Kieran was elected as the first woman Tanaiste' at the 2015 Gathering in Enniscrone, Co. Sligo. and was inaugurated as the clan Taoiseach on 6 October 2018. She holds the distinction of being the first female chieftain of the O’Dubhda Clan. As the Tanaiste', she was the planner for the 2018 clan Gathering – promoting the Gathering and was instrumental in bringing the clan into the 21st century with online registration. The daughter of Paul and Judy O'Dowd of San Francisco (great granddaughter of Thomas Paul O'Dowd former Supervisor of the City of San Francisco), Kieran grew up living around the world with her parents and three brothers as her father was a career Army officer. After graduating from university, Kieran worked as a civil servant for many years and currently works for a major US airline. Her passion is spreading the word about the O'Dubhda Clan – inspiring clan members to participate in the history of the O'Dubhda Clan no matter where they reside and the history and culture of the Emerald Isle. Kieran currently makes Dearborn, Michigan her home.