#GoldenBridges www.aisling-events.com

th 8ANNUAL Boston-Northwest Ireland GOLDEN BRIDGES G I A N T S T E P S October 21-22, 2015 SEAPORT HOTEL & WORLD TRADE CENTER, BOSTON

On October 21-22, 2015 the Irish Echo’s seventh annual Golden Bridges Conference will build on the exciting transatlantic gatherings in Boston which have taken place successfully since 2008.

Featured speakers at these events have included leaders from across Ireland alongside their counterparts in Boston and Massachusetts. Golden Bridges spotlights community, business, education, arts and culture initiatives in northwest Ireland and promotes partnerships with their peers in Boston and Massachusetts.

The conference will open with a cultural showcase featuring The Belfast Community Gospel Choir and Kaz Hawkins on 21 October and will resume the following day for a series of provocative and timely sessions at the Seaport Hotel. Highlights will include the Golden Bridges Gala Luncheon honoring those forging transatlantic links that build our communities and countries. Early bird offer available online now! For more information: www.aisling-events.com

FEATURING:

Elisha McCallion, Marty Walsh, Marty Meehan, Drew O'Brien, William B Evans, Ciaran Brogan, Kaz Hawkins, John Lahey, Mayor of and Mayor of Boston President of The US Department of Commissioner of the Mayor of Donegal Singer/Song Writer President, Quinnipiac Strabane University of State Boston Police University Massachusetts Department October 21, 2015

th 2-4pm Guests of the Commonwealth: Reception at State House 8ANNUAL with Representative Evandro Carvalho, Chairman of the Boston Boston-Northwest Ireland Delegation and Representative Nick Collins at the invitation of Representative Dan Ryan. GOLDEN BRIDGES G I A N T S T E P S 6pm Registration, Reception & Welcome. October 21-22, 2015 Seán Moynihan, President, Irish Network Boston and Honorary Chair of Conference 6:15pm Opening Remarks: Opening our Doors to Opportunity: Marty Meehan, President University of MA. RESPONSE: and Strabane Cllr Elisha McCallion and Mayor of Donegal Cllr Ciarán Brogan 6:30pm RoundTable: Building Transatlantic Partnerships with the Irish American Organizations of New England FACILITATORS: John Foley, Irish Cultural Center of New England, Ronnie Millar, CEO Irish International Immigrant Center, Boston, Pat McBride, Maine Irish Heritage Center Organizations participating include: Irish American Partnership - Boston Irish Business Association - American Ireland Fund - Irish American Cultural Society of New England - Irish Partnerships Center University of Massachusetts Lowell - Milford CT Irish Heritage, Boston Irish Pastoral Center - Boston University, Institute for the study of Irish Culture - Donegal Association of Greater Boston, IN Boston, Irish Film Festival Boston, Boston GAA. 7:15pm Thanks for Having Us! A Showcase of Talent hosted by Nuala Friel. Performance by Heavey Quinn Academy of Irish Dance - Belfast Community Gospel Choir - Singer Kaz Hawkins - Boston poet Meg Tyler.

8:15pm Presentation of Heart of Irish America Award to Commissioner William Evans of Boston Police Dept

October 22, 2015

8am-8:20am Registration & Breakfast

8:20am A Foot in Both Camps: Life Science Companies Using Northwest Ireland as EU bridgehead (and vice versa) CHAIR: Maureen Bennett, Partner Jones Day. PANEL: Barry Henderson, Business Development Director (Life Sciences) Invest NI, Elizabeth Steele, Director of Economic Development & Global Affairs MassBio, Mark Campbell, Senior Manager Randox, Susan Whoriskey, bio-technology entrepreneur.

8:55am Video: Donegal Open for Business

9am Building a United Future on our Common Heritage: A Welcome from Mayor Marty Walsh of Boston.

9:10am A Crossborder Gateway for Business: Mayor Elisha McCallion of Derry City & Strabane District Council, Mayor Ciarán Brogan of Donegal

9:20am A Transatlantic Business Journey OSV (OpenSourceVirtual) of Texas has just made a significant investment in . Britt Wirt, Co-Founder OSV, in conversation with Gary Hanley, Invest NI Regional Director - Americas.

9:40am Why companies are choosing Northern Ireland and Donegal. Video: Investing in Northern Ireland CHAIR: Gary Hanley, Invest NI Regional Director - Americas PANEL: Will Murray, VP Partner Sales Kainos, Sean Conner, Senior Director for Claims Systems, Liberty Mutual Insurance, Mervyn Watley, Director of Corporate Real Estate Northwest Science Park, Representative from Cayan

10:10am Stakeholders All: How Emerging Regions Drive Economic Development Video: Digital Sector: Derry & Strabane CHAIR: Art McCabe. Panel: Larry O’Toole, Regina Kelleher, Irish International Immigration Center, Martha Wyatt, US Attorney’s Office, Stephen Gillespie, Strategic Director of Development, .

10:40am Partnering Irish America Is a Two-Way Street. Video: BelPot - Bringing US College Ice Hockey to Belfast CHAIR: Elli St. George Godfrey, Irish Network Boston PANEL: Norman Houston, Director NI Bureau, Washington DC, Niamh Hamill, Dept of Irish Studies Drew University & Director Institute of Study Abroad Ireland, Drew O’Brien Office of Global Partnerships (Office of Secretary Kerry) US State Department, John Lahey, President Quinnipiac University 11:10am Northwest Ireland & Massachusetts: Gateways to the World’s Largest Markets

th CHAIR: Laura Hamilton, MassBio and Boston Irish Business Assoc A NNUAL PANEL: Therese Murray President & CEO of MassIgnite, 8 Tim Murray CEO Worcester Chamber of Commerce, Boston-Northwest Ireland Seamus Neely Chief Executive Donegal County Council, GOLDEN BRIDGES John Kelpie CEO Derry City & Strabane District Council, G I A N T S T E P S October 21-22, 2015 11:40 Shark Tank JUDGES: Dave McLaughlin, Boston Principal WeWork, Ciaran Hynes Cosmio Partners, Maureen Bennett, Jones Day COMPANIES: Michelle Palmer, Founder and CSO Cellnetworx Naveen Pawar, Co-Founder Mighty Squirrel Yuri Ostrovsky, Founder Momedx Cameron Perrone, Welt Bio-Molecular Pharmaceutical

12:10am-12:40pm Boardroom Dialogue Sessions Transatlantic Partnerships Bringing Business Returns CHAIR: Meghan Finlay, Alison Metcalfe,Tourism Ireland, Sean Moynihan, President Irish Network Boston

Partnering the Diaspora in 2016 and Beyond CHAIR: Jon Mahoney, BIBA. Sean Gretchell, State House. Meg Tyler, Boston University

Study Abroad: Why Ireland is the ideal destination for educational trips from the USA CHAIR: Niamh Hamill, Director, Institute of Study Abroad Ireland

12:45pm Golden Bridges Awards Luncheon. 2015 Honorees: Fr John McCarthy Denise Trimble, former Secretary Donegal Boston GAA Ronnie Millar, Executive Director, IIIC Amy Pritchard, CEO & Founder Metaverse Mod Squad Ann Burke, VP Economic Development, Council of Western MA John Lahey, President, Quinnipiac University, Recipient of the 2015 Dave Burke Award Bob Coughlin, President and CEO MassBio Britt Wirt, CSO & Co-Founder OSV