The US Spain Executives Community is a non profit organization founded in Washington DC in 2014 by a group of business people, executives and entrepreneurs. It has around 300 formal members, leaders from the public and private sector located in multiple cities in the US and Spain. Its newsletter and communications reach around 1,000 people. It has been featured by prestigious media multiple times, as shown in these articles by El Pais/Cinco Dias and The Washington Post.
The organization is led by a Board of Directors whose members are shown below. The Board was renewed after the electoral process that took place in February, 2024. Additional members will be included in the coming weeks.
Kat O’Brien
President/Presidenta, Barcelona
Kat O’Brien ha sido enamorada de España desde que estudió un semestre en Toledo a los 19 años, y desde entonces ha vivido distintas etapas en Madrid, Valencia y Barcelona de estudios, prácticas o trabajo. Se ha sido muy activa en fomentar relaciones de negocios y colaboraciones entre España y los EE.UU., y en organizaciones civiles que promueven actividad y relaciones entre los dos paises.
Actualmente, Kat vive en Barcelona y trabaja como una VP of Corporate Engagement en Emergent, una ONG estadounidense de sostenibilidad. Lleva más de una década trabajando en partnerships/business development, ambos en la startups Polaroo (fintech) y ClimateTrade (sostenibilidad) y en grandes corporaciones como o Mastercard, ESPN o Samsung Pay. Tiene una MBA de Wharton, un Masters of International Studies de la Lauder Institute en la University of Pennsylvania, y un Bachelor of Arts en Government and International Studies, y Spanish, de la University of Notre Dame. Kat comenzó su carrera como una periodista deportiva en el Fort Worth Star-Telegram y Newsday.
Originalmente, Kat es de Davenport, Iowa, y se ha vivido mayormente de adulto en NYC. También forma parte del Board de la nonprofit The Opportunity Agenda. Vive en Barcelona, y está muy ilusionada entrar en un rol de liderazgo en la USEC.
Kat O’Brien has been in love with Spain since she studied for a semester in Toledo at 19 years old, and since then, has lived in Madrid, Valencia and Barcelona at different times, for periods of study, internship or work. She has been very active in promoting business relationships and partnerships between Spain and the U.S., and in civil organizations that promote activity and relationships between the two countries.
Kat currently lives in Barcelona and works as a Vice-President of Corporate Engagement in Emergent, a U.S.-based NGO in sustainability. She’s been working in partnerships and business development for more than a decade, both in startups such as Polaroo (fintech) and ClimateTrade (sustainability) and in multinationals such as Mastercard, ESPN or Samsung Pay. She has an MBA from Wharton, a Masters of International Studies from the Lauder Institute at the University of Pennsylvania, and a Bachelor of Arts in Government and International Studies, and Spanish, from the University of Notre Dame. Kat began her career as a sports journalist at the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and Newsday.
Originally, Kat is from Davenport, Iowa, and she has lived most of her adult life in NYC. She also is on the Board of the nonprofit The Opportunity Agenda. She lives in Barcelona, and is very excited to take on this leadership role in USEC.
Esther Urios
Vice-President/Vicepresidenta, Washington DC
Esther es una apasionada por el intercambio cultural entre España y Estados Unidos y ha jugado un papel clave en la representación del colectivo empresarial español en diversos eventos en EE.UU. Su dedicación no solo se ha visto reflejada en la promoción del intercambio cultural, social y empresarial, sino también en su esfuerzo por impulsar nuevas iniciativas que fortalezcan los lazos y el entendimiento mutuo entre ambos países, especialmente con el colectivo de jóvenes profesionales.
Esther se graduó con su B.A. in Economics de UNC Chapel Hill en 2015 y recientemente obtuvo su MBA del George Washington University School of Business donde se graduó Magna Cum Laude. Actualmente, Esther trabaja como consultora en el área de Estrategia y Marketing de Deloitte y ha trabajado tanto para empresas privadas como para organismos públicos en España y Estados Unidos.
Esther es originaria de Madrid, España, y ha residido en Estados Unidos durante los últimos 10 años. Actualmente vive en Washington DC.
Esther is passionate about cultural exchange between Spain and the U.S. and has played a key role in the representation of the Spanish business collective in diverse events in the U.S. Her dedication not only has been reflected in the promotion of cultural, social and business exchange, but also in her effort to push forward new initiatives that strengthen ties and mutual understanding between both countries, especially among young professionals.
Esther graduated with her B.A. in Economics from UNC Chapel Hill in 2015 and recently received her MBA from George Washington University School of Business, where she graduated Magna Cum Laude. She currently works as a consultant in the area of Strategy and Marketing at Deloitte, and has worked both for private companies as well as public organizations in Spain and the U.S.
Esther is originally from Madrid, Spain, and has lived in the U.S. for the last 10 years. She currently lives in Washington, D.C.