

Our People

We are a bridge of people from the United States to the island of Ireland.

5

Team Members

15

Directors

3

Ambassadors

Michael T. Clune
Michael T. Clune
Chicago
Michael T. Clune

Michael T. Clune

Chairman Chicago

Michael T. Clune is Chairman of The Irish American

Partnership’s Board of Directors.

Retired from day-to-day operations, Mr. Clune still serves as the Chairman of Clune Construction and sits on the company’s Board of Directors. Born in Dublin, Ireland, Mr. Clune began his construction career at an early age in Europe and the Middle East. In 1978, after immigrating to the United States, Mr. Clune secured an entry-level position with a Chicago construction company that would ultimately be the foundation for the establishment of his own firm. Mr. Clune’s work ethic and entrepreneurial spirit earned himself a place in the Entrepreneurship Hall of Fame. Sponsored by the University of Chicago, the Hall of Fame includes innovative business leaders in the Chicago-area who have spearheaded private companies, overcome challenges, and exhibited high levels of excellence, all while demonstrating consistent growth, employment generation, and profitability. In addition to his unwavering work ethic, Mr. Clune is a steadfast philanthropist, dedicated to giving back to the community as much as possible. Mr. Clune has been an active member of the Partnership for over twenty years.

Dessie Farrell
Dessie Farrell
Dublin
Dessie Farrell

Dessie Farrell

Dublin

Dessie Farrell is Director at VISO Cyber Security, Chairman at Bytek IT, and co-founder and CEO of Compete with Compassion, which over the past number of years has been revolutionizing the way companies approach organizational & leadership development, establishing high-performance cultures and practice business & strategy development with a view to creating shared value for all. Dessie Farrell was also a founding member of the Gaelic Players Association, was elected chairman in 2000, and later appointed Chief Executive in 2003, until 2016. He had a career in Dublin football spanning three decades and has also been involved in coaching. In 2005, his book, Dessie: Tangled up in Blue, was published, which chronicles his football career and his personal struggles as an ambitious elite athlete. During his time at the GPA, Farrell was part of a successful lobbying effort to introduce government grants for inter-county players, and a supporter of the Show Racism the Red Card initiative. Farrell established GPA advisory boards in New York and Boston, and was crucial in introducing hurling to Fenway Park in 2015. Prior to that, he had a successful career in the pharmaceutical industry working with many of the world's leading pharma companies. Earlier in his career, he worked as a health service professional having practiced as a psychiatric nurse for 8 years. He is a DCU MBA graduate and completed an executive program at Harvard Business School. He is the current GAA Dublin Senior Football Manager.

David Greaney
David Greaney
Boston
David Greaney

David Greaney

Boston

David Greaney is the Founder and Chief Executive Officer of Synergy, a Boston-based real estate investment and services company. Synergy operates 40 commercial assets in the greater Boston area totaling in excess of 5,000,000 square feet. Over 500 companies, retailers and organizations occupy space in the Synergy managed portfolio. Synergy is recognized as one of the most active and successful building owners and managers in the region and is a past recipient of the Landlord of the Year award from the Commercial Brokers Association. David relocated from Ireland to the United States in 1995. He is a graduate of University College Dublin and a Certified Public Accountant in Massachusetts. Prior to founding Synergy, David held positions in the investment management groups of Harvard University and Price Waterhouse Coopers. He has received numerous awards from various organizations and publications including the Boston Business Journal, the Irish Chamber of Commerce and Business & Finance magazine. David is a board member of the Massachusetts chapter of NAIOP and the Downtown Boston Business Improvement District. He actively supports a number of charities in Boston and in Ireland which are focused on children, family, education and housing.

Jim Kelliher
Jim Kelliher
Boston
Jim Kelliher

Jim Kelliher

Boston

A four-time CFO and financial executive, Jim Kelliher served as CFO of Drift.com, a Boston-based Conversation Cloud Company, from January 2018 until May 2023. As CFO of Drift, Jim was responsible for all financial and administrative operations, including the finance, legal, IT, and facility organizations. He joined Drift from Actifio, where he served as CFO from 2015 to 2018. Previously, he was CFO at LogMeIn, from 2006 to 2015, where he played a pivotal role in growing the business through its successful initial public offering in July 2009. Prior to LogMeIn, Jim was the CFO of IMlogic from 2003 to 2006 and prior to that was in various financial roles at PTC Software from 1992 to 2003, including vice president of finance and International CFO, based in London. Jim began his career as an audit supervisor at PricewaterhouseCoopers. Jim has also previously served on the Board of Directors of Fleetmatics Group PLC, an Irish company, which was a leading technology company in the fleet management market and had a successful initial public offering in 2013 and from 2014 to 2018 served on the Board of Adaptive Insights, a Palo Alto based venture startup, that was acquired by Workday in July 2018. Jim is also very active in promoting business between Boston and Ireland. He currently serves on the Board of the Boston College Irish Business Council which is designed to enhance transatlantic business development opportunities between Boston and Ireland and has worked for a number of years with the Ireland Gateway to Europe organization Jim earned a bachelors of science degree in Accountancy from Bentley University.

Michael K. Kilbane
Michael K. Kilbane
Chicago
Michael K. Kilbane

Michael K. Kilbane

Chicago

Michael K. Kilbane joined the Partnership Board of Directors in February 2019. Currently serving as Co-Chief Executive Officer of Captive Resources LLC, Mr. Kilbane has been in the insurance consultancy industry for over 25 years. He previously held several other roles at Captive Resources, as well as co-founded Kensington Management Group and served as CFO at Martingale National Insurance Company. He is a graduate of Bradley University. He is a Lifetime Sustaining Board Member of the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation after serving two six year terms on the Board of the Illinois chapter, and previously served on the JDRF International Finance Committee. He is the Corporate Chairman for the Ron Santo Walk to Cure Diabetes, and a member of the Board of Directors and Finance Committee at Marist High School. Mr. Kilbane is based in Chicago, IL.

Thomas A. Leonard, III
Thomas A. Leonard, III
Philadelphia
Thomas A. Leonard, III

Thomas A. Leonard, III

Philadelphia

Thomas A. Leonard, III, Esquire, is a Partner and Chairman of Obermayer Rebmann Maxwell & Hippel, LLP. He serves as Chairman of the board of Directors of Crowley Chemical, Permalith Plastics, Delaware Valley Real Estate Investment Fund, Inc., Regional Real Estate Investment Co., Hahnemann University Hospital, Roman Catholic High School, and is the past Chairman of the Disciplinary Board of the Supreme Court of Pennsylvania. He also serves on the Board of Directors of Independence Blue Cross, PRWT and Ultimark Products. He is a past Board member of numerous companies, including the Federal National Mortgage Association (Fannie Mae). He is the recipient of the Greater Philadelphia Area Leadership Award, the Judge Learned Hand Leadership Award from the American Jewish Committee and has been inducted into the “Drexel 100” – Honored as one of the Most Distinguished Graduates of Drexel University. Mr. Leonard has served as the Controller of the City of Philadelphia, Chairman of President Clinton’s Pennsylvania Finance Committee, Vice-Chairman of Finance for the Democratic National Committee, and as Managing Trustee of the Democratic National Committee. He has chaired numerous campaigns for public office, including the Casey for Senate Committee in 2006 and 2012. Mr. Leonard served his country as a Captain in the United States Army. He has served on the Partnership Board since 1990. He resides in Philadelphia, PA.

Lorna Martyn
Lorna Martyn
Galway
Lorna Martyn

Lorna Martyn

Galway

Lorna Martyn is Ireland Regional Chair and Senior Vice President, Technology at Fidelity Investments Ireland. Throughout her eighteen-year tenure at Fidelity, Ms. Martyn has held a variety of leadership roles both in Ireland and the United States. She is a member of Fidelity’s global technology leadership team driving technology strategy, leading 1,900+ associates who work across technology, operations and corporate services to enable our workplace and associates to thrive. She is a visible and vocal advocate for D&I and most particularly greater female representation in technology. Ms. Martyn sits on the board of Technology Ireland and is actively involved in developing the technology ecosystem in Ireland. In 2019, she was honored with the WMB Woman in Technology Award and in 2016, she won ITAG Women in Technology recognition. Ms. Martyn holds Financial Information Associate (FISD) and Project Management Professional (PMP) certifications. She received her BSc in Computer Systems from University of Limerick and her MBS in Management Information Systems from University College Dublin.

Donal O’Brien
Donal O’Brien
Chicago
Donal O’Brien

Donal O’Brien

Chicago

Donal O’Brien is a Partner at Arnold & Porter LLP specializing in mergers and acquisitions, commercial finance, and general securities. He is a Founding Member of Ireland Network Chicago and a Director of the Illinois Chapter of the American Liver Foundation. A Dublin native, Mr. O’Brien graduated from University College Dublin before moving to Chicago to attend law school at Loyola University. Mr. O’Brien joined the Board in 2016 after serving as the Chairman of the Partnership’s Chicago Golf Tournament for two years and greatly contributing to its success. He resides in Chicago, Illinois.

Kathleen M. O’Toole
Kathleen M. O’Toole
Boston
Kathleen M. O’Toole

Kathleen M. O’Toole

Boston

Kathleen M. O’Toole is the President and Founder of O’Toole Associates, an international consulting firm with offices in Boston and Dublin. She previously served as the Chief of Police for the Seattle Police Department, and is the former Chief Inspector of Garda Síochána Inspectorate, the oversight body responsible for bringing reform, best practice, and accountability to Irish national police service. She was the first woman to hold the position of Police Commissioner in Boston from 2004-2006. Mrs. O’Toole is a former member of the Patten Commission, which developed a new framework for policing and security in Northern Ireland. She has been on the Partnership’s Board since 2014. She resides in Massachusetts.

Maureen Pace
Maureen Pace
Boston
Maureen Pace

Maureen Pace

Boston

Maureen Pace is the President, World Trade Centre Dublin, President, WebPort Global and Vice President of the Drew Company. Ms. Pace oversees strategic business development for the Drew Company in conjunction with the chairman and the president. As a member of the executive management team, Ms. Pace has more than 20 years of experience managing corporate strategy and new business development. She has been responsible for a number of consulting projects with government agencies and businesses of all sizes on the development and management of business operation functions and programs. In addition, Ms. Pace has had extensive experience helping small businesses who are challenged by the complexity of expanding into new markets, providing valuable international trade education and services globally. She also serves as the president of the World Trade Centre Dublin and WebPort Global, the international business arm of the Boston-based Drew Company that provide business and trade organizations with a gateway to new international trade opportunities, collaboration, and education. She earned an MA from Boston University.

Sir Bruce Robinson
Sir Bruce Robinson
Belfast
Sir Bruce Robinson

Sir Bruce Robinson

Belfast

Sir Bruce Robinson is the former Head of the Northern Ireland Civil Service. He has been at the forefront of reform in the Northern Ireland Civil Service and better financial management. Mr. Robinson had previously served as Permanent Secretary at the Department of Finance and Personnel and at the Department of Enterprise, Trade and Investment. He is currently Deputy Chair of the Board of Allied Irish Bank (UK) PLC, is an adviser to the Irish Government on Public Service Reform, and is Chair of the Lyric Theatre in Belfast. A graduate of Queen’s University Belfast he is a strong advocate of the importance of cross community working. Mr. Robinson has been on the Partnership’s Board since 2014.

Brian Ruane
Brian Ruane
New York City
Brian Ruane

Brian Ruane

New York City

Brian Ruane is Senior Executive Vice President and Global Head of BNY's Clearance & Collateral Management business, and a member of BNY’s Executive Committee. As Global Head of Clearance & Collateral Management, Brian’s focus is to provide clients with digitally-enabled, resilient infrastructure to settle, safekeep, finance and manage their post-trade inventory and collateral obligations. In addition to those responsibilities, Brian is the CEO of BNY Government Securities Services Corp., and oversees the firm’s credit services, real estate and corporate trust businesses. Brian was a key voice on the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s Triparty Repo Infrastructure Reform Task Force, which drove systemic changes to ensure that the triparty repo market functions effectively and efficiently. He also served on the Federal Reserve Bank of New York’s Working Committee on The Future of the US Government Securities Markets. A frequent speaker on market structure, digital trends and triparty repo, Brian’s recent papers include The Future of Wholesale Funding Markets, The Pandemic Stress Test: US Government Securities Clearance and Repo, The Meteoric Rise in US Treasuries and Future Proofing of the US Treasury Market. Prior to his current role, Brian led Global Client Management, Alternative Investment Services and Prime Services. Born in the U.S. and raised in Dublin, Ireland, Brian attended Colaiste Eanna, Dublin before admission to the Chartered Association of Certified Accountants in the U.K. & Ireland. Brian received his M.B.A. from Hofstra University, Zarb School of Business. Brian is a member of the Board of Directors of the Irish America Partnership in Boston. He also serves on the North American Emeritus Board of the UCD Michael Smurfit School of Business and Hofstra University’s Zarb School of Business. In September 2021, Brian joined Ireland for Finance International Advisory Committee to the Irish Government. Brian’s father Anthony is from County Mayo and his mother Rose Reilly is from County Longford. Brian is married to Anna Lynch from Dublin and they have four children.

Niall Power Smith
Niall Power Smith
Dublin
Niall Power Smith

Niall Power Smith

Dublin

Niall Power Smith is a businessman and entrepreneur with interests in exploration, real estate, and investment. He is a Director of the Irish Landmark Trust. Mr. Power Smith is a Business graduate of Trinity College Dublin. He has been on the Partnership’s Board since 1992. Mr. Power Smith resides in Dublin with his wife, Barbara, and their two sons.

Mary Sugrue
Mary Sugrue
Boston
Mary Sugrue

Mary Sugrue

Boston

Mary Sugrue is the President and CEO of the Irish American Partnership. With over 35 years of dedicated service, Ms. Sugrue held various roles before becoming CEO in 2016, guiding the organization through a period of significant growth. During her tenure, the Partnership has raised over $57 million to support educational initiatives across the island of Ireland. Ms. Sugrue directs the organization’s strategy with a grassroots approach, blending her passion for building meaningful connections with donors and stakeholders with her commitment to advancing opportunities for Ireland’s youth. Originally from Cahersiveen, County Kerry, Ms. Sugrue earned a degree in education from the National University of Ireland, Carysfort College Dublin, spending three years as a teacher in Ireland. Active in Irish America across the US, she has been honored by the Boston Irish Reporter, the Belfast Ambassador, and Irish Echo. Mary also engages with community initiatives in her adopted hometown of Boston. She supports Rian, the Irish Cultural Centre, the Boston College Global Leadership Institute, the Irish Pastoral Center, Irish Network Boston, and Boston Irish for Pride. She is an active member of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce and the New England Council, a founding member of the Boston Friends of the Gaelic Players Association (GPA) and provides direction and support to the Durant Fellowship for Refugee Medicine at MGH Global Health as well as several local schools.

Regina Sullivan
Regina Sullivan
Boston
Regina Sullivan

Regina Sullivan

Boston

Regina Sullivan joined Fidelity Investments in 1994 through 2005 and then returned in 2010. She spent close to two decades honing her business and risk skills with both the domestic and international Fidelity entities. Some of Regina’s recent roles were EVP, Head of Shared Services and International Operations based in Ireland, EVP and Head of Global Business Services based in Boston and EVP, Head of Asset Management Services and Board Administration. During her tenure with Fidelity, Regina lived and worked in London, Dublin, and the US with team members in India, China and across Europe. During her tenure at Fidelity Investments, Regina oversaw and managed the administration of the Fidelity Mutual Fund Boards (2010-2013). Regina now serves as a Trustee and Chair of the Finance Committee at Ursuline Academy in Dedham, Massachusetts, in addition to running GAMAN Real Estate Group. Regina currently resides in the Greater Boston area, after living abroad for a number of years.

Mary Sugrue
Mary Sugrue
Boston
Mary Sugrue

Mary Sugrue

Chief Executive Officer Boston

Mary Sugrue is the President and CEO of the Irish American Partnership. With over 35 years of dedicated service, Ms. Sugrue held various roles before becoming CEO in 2016, guiding the organization through a period of significant growth. During her tenure, the Partnership has raised over $57 million to support educational initiatives across the island of Ireland. Ms. Sugrue directs the organization’s strategy with a grassroots approach, blending her passion for building meaningful connections with donors and stakeholders with her commitment to advancing opportunities for Ireland’s youth. Originally from Cahersiveen, County Kerry, Ms. Sugrue earned a degree in education from the National University of Ireland, Carysfort College Dublin, spending three years as a teacher in Ireland. Active in Irish America across the US, she has been honored by the Boston Irish Reporter, the Belfast Ambassador, and Irish Echo. Mary also engages with community initiatives in her adopted hometown of Boston. She supports Rian, the Irish Cultural Centre, the Boston College Global Leadership Institute, the Irish Pastoral Center, Irish Network Boston, and Boston Irish for Pride. She is an active member of the Greater Boston Chamber of Commerce and the New England Council, a founding member of the Boston Friends of the Gaelic Players Association (GPA) and provides direction and support to the Durant Fellowship for Refugee Medicine at MGH Global Health as well as several local schools.

Clodagh Boyle
Clodagh Boyle
Boston
Clodagh Boyle

Clodagh Boyle

Vice President, External Engagement & Development Boston

Clodagh Boyle is Vice President, External Engagement & Development at the Irish American Partnership. She leads the development of the organization’s external engagement and events strategy; managing communications, donor relations, and sponsorship with individual supporters, strategic corporate partners, and other major stakeholders. She is a member of the Partnership’s management team. Prior to joining the Partnership in 2018, Clodagh was Vice President at a national communications & creative agency, where she provided public affairs, communications, and creative services to a range of non-profit, corporate, and education clients. She has held various leadership roles overseeing the business development and marketing communications functions for corporate law firms, financial services companies, and an arts organization. She began her career in philanthropy as communications director for the Ireland Funds. A graduate of DCU, Clodagh has been honored with Irish Echo 40 Under 40, and Wild Geese awards. She is active in the Boston community, serving on several boards including Irish Network Boston, Self Help Africa, and the Boston Irish Business Association.

Molly O'Keefe
Molly O'Keefe
Boston
Molly O'Keefe

Molly O'Keefe

Director of Operations Boston

Molly O'Keefe serves as the Director of Operations at the Irish American Partnership, where she leads the organization’s grant management, administration, and financial reporting with a focus on sustainable, impactful grantmaking. She oversees the entire grant lifecycle, from identifying programs to assessing their outcomes, while managing day-to-day office operation. Molly is dedicated to fostering a collaborative and efficient team environment. Before joining the Partnership, she built her foundation in development and company management at Boston Lyric Opera and The Glimmerglass Festival. She holds a Master of Public Administration from Northeastern University and a Bachelor of Fine Arts from Penn State University. Passionate about education and community initiatives in both Ireland and the United States, Molly was a 2021 fellow of the Washington Ireland Program’s US forum and volunteers with Boston Partners in Education.

Grace Gardiner
Grace Gardiner
Boston
Grace Gardiner

Grace Gardiner

Development Associate Boston

Grace Gardiner is the Development Officer and Young Partners Lead at the Partnership. In this role, Grace focuses primarily on the connecting with the next generation of donors. Having graduated with a BA in History and Political Science from Trinity College Dublin, she has a keen understanding and appreciation for the Irish educational system. Grace also serves as on the Board of Irish Network Boston.

Katherine Susich
Katherine Susich
Boston
Katherine Susich

Katherine Susich

Development Associate Boston

Katherine Susich is the Development Associate at the Irish American Partnership. Katherine is an early-career development professional with 5+ years of experience working and volunteering in the non-profit sector, both in the United States and Northern Ireland. She is a passionate student of Irish history and political affairs, having successfully produced independent historical research related to the conflict in Northern Ireland at both the undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Through her academic and professional experiences, Katherine has cultivated a deep appreciation for the critical role of local educational and cultural institutions in building robust, equitable societies. As Development Associate, Katherine is grateful for the opportunity to support the Partnership’s work investing in the students, teachers, and community leaders who are working to build a peaceful, prosperous Ireland. Katherine graduated summa cum laude with degrees in Politics and History from The Catholic University of America, and she holds an MA in Conflict Transformation and Social Justice from Queen’s University Belfast.

Leona Maguire
Leona Maguire
Leona Maguire

Leona Maguire

Leona Maguire is a professional golfer from Co. Cavan who attended Duke University. Maguire entered the professional game in 2018 off the back of a record-breaking collegiate career with Duke University. A three-time Curtis Cup player with Great Britain & Ireland, Leona is a two-time Olympian representing Ireland in the 2016 Rio Olympics and the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Maguire sat atop of the world amateur golf ranking for 135 weeks during her amateur career, and qualified for LPGA Tour promotion for 2020. In 2021, Leona Maguire made history by becoming the first Irishwoman to play in the Solheim Cup, and set the points record for a Solheim Cup rookie. In February 2022, Leona followed this feat up by winning her debut title on the LPGA at the Drive On Championship and in doing so became the first Irish woman to win on the LPGA in history. Leona recorded her second LPGA victory in June 2023 winning the Meijer LPGA Classic.

Pádraig Harrington
Pádraig Harrington
Pádraig Harrington

Pádraig Harrington

Pádraig Harrington, born in Dublin, is a professional golfer who has won three major championships in his career. He has competed on the European Tour, PGA Tour and PGA Tour Champions. He won The Open Championship in 2007 and 2008, as well as the PGA Championship in 2008, capturing three major titles in two seasons. Harrington spent over 300 weeks ranked in the top ten golfers in the world, reaching a career-best ranking of No. 3 in July 2008. He represented Europe in six consecutive Ryder Cup matches between 1999 and 2010. In 2024, in recognition of his outstanding playing career, Harrington was inducted into the World Golf Hall of Fame.

Lisa McGee
Lisa McGee
Lisa McGee

Lisa McGee

Lisa McGee is a playwright and screenwriter. The creator and writer of the beloved Channel 4 series Derry Girls. In 2018, she was listed as one of BBC's 100 Women. She was a writer on attachment with the Royal National Theatre in London in 2006. Her plays include Jump, The Heights, Nineteen Ninety Two, and Girls and Dolls, for which she won the Stewart Parker Trust New Playwright Bursary 2007. McGee's television credits include The Things I Haven't Told You for BBC Three, the Irish television series Raw which she created for RTÉ, time as a writer for three series of the BAFTA-nominated Being Human for the BBC, the Channel 4 sitcom London Irish, and more.

“ We know how important is to build community and take care of people who are struggling. Our fates, our health, and our futures are tied together. I am grateful to the Irish American Partnership for turning those values into action.

Marty Walsh

Marty Walsh

US Secretary of Labor

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