ANN-MARIE Walsh is director of government relations for the Virginia-based Global Supply Chain company Advanced Innovations. She is also a strategic advisor to a growing portfolio of Irish companies doing business in the U.S.

A native of Dublin, Walsh earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees from University College Dublin and Trinity College.

She first traveled to New York 14 years ago, and was so impressed that she relocated for good in 2005 thanks to a job with Enterprise Ireland, the trade board of the Irish government.
In 2007, Walsh became senior vice president of the U.S. government sector for Enterprise Ireland, co-locating between New York and Washington, D.C.  In this role she oversaw exports by indigenous Irish companies into the U.S. government sector, and has worked with companies in all stages of growth from start up to scaling.

In 2010, seeking to develop this capability, Walsh joined the private sector. This year she plans on launching her own firm in New York to cater for public procurement and business development needs across sectors including environment and clean tech, software and services, and education and healthcare.

Walsh is a member of the IBO of New York, In-NYC and the UCD and Trinity alumni groups. She is also a member of the International Board of Directors for the charity SightSavers International.

“To me, being Irish in America means being part of a solid and established family set in a backdrop of traditions that hold pride, happiness and creativity close to the heart,” Walsh says.
“I am thankful to walk in the footsteps of those who have come before me, and I hope to help carve out many more paths for those who will follow after.”
 

Return to Influential Women 2011