The Basketball Ireland board has this week announced the appointment of a new board member, Emer Howard.

Emer, who has has worked in marketing for her entire career, has a long history with the game, having played internationally at all levels for Ireland as well as in the top flight of NCAA college basketball in the USA—where she captained her team for her final two years—before playing professionally in England’s Premier Division until injury got in the way.

In her professional career, she spent her early years as a Brand Manager in Unilever, before 13 years spent as Strategy Director in London’s Advertising Industry—10 of which were spent at board level in McCann Erickson and Y&R, and most recently as Chief Strategy Officer of Ireland’s top Advertising Agency and joint-founder of a Sport’s Brand Development Agency.

Throughout her career, Emer has consulted with companies, organisations and their brands to help them reach and exceed their potential. As a results-driven person, her work on business, marketing, and brand and communications strategies has spanned household brand names such as PUMA, Coca-Cola, Virgin Atlantic, M&S, Munster Rugby and most recently, UCC Sport.

Her passion for brands and communication comes only second to that of basketball. An advocate of the catalytic effect that sport can have on shaping the lives of each and every player on and off the court, she believes that we are only scratching the surface of the positive value that sport can have on society.

Today, Emer coaches underage boys club basketball in Drogheda and gets her playing fix with the Wild Rovers Master’s basketball team.

“The game of basketball is experiencing a great surge of energy and interest in Ireland at the moment, and I relish the opportunity to play a part in helping the sport fulfill its potential,” she said. “In helping it to return to the forefront of our sports-loving nation’s hearts and minds and conversations.”