Chris MM Gordon is a President of the Ireland US Alumni Association, IUSA. He is also a CEO of the Irish Social Enterprise Network (Socent.ie), a Managing Partner of Collaboration Ireland, as well as an Adjunct Teaching Fellow of Trinity Business School and Former Country Partner for BCorp Ireland. Chris’ passion is in outdoor facilitation, youth work, social inclusion and community development. Besides the large number of events IUSA has undertaken so far, in January this year, they hosted ENAM

Interviewed by Zorica Trajkova Strezovska

Zorica (MAAA): Mr. Gordon, in February 2022 you were elected president of the Ireland United States Alumni Association. What inspired you to apply for this position? 

Chris (IUSA): The Ireland U.S. Alumni Association is a phenomenal group of exceptional people. I was delighted to be able to travel to the U.S. with a Boston College Group funded by the U.S. State Department. It was a gathering of professionals in the social economy sector under the heading of ‘Social Enterprise and Overcoming Longterm Unemployment’. When I came back the IUSA had just been set up and I was asked if I would like to come on board. That was 10 years ago, a long time to be on a board, but the people and the conversation are so compelling, that it’s hard to leave.

When you put yourself forward for an interview on any of the U.S. programmes, you are competing against others who are also capable and able to undertake those programmes. All IUSA members went through a process to work, study, live and learn in the U.S.A.  They benefited from a shared experience and when they came back, they wanted to contribute to Ireland and Irish society. They are all experienced and excellent in their chosen fields and they are all diverse. Poets and politicians, teachers and professionals, all get to meet in and share their own stories and listen to others. It’s a special thing to be a part of. As I am one of the longest serving members it was an honour to be put forward as President. I am humbled and honoured and count myself lucky I get to work with exceptional people.

Zorica (MAAA): Could you please say something more about the past and present activities of IUSA during your presidency?

Chris (IUSA): The IUSA has several events throughout the year but we have one major event that we are proud to host. Since my appointment in May 2022, we have run this major conference twice. Like many, COVID has played a major role in our events. So our annual January event was postponed until May 2022 and our annual event took place again in January 2023.

Aside from our annual conference, we run a small number of quality events. We take part in Creative Minds events with the Embassy. We have taken part in 4th July events in the U.S. Ambassador’s Residence and we hosted a Thanksgiving event with the Charges D’Affaires in the Deputy Chief of Mission Residence. There are many other Leaders Breakfasts and Prominent Alumni Lectures in addition but we try to keep the events of a high quality and do them as best we can rather than run too many events.

Zorica (MAAA): How do you manage to keep your members engaged and actively involved in IUSA’s projects and activities?

Chris (IUSA): The IUSA is a voluntary body and we rely heavily on members that are busy with their professional lives and careers. While we get financial support from the U.S. Embassy in Dublin, we don’t get administration or other supports. So we try not to do lots of activities and events. We try to do a small number of quality events that people have time to plan for and engage with. It also makes each event special and desirable to members.

Our core mission is to foster positive U.S. and Ireland relations. Sometimes people can mistake this for doing events and activities.  But often it’s about managing expectations, providing opportunities to share and discuss issues of importance. We try to collaborate with other organisations where possible. Our mission prevents us from over extending and doing too much that lessens value. We want to make sure people come regularly to our events because they feel connection and look forward to the events. This is done primarily with our voluntary board.

Zorica (MAAA): In January, IUSA hosted the 2023 ENAM’s General Assembly in Dublin. How would you assess its success and expected outcome?

Chris (IUSA): We were honoured to be able to host the ENAM conference in Dublin. ENAM is a vibrant and engaging community. When we engaged with ENAM over COVID, we understood there is incredible value in the network. As we met our colleagues from across Europe in Cagliari, Italy in 2021, we realised that we could play a role in hosting the network. 

Our goal for the ENAM General Assembly was to provide a safe space for people to meet and discuss issues that affect us all. Each country is unique and has their own relationships with their alumnus and Embassy, and we needed space to discuss those issues. At the end of the time we had together, we had space to discuss topics of mutual interest, address concerns and opportunities and tangible next steps with a new board in place. I believe we met those expectations and delivered some positive outcomes.

Zorica (MAAA): This year’s IUSA annual conference titled ‘Our Energy Future in a World of Disinformation’, was held along with ENAM’s General Assembly. Could you tell us something more about the conference itself, the guest-speakers and the idea behind the topic? 

Chris (IUSA):  We were delighted to host a number of speakers both for the ENAM conference and the IUSA conference. When we were thinking about the future, we felt that there were going to be a number of issues on everyone’s minds. Tackling geo political, environmental, technological and cultural issues and finding space to blend them together was one of our primary goals.

As for our guests, we have been honoured to invite the former head of the European Parliament, prominent speakers on politics and energy and journalism and more. It would be unfair to single out any one of the pheromonal speakers so I have left the links to the conference here: Irish Alumni Conference & ENAM 2023

Zorica (MAAA): Mr. Gordon, you are also a CEO of the Irish Social Enterprise Network (Socent.ie) and Managing Partner of Collaboration Ireland, as well as an Adjunct Teaching Fellow of Trinity Business School. How do these engagements help you be a more successful leader of the IUSA? 

Chris (IUSA): It’s an honour to be in a position to lead the IUSA. I keep reminding people who are a part of the network how privileged a position it is to be in. To know that we are a part of an established cohort of exemplary individuals. The IUSA has made my own personal network stronger by the friends and colleagues I have met while being a member. I am hoping I will continue to learn from my colleagues, both at home and abroad in my role and as a member, well into the future.