If you've attended any of the Highland Games in Florida in the past couple years, you've probably been fortunate enough to meet the unsinkable Jamie Ryan! Jamie brought her infectious personality to her role of CMAA Central Florida Commissioner. You can meet her in person at many of the games in the southeast or via the Clan MacNeil of Central and Southern Florida Facebook group. We'd like to help you get to know her a little better in this #MeetOurMembers article..
Most of her life, Jamie believed her heritage was strictly Irish. When she attended her very first Celtic festival in 2016, a Tartan Day event in her home state of Colorado, she discovered her Scottish roots. Turns out she's Irish, Scottish, and Welsh! Jamie started hosting Clan MacNeil tents at several of the Colorado games and complete with a fun Clan MacNeil pirate logo t-shirt which can now be found on Clan MacNeil Teespring shop.
Fast-forward a couple years and Jamie headed to Central Florida! She moved away from all her family and friends as well as from her successful career as a paralegal, to beginnew adventures in sunny Central Florida where she is now working in the mobile dentistry industry. And of course, even before she moved, she had agreed to be one of two CMAA Florida Commissioners saying, "I love being at a clan tent so that I can help other people find their clan and share the heritage. Whether visitors are MacNeil or not I really love the socializing of a festival. There's always someone new to me, something interesting to learn, something fun to share."
There are 12 festivals every year in Florida and that is a lot to cover! For a list of the ones where Clan MacNeil usually has a tent, check out the Highland Games and Other Events - Southeast on the CMAA website.
Fun fact, when Jamie is not at a Clan MacNeil or St. Andrew's event, she and her roommate host a travel vlog on YouTube "Biddy Buddies" (@BiddyBuddies). The mission is to encourage older people to keep finding new experiences, traveling, and having fun. Check it out, they would love to have more followers!
Thanks for checking out our blog - we hope you will come out and meet Jamie at an upcoming event! If you'd like share a "get to know you" article in this #MeetOurMembers series, let us know!
Thanks!