The Board of INUSA has announced that Minister of State Joe McHugh, T.D. will attend and deliver a keynote address at INUSA16 to be held September 15-18 in San Francisco.
This will be Minister McHugh’s first official visit to the United States since assuming the role of Minister of State for the Diaspora and International Development, and will be an opportunity for him to hear from and interact with leaders and members of Irish Network USA. INUSA has been widely praised for its efforts to grow an inclusive and diverse membership made up of Irish, Irish Americans and ‘friends’ of Ireland. With 21 chapters across the United States, and efforts underway to launch in ten additional cities, INUSA encourages members to ‘invest’ in Ireland through business, culture and arts, education and sport.
“For Irish Network USA’s efforts to engage the ‘Global Irish’ across the US to remain relevant, it is critical that our mission remains closely aligned and in tune with Ireland’s Diaspora Policy,” stated Steve Lenox, President, Irish Network USA. “The support and encouragement we have received from the Irish Government has been a critical part of our success, and we look forward to not only sharing our progress with Minster McHugh, but also hearing from him on how we can continue to make sure the links between the US and Ireland continue to grow.”
Hosted this year by Irish Network Bay Area, INUSA16 will be Irish Network USA’s fourth annual national conference. Previous conferences have been held in Boston, Austin and Washington, D.C. and have offered attendees the opportunity to hear from high level speakers from both the US and Ireland, celebrate Irish culture and sport, share best practices for chapter development and develop meaningful relationships with members from across the US.
“I am very much looking forward to attending the 4th Irish Network USA conference this September,” stated Minster McHugh. “It will be an opportunity for me to recognize the great work INUSA is doing to engage and network the Irish community in the US and to discuss with them how best to continue our work together in advancing the interests and addressing the concerns of our Diaspora.”
In addition to hearing from Minister McHugh, INUSA16 will also feature a number of other relevant speakers, and will also expand on opportunities for attendees to interact with each other through a number of workshops and networking opportunities. Registration will open soon, and sponsorship packages are available.
“We are looking forward to welcoming Irish Network USA chapters and members to the West Coast for the first time, and to show them the very best of the Irish community in San Francisco,” stated Ivan Harrow, President, IN Bay Area. “Building off of the success of past conferences, we have no doubt that attendees will leave our city more equipped to achieve the multi-faceted mission of INUSA and to play an even greater role in building ties within the Irish community here in the US and with home.”
Follow #INUSA16 on Facebook and Twitter to be part of the conversation!