Siobhán Lyons

Siobhán Lyons assumes the position as CDI's President & CEO. She succeeds Nancy Gilboy, who will remain involved as President Emeritus.

At the end of 2015 Siobhán left her position as Executive Director of the Irish Immigration Center, where she had been supporting immigrants and promoting citizenship since 2009.

Born in Dublin to an Irish Diplomat, Siobhán grew up traveling and living where her father was posted, including Nairobi, Kenya, Washington, D.C., London, England and Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. She served as a diplomat herself in the Irish Department of Foreign Affairs as a key member of the Irish EU Presidency team before moving to the U.S. where she worked at the World Affairs Council.

Siobhán is a graduate of the School of Oriental and African Studies at the University of London, where she received her undergraduate and graduate degrees in Arabic literature. She fell in love with Philadelphia and lives in South Philadelphia with her dog, Breac. She is involved in several nonprofits, including Irish Network-Philadelphia, and of course, Citizen Diplomacy International of Philadelphia, where she has been an active member.

Siobhán brings to CDI a background in diplomacy, non-profit administration, and meeting/special events management.

Citizen Diplomacy International is the official international relations organization for the region and a public/private partnership with the U.S. Department of State and the City of Philadelphia. It was formerly known as the International Visitors Council of Philadelphia, IVC.

For 62 years CDI has administered the State Department’s highest exchange, the International Visitor Leadership Program. Among its other important exchanges is Philadelphia’s Sister Cities Program, which links Philadelphia with eleven cities in ten countries.

You can contact and welcome Siobhán to CDI at [email protected].

How is Siobhán pronounced? Like Yvonne, but beginning with Sh.