Jean Haney
Board Member
Why Did You Get Involved in the MIHC?
Like many others, I discovered the Maine Irish Heritage Center while tracing my Irish roots on my mother’s side in Kerry and Gort. The genealogists were so helpful and generous with their time and I was inspired to get involved and give back. I started by dishing up chile at the Celtic Fair and started spending time in the office helping with some tech projects. I noticed early on that the center could benefit from more internet-based services and digital programs and this was hastened by the panf=demic. With everything shuttered by St. Patrick’s Day, I got busy setting up productivity tools so the team of volunteers could collaborate remotely. I also started working on virtual programming to replace the in-person events that would be curtailed for at least a year. Every experience I have had at the center has been rewarding and fun. To be able to apply my digital skills to something as important as preserving Irish heritage and culture has been very rewarding.
Experience
I spent the first 10 years of my career working in technology companies driving product strategy, developing strategic business alliances, and marketing all types of software solutions. While living in Amsterdam during the ’90s, I co-founded Visual Integrity which has become a leader in PDF conversion and creation solutions for developers and end-users. Today, living in Portland, I still actively manage the company, while also devoting volunteer time to help the Maine Irish Heritage Center navigate the pandemic by developing virtual programming, web-based membership, and donor management systems
Irish Roots
My father’s family is Scots-Irish. They immigrated to Tennesee in the mid-1700s from Northern Ireland and County Antrim. My mother’s family is from Counties Kerry and Galway (Gort). Her parents both settled in Brooklyn in the early 1900s and met shortly afterward at a community dance. The rest, as they say, is history.
Interests & Hobbies
Like most people, I enjoy travel, especially to Europe where I lived for 12 years. Reading and painting are some of my favorite pastimes. Creativity is a strong force in my life whose itch I scratch by producing video and audio projects, usually for MIHC!