Jacqueline (Jackie) Gilna
Founder and CEO
Jacqueline (Jackie) Gilna stands as a passionate, award-winning leader and entrepreneur, boasting an impressive career spanning three decades.Her leadership skills shine through in her adeptness at steering multi-lingual, international teams toward collaborative success. With a rich tapestry of experiences across the private commercial sectors at C level, government, and non-profit realms, Jackie has showcased exceptional skills in navigating diverse environments.
Her unwavering dedication to Ireland is evident in her pivotal role in cultivating and nurturing Irish Diaspora networks, underscoring her commitment to uplifting and empowering communities. Her entrepreneurial acumen and innovative spirit have been instrumental in driving progress and fostering connections that transcend borders. Jackie's contributions have been recognized through nominations for the Presidential Distinguished Service Award for the Irish Abroad. Her expertise extends to matters concerning cross-cultural trade relations, demonstrated by her presentation to the Oireachtas. Jackie's innate talent as a connector and networker opens doors effortlessly, establishing her as a dynamic force propelling positive change in today's intricately interconnected world. Her relentless commitment to community empowerment and her innate ability to forge impactful connections cement her legacy as a true trailblazer.
JORDAN MILLAR
HEAD OF DIGITAL MARKETING & MEDIA
Jordan Millar brings a wealth of competitive experience and a fervent dedication to the representation of Ireland to his role as the Head of Digital Marketing & Media at We Are Global Irish. With nearly a decade of honing his skills across public speaking, debating, business strategy, consulting, and global projects, Jordan embodies the essence of a seasoned Irish Competitor.
Jordan's journey began in the realm of competitive debating, where he traversed regional, national, and global platforms, proudly representing Ireland at the World University Debating Competitions in Mexico and Thailand. Transitioning from debating to the intricate domain of business strategy case competitions during his pursuit of a Bachelor of Corporate Law degree, Jordan proved his mettle by emerging undefeated in his competitive consulting career. His triumphs include clinching two National Irish Titles and securing numerous regional accolades, setting the stage for his upcoming participation in the prestigious CBS World Competition, with aspirations of securing the gold for Ireland.
His skills across consulting case competitions and strategic client projects ignited a fervour for business strategy and marketing, culminating in the recognition of the Irish Student Consulting Project Lead of the Year 2022. Jordan's leadership spearheaded the inaugural ISCG student business project, achieving remarkable success for the client’s business and earning accolades for his exemplary work.
Currently alongside his role at We Are Global Irish, Jordan is pursuing an MSc in Consumer Psychology at the University of Galway. He envisions a continuation of his mission with We Are Global Irish : promoting Irish businesses and organizations on the global stage.
Jordan Millar stands poised to amalgamate his expertise, passion, and strategic acumen to help propel We Are Global Irish’s brand to the highest calibre on the global spectrum.
Jenny Coates | We Are Global Irish
Sr. Strategic Advisor Consumer Brands & Retail Growth
Jenny Coates is a consumer operating executive with more than 25 years of experience building, scaling, and transforming consumer brands. She has helped companies create the commercial and operational foundations that drive profitable growth, strengthen enterprise value, and prepare businesses for successful strategic transactions.
Throughout her career, Jenny has partnered with founders, executive teams, boards, and investors to lead organizations through moments of inflection, when growth has outpaced the operating model, market conditions have shifted, or the next stage of the business requires a different level of leadership.
Her experience spans merchandising, marketing, brand strategy, ecommerce, marketplaces, wholesale, retail, and operations, giving her a unique ability to connect strategy with execution. Rather than treating those functions independently, she aligns them around a common commercial vision supported by clear priorities, financial discipline, and operating cadence.
Jenny has built organizations ranging from startup environments to established consumer brands, helping businesses navigate rapid growth, organizational change, acquisitions, and transformation. Along the way, she has developed a reputation for bringing structure without bureaucracy, building leadership teams that make better decisions, and creating operating systems that continue to perform long after the initial transformation is complete.
She believes the best businesses are built by empowering people to make consistently better decisions. That means establishing clear accountability, developing leaders, strengthening financial fluency, and creating cross-functional alignment so teams move together instead of in parallel.
Today, through JLC Strategic Advisory and executive leadership roles, Jenny helps founder-led and investor-backed consumer brands align strategy, people, and operations into businesses that scale profitably and create lasting value.
Areas of expertise include:
- Team Development & Leadership
- Consumer Brands
- Founder & CEO Partnership
- Omnichannel Growth
- P&L Leadership
- Enterprise Transformation
- Revenue & Margin Expansion
- Organizational Design
- Private Equity Value Creation
Lisa Hoople
Accountant (CPA, CMA)
Lisa is a numbers-loving problem solver who enjoys helping businesses make sense of their finances. Born and raised in Ottawa, Ontario, Lisa obtained a bachelor’s degree from the Telfer School of Management and went on to pursue her accounting designation after discovering a love of financial management out in the workforce. With her CPA designation, she brings technical expertise, along with a practical, down-to-earth approach to every project. Lisa is passionate about helping others find the systems and processes that work best for them, believing that there is no one-size-fits-all approach.
In her work, Lisa strives to create an environment where clients feel confident, supported, and informed every step of the way. She enjoys building genuine, long-term relationships and takes pride in being a trusted resource that businesses can rely on. Lisa has experience in the implementation of many accounting systems, including NetSuite, QuickBooks, Microsoft NAV, Deltek, and more. She has led several teams in the transition of newly acquired companies to existing financial processes, and in the optimization of organizational efficiency through such changes.
Robert Salm
CEO of Setanta Solutions Inc. – Managed Service Provider
Robert Salm is the Chief Executive Officer of Setanta Solutions Inc., a Canadian based IT services and solutions provider headquartered in Kemptville, Ontario. As CEO since 2012, he leads the company’s strategic direction and oversees the delivery of managed IT services, cybersecurity, compliance, backup and disaster recovery, cloud solutions, and Microsoft 365 services for small and medium-sized organizations. Under his leadership, Setanta Solutions has developed a strong reputation for supporting clients in regulated and service-driven sectors, including medical, legal, property management, and non-profit organizations.
With over 20 years of experience in the technology and services industry, Robert brings a well-rounded blend of technical expertise, operational leadership, and business strategy to his role. His background spans systems management, client services, and executive leadership, enabling him to guide organizations through complex technology decisions with a practical, security-focused approach. In addition to his professional work, he remains actively involved in the local business and community ecosystem, reflecting a commitment to both organizational excellence and community engagement.