#IrelandinSF Speaker Series & Networking Breakfast
News
06 January 2020
Welcome to the 2020 #IrelandinSF Speaker Series & Networking Breakfast!
We are grateful for the abundance of interesting members of our diaspora and visiting guests, that are willing to join us in conversation. Our audiences are enlightened to varying business sectors, arts, cutural and academic professionals from an Irish background or perspective.
This event is a great opportunity to connect with the Irish & Irish-American community in the Bay Area. Come along to promote an event that is of interest to the Irish diaspora in the Bay Area or simply hear the latest community, cultural and business news.
Click HERE for tickets to join us at this month's #IrelandinSF Speaker Series & Networking Breakfast! This month Chief Jennifer Tejada, Emeryville Police Department and Lt. Rachel Moran, SFPD will be our special guests.
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A look back at our #IrelandinSF Speaker Series & Networking Breakfast 2019
December:
Professor Noel O' Connor and Mr. Damien Breen. Professor O'Connor visited from Ireland and is the Interim CEO of Insight the SFI Research Centre for Data Analytics. He is also a full Professor at the, School of Electronic Engineering at DCU. Mr. Breen who resides in the Bay Area, serves as a Deputy Air Pollution Control Officer at the Bay Area Air Quality Management District. In their fireside chat, Professor O'Connor and Mr. Breen discussed what the Bay Area and Ireland are currently facing in regards to environmental challenges, the future of energy, transportation and smart cities.
November:
Catherine Flynn, Author of the newly released book, James Joyce and the Matter of Paris. Catherine recovers the paradigmatic city of European urban modernity as the foundational context of Joyce's imaginative consciousness. Beginning with Joyce's under examined first exile in 1902-03, she shows the significance for his writing of the time he spent in Paris and of a range of French authors whose works inflected his experience of that city. She discussed her new book with Dr. Michael Lucey, from the French Studies Department at UC Berkeley. Professor Lucey specializes in French literature and culture of the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries.
Tony Bucher, Director of Hinterland, a Celebration of Irish Culture and Innovation. Hinterland was November 8th - 10th at the Mechanics' Library in San Francisco. Tony gave a brief overview of what exciting events and speakers that were lined up for Hinterland.
October:
Ger Dwyer, Chief Financial Officer for Waymo, a self-driving technology company with a mission to make it safe and easy for people and things to move around. As CFO, Ger is responsible for leading all finance related activities for the company, including interactions with parent company Alphabet, and overseeing Waymo’s business systems agenda. Alan McGlinchey, VP of Emerging Growth Companies at IDA Ireland joined in conversation.
September:
Galvea Kelly, Global Vice President of Digital Strategy, Benefit Cosmetics LVMH. Galvea has been the recipient of 29 Global Digital Awards and her accolades include Top 40 under 40 Brand Innovators in the US, Top Women in Digital New York, Top 40 Digital Influencers in New York and voted No.1 Irish person under 40 in the US by Irish Echo.
The accomplished Michael O'Connell, Senior Director of Marketing at Optimizely, will be our moderator. Michael’s experience spans roles in both Ireland and the US at a variety of technology and professional services companies.
June:
Sinead Colton Grant, Managing Director, Head of Investment Strategy for Mellon Investment Corporation, was our special guest speaker. Sinead sets the strategic direction for a global team of investment strategists, who are responsible for communicating a comprehensive vision of the firm’s market views and investment strategies for specific asset classes and solutions. Her primary area of investment focus is multi-asset strategies, partnering with clients to design global, outcome-oriented investment solutions. Sinead was named as one of the Irish America Wall Street 50 in 2018. Maria Mulcahy, Controller at Hummer Winblad Venture Partners joined in conversation.
May:
Two critically acclaimed Irish Authors, Catherine Ryan Howard and Mike McCormack were our special guests. They were here to attend the 5th Annual Bay Area Book Festival in Berkeley, CA May 4-5, 2019.
Catherine Ryan Howard is an internationally bestselling crime writer from Cork. Catherine's second novel, The Liar’s Girl was shortlisted for the Mystery Writers of America Edgar Award for Best Novel. She talk's about her writing in an Irish Times article here.
The Irish Times wrote a piece, 'Want to know about Ireland now? Here are the books to read", and our guest Mike McCormack is mentioned for two of his novels, Solar Bones and Notes from a Coma.
Our moderator, Catherine Barry, is a champion of Irish arts and literature. Hailing from Dublin, Catherine is the founder & director of Irish Culture Bay Area and newly launched app that is the life line to all things Irish culture happening in the Bay Area.
April:
Ger Dwyer, Chief Financial Officer for Waymo, a self-driving technology company with a mission to make it safe and easy for people and things to move around. As CFO, Ger is responsible for leading all finance related activities for the company, including interactions with parent company Alphabet, and overseeing Waymo’s business systems agenda. Alan McGlinchey, VP of Emerging Growth Companies at IDA Ireland joined in conversation.
March:
Mar chuid de cheiliúradh Sheachtain na Gaeilge 2019, beidh aoínna speisialta sa Chonsulacht agus iad ag plé tábhacht na teanga ina saol – s’iad sin Brían Ó Cuív (PwC), Catherine Kelly (Medtronic) agus Muireann O’Grady (Google).
February:
Our special guest was Gordon L'Estrange, Senior Director, Real Estate, Salesforce and discussed the "Workplace of the Future" with Catherine Watson, Realtor with Vanguard Properties.
January:
Our special guest, Mr. Maurice J. Casey, PhD student in Irish History at the University of Oxford, and a Fulbright visiting researcher at Stanford University. Mr. Casey gave insights on his research which focuses on 20th century feminist and LGBT campaigns. He will discuss with Máire P. Walsh, SVP Digital Technologies, Enterprise Ireland, the role played by feminists and the LGBTQ community in creating a modern Ireland and their impact on the recent ground-breaking referendums for gay marriage and the repeal of the eighth amendment, which banned abortion.
