Two Northern Irish Women Team up to Launch New York Based Transatlantic Policy Institute

Emma DeSouza (CEO) and Jane McCooey (Chair) launch Ceannas

House, an independent nonprofit dedicated to addressing complex political

and societal challenges through democratic participation, civic leadership

and peacebuilding.

Drawing on the lessons of the Irish peace process while engaging with international perspectives, Ceannas House brings together policymakers, practitioners, researchers and communities to explore practical responses to political division, institutional challenges and emerging public policy issues.

Based between New York City and Northern Ireland, Ceannas House will focus on three core areas during its first strategic plan; Transatlantic Leadership, Deliberative Democracy, and Peace and Conflict Resolution.

Businesswoman and Women with Ambition Founder Jane McCooey has been appointed Chair of the Board, “Coming from Armagh and having spent my career building bridges across the Atlantic in New York, I know how much untapped potential there is in diaspora networks - for business, for policy, for peacebuilding. Ceannas House is building a powerful and sustainable model for that engagement, and I’m honoured to chair the board as we grow it.”

Next month Ceannas House will be releasing a call for applicants for its flagship initiative; The Transatlantic Policy Fellowship.

The fellowship supports early- and mid-career professionals and community leaders to develop policy ideas, strengthen leadership skills and contribute to informed public discussion on issues affecting Northern Ireland. Participants will engage in a programme of mentorship, policy development, training and international exchange while producing a policy paper containing practical recommendations.

In addition to the Fellowship, Ceannas House will begin preparations for the development of a National Dialogue on the Future of Ireland as part of its deliberative democracy portfolio. Announcing Ceannas House, Emma DeSouza, Founder and CEO said,

“Ceannas House is being launched at a time when strengthening democratic resilience and renewing relationships across communities, and across the Atlantic, has never been more important. Through my work in the United States over several years, and as Director of the Northern Ireland Emerging Leaders Program at the National Committee on American Foreign Policy for its three-year duration, I have witnessed the transformative potential of transatlantic cooperation in developing the next generation of civic leaders.

As we navigate a period of geopolitical instability and rising conflict, maintaining and deepening these connections is critical. Ceannas House will serve as a platform for collaboration helping to foster dialogue, build trust and support evidence-informed approaches to public policy.

I would like to express my sincere thanks to our founding board and to our Chair, Jane McCooey, whose commitment and guidance have been instrumental in bringing Ceannas House into being. Their support reflects a shared belief in the power of cooperation and civic engagement to build a more inclusive and peaceful future.”

McCooey is joined on the board by Professor Martin Flaherty, Dr Christine Ryan, and Erin O’Donnell. (Board photo attached - Left to right: Erin O'Donnell, Emma DeSouza, Jane McCooey, Christine Ryan, and Martin Flaherty.)