Global Crossings

Ms. Frances Fitzgerald MEP (and host of the podcast "The European Lens") joins Dr. Robert Mauro, Executive Director, Global Leadership Institute, to discuss Ireland's role in the European Union, the European Union's role in Ireland, and global leadership. Learn about her view of the Irish public's relationship with the European Union and how it has changed or not through the Brexit process. Discussion investigates the role of the European Union in combating Covid-19, promoting public welfare, enhancing diversity and inclusion, and encouraging economic development as well as sustainable trade. Opening remarks provided by Dr. Laoise Moore, Consul General of Ireland to New England.

Frances Fitzgerald is an Irish MEP from Dublin. A parliamentarian for over 20 years, she served as Tánaiste (Deputy Prime Minister) from 2016-17, one of only four women to have ever held this position. She has also served as Minister for Business, Enterprise & Innovation (2017); Minister for Justice & Equality (2014-17) and was the State’s first Minister for Children & Youth Affairs (2011-14). Prior to her election to the Dáil (Irish Parliament), Frances served as Chair of the National Women’s Council of Ireland (1988-92) and Vice President of the European Women’s Lobby.

Frances was elected to the European Parliament in 2019. She is a full member of the Women's Rights and Gender Equality Committee (FEMM) and the Economic and Monetary Affairs Committee (ECON) and a substitute member of the Development Committee (DEVE) and the Committee on Foreign Interference in all Democratic Processes in the European Union, including Disinformation (INGE). Frances was elected EPP Coordinator of the FEMM Committee in July 2019.

Adapted from a webinar on February 24, 2021. As part of Northern Ireland at Boston College's Leadership Fireside Chat series, Professor Ian Greer, President and Vice-Chancellor of Queen's University Belfast, discusses the role of higher education as Northern Ireland reaches out to the world. Professor Greer will discuss QUB's work to develop student skills, drive innovation, and create economic growth for Northern Ireland and global partners. Professor Greer also reflects on the challenges of the Covid crisis in education. Opening remarks by Mr. Andrew Elliott Director Northern Ireland Bureau. Moderated by Dr. Robert Mauro, Director, Global Leadership Institute at Boston College.

Ian Greer has been President and Vice-Chancellor of Queen’s University Belfast since August  2018. He has extensive experience of university innovation driving regional economic growth,  including cross-sector developments such as the Northern Health Science Alliance,  a collaboration of eight Universities and NHS partners, and is the cofounder of the Health  Innovation Research Alliance for NI.

He is a strong advocate for University social responsibility including widening participation. He  leads the innovation pillar of the Belfast Region City Deal, driving innovation in key sectors for  the local economy - creative industries, health innovation, data science & analytics, and  advanced manufacturing. He is currently President of Universities Ireland, promoting  collaboration across the island.

By way of background, he is a medical graduate of the University of Glasgow, with his research  and clinical career in obstetrics & gynaecology. He has held senior leadership positions in  several UK Universities, and was Vice President of the University of Manchester, immediately  before moving to Queen’s.

Adapted from a webinar on Feb 12, 2021

Ken Macintosh MSP discusses Scotland's relationship with the United Kingdom, European Union, and the United States. Ken addresses the evolution of the Scottish Parliament, Brexit, calls for a second independence referendum, and other important issues of devolved government in the United Kingdom. Moderated by Dr. Robert Mauro, Director Global Leadership Institute at Boston College.

Adapted from a webinar on February 9, 2021.  As part of Ireland at Boston College's Leadership Fireside Chat Series, Minister Colm Brophy, TD, Minister of State with responsibility for Overseas Development Aid and Diaspora, will discuss Global Ireland, Ireland's new diaspora strategy and Ireland's place in the world. Brexit, the European Union, transatlantic relationships, global trade, and Ireland's importance to tech and finance will be addressed. Opening remarks by Dr. Laoise Moore, Consul General of Ireland to New England. Moderated by Dr. Robert Mauro, Director Global Leadership Institute at Boston College.

Minister Colm Brophy was appointed Minister of State with responsibility for Overseas Development Aid and Diaspora on July 1st, 2020. He is a Fine Gael TD representing Dublin South-West. He was first elected to the Dáil in 2016. During the 32nd Dáil he served as Chairman of the Budgetary Oversight Committee which was established in 2016 to enhance the role of the Oireachtas in the budgetary formation process. He was also a Member of the Joint Committee on Justice and Equality and the Joint Committee on European Union Affairs. Member of South Dublin County Council 2008 – 2016. Colm is a former member of the Board of the Housing Finance Agency. Colm is also the former President of the Association of Irish Local Government.

As part of Ireland at Boston College's Leadership Fireside Chat Series, Minister Helen McEntee, TD, Minister for Justice, reflects on questions of leadership for justice and equality. The Minister discusses police reform in Ireland, political leadership during challenging times, the role of women in politics, and other important contemporary political issues such as Brexit, Covid-19, and Ireland in the world.  Opening remarks by Dr. Laoise Moore, Consul General of Ireland to New England. Moderated by Dr. Robert Mauro, Director Global Leadership Institute at Boston College.

Helen McEntee TD is the Minister for Justice. She was appointed to this role in June 2020.

Global Britain and What it Means for Ireland, the European Union, & the Transatlantic Relationship with Minister Tom Tugendhat

Opening remarks Dr. Peter Abbott, Consul General of the United Kingdom to New England

Adapted from a December 10, 2020 webinar

Tom Tugendhat, MP, Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee in the House of Commons joins Dr. Robert Mauro, Director Global Leadership Institute, to discuss leadership and Global Britain. Britain's important role in the world and its economic and political relationships with Ireland, Europe, and the United States will be addressed as well as the ways in which Britain will engage productively with the world in the future. In 2015 Tom was elected as Member of Parliament for Tonbridge, Edenbridge and Malling and was honoured to have been re-elected in 2017 and 2019. In Parliament, Tom sat on the Speakers' Advisory Committee on Works of Art of the House of Commons and in July 2017 was elected Chair of the Foreign Affairs Committee, which he also Chairs in this current Parliament. Prior to serving in Westminster, Tom was a journalist in Beirut covering regional conflicts, politics, and economics. In 2003, Tom was mobilized as an Arabic-speaking intelligence officer in the Royal Marines. He served in Iraq and Afghanistan, where he helped to establish the National Security Council providing strategic advice to President Karzai.

Part of the Northern Ireland at Boston College's Leadership Fireside Chat Series w/ opening remarks by Mr. Andrew Elliott, Director, Northern Ireland Bureau. Adapted from a previously recorded webinar on Wednesday, January 27, 2021.

As part of Northern Ireland at Boston College's Leadership Fireside Chat series, Minister Diane Dodds, MLA, Minister for the Economy, discusses her leading role in the Northern Ireland Executive, work to restore Northern Ireland's economy, plans to engage economically with Great Britain, Ireland, and across the Atlantic, as well as her vision and her party's vision for Northern Ireland. Minister Dodds is a Democratic Unionist Party politician in Northern Ireland. She served as a Member of the European Parliament (MEP) for the Northern Ireland constituency from 2009 to 2020. She previously sat in the Northern Ireland Assembly from 2003 to 2007 as MLA for West Belfast. In 2020, Dodds returned to the Assembly as MLA for Upper Bann.  Moderated by Dr. Robert Mauro, Director, Global Leadership Institute at Boston College.

This series includes:

October 23, 2020 Leadership for Justice and Equality with Minister Naomi Long, MLA, Minister for Justice (Inaugural edition)

December 15, 2020 Leadership for Public Finance with Mr. Conor Murphy, MLA, Minister for Finance

Part of the Northern Ireland at Boston College's Leadership Fireside Chat Series w/ opening remarks by Mr. Andrew Elliott, Director, Northern Ireland Bureau. Adapted from a previously recorded webinar Tuesday, Dec 15, 2020. 

Dr. Robert Mauro, Director Global Leadership Institute Boston College sits with Minister Murphy, Sinn Féin, to discuss Northern Ireland's future institutional and trade relationships with the Republic of Ireland, European Union, and United States. The Minister discusses contemporary political challenges such as the pandemic, the future of transatlantic relationships, and the workings of the Northern Ireland Executive. Conor Murphy MLA was appointed Minister for Finance in the Northern Ireland Executive and took up his role on 11 January 2020, along with Ministers from across the political spectrum. The Department of Finance aims to ensure that the Executive secures the most appropriate and effective use of resources and services for the benefit of the community. It has a key interface with Whitehall in relation to budgets and finances. Conor previously served as the Minister for Regional Development from 2007 until 2011, before leaving the Assembly to concentrate on his role as MP for Newry and Armagh. He returned to the Assembly in 2015 and has been a member of both the Enterprise, Trade and Investment Committee and the Public Accounts Committee, before becoming Minister. Conor Murphy played a key role in the Sinn Féin's negotiating team in Hillsborough, Leeds Castle, St Andrew's and during the Fresh Start and New Decade, New Approach agreements.

This series includes:

October 23, 2020 Leadership for Justice and Equality with Minister Naomi Long, MLA, Minister for Justice (Inaugural edition)

January 27, 2021 Leadership for Recovery w/Minister Diane Dodds, MLA, Minister for the Economy

Special Episode: Inaugural Northern Ireland at Boston College Leadership Series with Minister Naomi Long w/ opening remarks by Mr. Andrew Elliott, Director, Northern Ireland Bureau. Adapted from a previously recorded webinar on October 23, 2020.

Join us in a one-hour discussion between Dr. Robert Mauro, Executive Director, Global Leadership Institute and Ms. Naomi Long, MLA, Minister for Justice in the Northern Ireland Executive and Leader of the Alliance Party, as they explore issues surrounding justice, fairness, democracy, and policing both in Northern Ireland and the United States.

A lifelong resident of East Belfast, Naomi Long MLA grew up just off Mersey Street, was educated at Mersey Street Primary and Bloomfield Collegiate, before going on to study civil engineering at Queen's University. Following graduation, Naomi worked for almost 10 years in the engineering industry in Northern Ireland.

Politically active since her early twenties, Naomi first joined Belfast City Council as an Alliance Party councillor in 2001. She was subsequently elected to the Northern Ireland Assembly as MLA for East Belfast in 2003.  After having the honour of serving as Lord Mayor of Belfast from 2009 to 2010, she became the first Alliance MP elected to Westminster, as Member of Parliament for East Belfast in 2010, unseating the then First Minister, Peter Robinson.

In May 2016, Naomi returned to the Northern Ireland Assembly as MLA for East Belfast, before becoming Leader of Alliance that October. Since then, she has  presided over three of the most successful elections in Alliance’s history, with the most recent local government election seeing the party substantially increase its standing across Northern Ireland; the 2019 European poll seeing her elected as Alliance’s first ever MEP (Member in European Parliament); and the UK General Election seeing the party elect Alliance Deputy Leader, Dr. Stephen Farry, as MP for North Down.

Following the UK’s exit from the European Union and intensive negotiations to restore devolution, Naomi returned to the Northern Ireland Assembly in January 2020 and was elected to serve as Justice Minister in the reconstituted NI Executive.

This series includes:

Leadership for Public Finance w/ Mr. Conor Murphy, MLA, Minister for Finance, Tuesday, Dec 15, 2020

Leadership for Recovery w/ Minister Diane Dodds, MLA, Minister for the Economy, January 27, 2021

Ambassador Mick Mulvaney, United States Special Envoy for Northern Ireland, sits down with Dr. Robert Mauro, Director, Global Leadership Institute at Boston College to discuss United States' Global Leadership in Northern Ireland. The Ambassador explains the role of the Special Envoy, the ongoing efforts of the United States to facilitate political engagement in Northern Ireland and across Ireland and the United Kingdom, and the possible impacts of Brexit on politics in Northern Ireland.

Ambassador John Michael "Mick" Mulvaney was sworn in as United States Special Envoy for Northern Ireland in May 2020. Prior to this appointment, Ambassador Mulvaney served in President Donald Trump's cabinet as acting White House Chief of Staff and concurrently as Director of the Office of Management and Budget (OMB). He previously served as the acting Director of the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) from November 2017 to December 2018.

Ambassador Mulvaney represented South Carolina’s fifth district in the U.S. House of Representatives from 2011 until 2017, and he sat in the South Carolina General Assembly from 2007 until 2011. Before entering public service, he practiced law and worked in his family’s real estate business. Ambassador Mulvaney holds a bachelor’s degree from Georgetown University’s Walsh School of Foreign Service and a law degree from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.