New York, NY — The Kerry Association of New York is proud to announce that Listowel native Dr. Elizabeth Stack, PhD, has been named the 2026 Kerry Person of the Year, in recognition of her outstanding contributions to Irish and Irish American history, culture, and community life.
Dr. Stack is a distinguished historian, educator, and museum leader whose work has significantly advanced the preservation and understanding of the Irish immigrant experience in the United States. She currently serves as Education Director at the Celtic Junction Arts Center in St. Paul, Minnesota, and is a member of the Historical Advisory Committee for Irish America 250, a national initiative examining the Irish dimension of the American revolutionary era.
Dr. Stack previously served as Executive Director of the American Irish Historical Society in New York City, where she revitalized the organization through an ambitious program of lectures, screenings, and community outreach at its landmark Fifth Avenue headquarters. Prior to that, she spent six years as Executive Director of the Irish American Heritage Museum in Albany, New York, expanding the museum’s footprint and programming to better serve the Irish American community.
She earned her PhD from Fordham University, focusing on the experiences of Irish and German immigrants in early 20th-century New York, and holds a Master’s degree in Anglo-Irish Relations from University College Dublin and a Higher Diploma in Education from University College Cork. Dr. Stack has also taught Irish and Irish American history at Fordham University’s Institute of Irish Studies and earlier in her career taught in both Ireland and the United Arab Emirates.
Commenting on the announcement, Dr. Stack notes: “I’m delighted and honored to be chosen as this year’s Kerry Person of the Year. It is always meaningful when your own community recognizes you, and I’m very thankful for the support of the Kerry Association of New York. Immigration has given the most significant and lasting link between Ireland and America. It is essential to explore these stories – from diplomacy to culture – to ensure they are never lost. My work in Irish America feels personal to me as an immigrant myself, and I have loved hearing from so many members of our community who remember their family’s journeys and the challenges and opportunities of starting again.”
Dr. Stack already holds Numerous Recogniton & Honor for her leadership and scholarship, including the Irish Echo’s 2025 Heroes of Irish America Award, recognition from the Ancient Order of Hibernians, citations from the New York State Attorney General and the American Irish Legislators Society of the New York State Assembly, the Kate Mullany Medal from the American Labor Studies Center, and the NEXT Award for Emerging Museum Professionals from the Greater Hudson Heritage Network.
About the Kerry Associaton of New York…Founded in 1881, the Kerry Association of New York is a nonprofit organization dedicated to keeping the people of Kerry connected through culture, community, and charitable support. The Association has donated more than $700,000 to charities, community groups, and individuals in need both in County Kerry and across the New York area.
The Association is currently undertaking a major capital campaign to support the Kerry Hall, its community center in Yonkers, New York. The Kerry Hall receives no government funding and serves as a vital cultural hub for the Irish community, hosting 12 community groups and welcoming more than 10,000 patrons annually through cultural, educational, and social programming.
