President Biden has appointed Stella O'Leary to be U.S. Observer to the International Fund for Ireland.
O'Leary, who chairs the Irish American Democrats lobby group, served as Alternate Observer to the International Fund in the Obama administration so she comes to the new position with experience.
In 1996 O'Leary founded the Irish American Democrats Political Action Committee and since then has been raising funds for Democratic candidates for congressional and presidential office who support peace, justice and prosperity in Ireland.
With the backing of these congressional members the United States has maintained its support for the IFI down the years.
O'Leary said: "It is an honor for me to serve in the observer role since I have great regard for the Fund's achievements.
"I join observers from the EU, Canada, Australia and New Zealand at a time when the Fund is more needed than it has been since the Good Friday Agreement was signed.
"There are a series of new challenges for the Fund. With paramilitary groups actively recruiting disaffected youth, Brexit, the pandemic and an election looming, this is a precarious time for Northern Ireland.
"The peace is fragile and the peacekeeping role of the International Fund is crucial. Most are unaware of how fragile the Northern Ireland peace is and of the Fund's role in confronting the instability.
"Brexit has increased tensions across communities and to deal with the upheaval the Fund is establishing community relationships on a cross border basis.
"You cannot have peace when fences, gates and walls are being erected to divide communities. Seventy percent of sectarian murders took place within five hundred yards of these peace barriers.
"The Fund works to remove the barriers and to build sustainable peace alternatives to conflict. For at-risk youth the Fund offers education, training and employment to divert them from paramilitary activity."
"This is a great appointment. Nobody knows the fund better than Stella," said Brian O'Dwyer, vice president of Irish American Democrats.
During the Trump administration Edward F. Reilly, Jr., former chairman of the United States Parole Commission, acted as IFI observer, this despite opposition to U.S. funding for the IFI emanating from some Republicans in Congress.
