14th November 2022: Networking Event featuring talk by Ellen Gunning 18.00-20.30

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LEO Dublin City Women in Business Network

Networking Night for Women in Business in the Mansion House

Featuring talk by Ellen Gunning: Say YES - it will change your life! 

3 speakers 14th Nov 2022 Event

Date and Time: Monday 14th November 2022 18.00-20.30

Venue: The Oak Room, Mansion House, Dawson Street, Dublin 2

Talks followed by networking over wine and finger food

The evening will start with a welcome to the Mansion House from The Lord Mayor of Dublin, Caroline Conroy, introduced by Mary Mac Sweeney, Deputy Head of Economic Development and Enterprise with Dublin City Council. 

With the theme of "Say YES - it will change your life!", Ellen Gunning will talk about her story so far as a successful entrepreneur, author, media journalist and public speaker and she will share tips on what are the key ingredients of an effective communication strategy for small business.

The talk will be followed by networking over finger food and wine.

 Please register now as places are limited: https://forms.gle/QL5B3sizQzFjwYYGA

Speaker Profiles: 

Ellen Gunning - Entrepreneur, author, media journalist and public speaker

Ellen Gunning MA, MIAPR, FPRII, NUJ has 30+ years’ experience in the communications industry as a PR consultant, author, media commentator, spokesperson, trainer and broadcaster.

Ellen is a director of the PR Training Academy, a online membership organization, which offers bite-sized, communications courses to professionals working in the industry worldwide and SME owners globally. 

She is also a director of the Irish Academy of Public Relations (www.irishacademy.com), a specialist communications college with 25+ years’ experience of teaching PR, journalism, event management, radio and television, online, in 6 languages, across 50 countries. The Academy has a joint venture in the Middle East, Orient Planet Academy, with Orient Planet PR (www.opacademy.com). Corporate training is offered through www.irishacademytraining.com.

In 2021, she created the Global Institute for Public Relations, a network which brings together training organisations in the PR field. Current members are from Ireland, UK and UAE.

In 2022 she launched her new business Mettacomms, a data analytics platform providing thought leadership insights for brands. The company has built an interactive prototype and is currently testing with selected international brands in the food industry. In September 2022 she was named Tech Entrepreneur of the Year at the Diversity in Tech Awards, Dublin. Mettacomms is also shortlisted as a Dublin finalist of the Intertrade Ireland Investor Ready Seedcorn Competition. Ellen is currently raising a seed round from venture capitalists. 

Ellen was chairperson of 103.2 Dublin City fm radio station for six years until February 2022 (https://www.dublincityfm.ie/) and is a member of the executive council of the European Association of Distance Learning (http://www.eadl.org/) for the past five years. 

Ellen Gunning is a regular contributor to breakfast television, in particular “Making the News” on Virgin Media One TV. She produced, directed and presented her first video documentary (sponsored by KPMG) in April 2019. 

Ellen has handled PR for national and international clients in politics, business, the arts and charity sectors for over 20 years. She now exclusively handles crisis communications across a range of sectors.  

She is author of three books: Public Relations a practical approach (3rd. Edition, Macmillan International Higher Education, London, November 2018), Capital Women of Influence (Liffey Press, 2009) and 10 Red Hot Tips to Promote your Business (Mercier Press, 2016).

Ellen is a national past-president of the International Public Relations Association and former Chairman of the National PR Institute's Education Council.

She received a journalism award from the European Parliament, a Fellowship from the Public Relations Institute of Ireland and international recognition from the Nigerian Event Management Association.

Ellen is highly regarded as a motivational speaker (www.ellengunning.com). She is a regular guest speaker at Globe Business College in Munich (https://globe-college.com/). Ellen was invited to speak at the 2019 Mumbrella CommsCon in Sydney, Australia (https://mumbrella.com.au/commscon), the largest PR conference in the Asia-Pacific region.

Caroline Conroy Lord Mayor of Dublin 2022 - 2023

The Lord Mayor of Dublin, Caroline Conroy grew up in Ballymun, Dublin and lives in Glasnevin. She is married and has three children. She is a member of the Green Party, having been elected to Dublin City Council (DCC) in 2019, representing the Ballymun/Finglas local electoral area. She also serves on the Executive Committee of the Green Party.  

She is a member of the DCC Strategic Policy Committee (SPC) on Transport, focusing on making Dublin easier to move around on public transport as well as on foot and by bike. She sits on the Animal Welfare Committee and is involved in the move by DCC to take on direct responsibility for dog welfare. 

As Councillor she has led efforts to create ‘Mini Orchards’ on open ground, with the active involvement of local community groups and schools, and she succeeded in driving a significant increase in tree planting in the Ballymun, Finglas and Glasnevin areas. She successfully pressed for a pilot scheme to create ‘teen spaces’ for young people in Finglas, as well as passing a motion to put CCTV in place in DCC parks. She arranged for free water butts and gardening courses for residents through community groups. She led an initiative to clamp down on bike theft, and a drive to encourage people to insulate their own homes. She also initiated powerlifting exercise classes and strength training in local parks and gyms. 

Councillor Conroy graduated with a degree in Business Studies from Dublin City University (DCU), completed at night while working full time. She worked in a range of Irish and multinational companies, serving as Human Resources Manager.  She has been actively involved in her community since she was a teenager: leading youth groups, supporting people who live alone, serving on the committees of local community groups and campaigning on local issues.   She has served as Chairperson of school Parents’ Committees and a local Residents’ Group, on Ballymun Biodiversity Group, and on a local adult Orchestra ‘Setanta Strings’.  She started up a local Tidy Towns group, and has a close relationship with others throughout her constituency. She has represented organisations at meetings at local and national levels, including a Dáil Committee. 

Mary Mac Sweeney, Deputy Head of Economic Development and Enterprise with Dublin City Council

Mary Mac Sweeney is Deputy Head of Economic Development and Enterprise with Dublin City Council.  In this role Mary gets to work with the start up and scaling community in Dublin in delivering the services of the Local Enterprise Office Dublin City, where there is an active community of female entrepreneurs leading tech, creative and food businesses.  Mary also plays a role in developing and delivering on strategic objectives to promote Dublin as a great city to live, work, learn and invest in.  Mary also manages the team who deliver the award winning website www.Dublin.ie and the citizen engagement platform Your Dublin Your Voice.  Mary was previously head of Industrial Relations with Dublin City Council and has worked in a variety of roles where she helped to implement change and improve the way the council works for the city and the citizen.  

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