Pauline grew up in Leeds, Yorkshire where she worked for BBC Schools and Yorkshire Television companies in the Education Department. It was there she met John Ryan (ULF Board Member), a camera engineer recently transferred from Telefis Eirann. The two were married in Yorkshire but soon left England for California and the Silicon Valley. Living close to San Francisco, they had three children and Pauline soon became involved in every aspect of volunteering in the school system, from primary school aide to creating and building a successful high school store which funded the music department. As Chairman of the music boosters for twelve years - the length of time taken to move three children through high school, many fund raisers and all-night school parties were held under the chair of Pauline. Once the school season was over Pauline turned to other philanthropy activities and serves on the National Board of the American Ireland Fund. Discovering genealogy as a hobby, Pauline became interested in UL, since husband John was already a board member of the UL Foundation. There she became involved in the History Department and recently completed an MA in History of Family, proving that the whole course could be completed in one year, completely on line - the first year this was offered on line, since the course had been running previously for three years.