Keithlin Caroo

Helen’s Daughters
Agriculture and Rural Development
Saint Lucia

Keithlin Caroo is an advocate and changemaker in the fields of gender equity in agriculture and rural development in Saint Lucia. She is also the founder of ‘Helen’s Daughters’ a regionally recognized and award-winning non-profit organization that focuses on rural women’s economic empowerment through advocacy, capacity development and improved market access.

Structured as a self-help group, Helen’s Daughters, pays special attention to the training of rural communities (particularly women) in sustainable agriculture, agri-business and overall self-development.

While her academic background lay in the field of International Relations and Political Science, having served the last five years at the United Nations Secretariat in New York in the areas of Peacekeeping and Political Affairs, she has never forgotten her farming roots, particularly after noticing the vast inequities relating to gender roles in the agricultural sector, which is what led to the creation of Helen’s Daughters, as a means to redefine gender roles in agriculture and to create an enabling environment for women to enter and thrive in the sector.

Ms. Caroo is a One Young World Ambassador, the recipient of the 2018 National Youth Award in Agriculture by the Ministry of Youth Development and Sports in Saint Lucia, a Thought for Food Ambassador for the Caribbean, a Forbes Island Innovation feature and most recently the first ever English-speaking Ashoka fellow in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Waltrude Patrick

General Manager
Bay Gardens Beach Resort & Spa
Saint Lucia

Waltrude Patrick has a career that stems from the early 1980’s, the infancy of Saint Lucia’s tourism industry, which saw the gradual development of the country’s product offering to vacationers from around the world.

She started in the tourism industry as a cashier at the Islandr Hotel, then becoming Assistant General Manager over a 5-year period, a position she held until the end of the company in 2000.

Waltrude went on to become the General Manager at the Bay Gardens Resort Inn. In 2008, the board of Bay Gardens Group expanded her scope of responsibility to include the Bay Gardens Inn and the Bay Gardens Hotel. Today, Waltrude sits at the helm as the General Manager of the group’s signature property Bay Gardens Beach Resort and Spa.

Dr. Sharon Belmar- George

Chief Medical Officer
Ministry of Health and Wellness
Saint Lucia

Dr. Sharon Belmar- George presently holds the position of Chief Medical Officer at the Ministry of Health and Wellness. Her responsibilities include the Primary and Public Health management and program implementation. At the administrative level, she is involved in policy formation, program planning and evaluation. Dr. Belmar- George supervises the other public health departments such as the Bureau of Health Promotion, Environmental Health Department and the Epidemiology Unit in Public Health management.

Dr. Belmar- George graduated from the University of the West Indies in 1996 with a first-class honours degree from the Division of Natural Science, majoring in Advanced Genetics and Molecular Biology. She later graduated from Superior Institute of Medical Sciences in Santa Clara, Cuba in 2004. Dr. Belmar has worked as a Senior House Officer at the Accident and Emergency Department of Victoria Hospital until 2008 after which she commenced as a District Medical Officer at the Gros-Islet Polyclinic. In 2010 she joined the Ministry of Health as the Senior Medical Officer, where she supervised primary health care clinics. She commenced the role as Medical Officer of Health in 2014. In January 2020, she was promoted to the position of Chief Medical Officer.

Dr. Belmar- George has served as the Chief Technical Officer in the management of COVID-19 in Saint Lucia. She serves as the Deputy Chair to the Command Center who provides health related recommendations to Cabinet in relation to COVID-19.

Due to her passion in Public Health, she continues to work to improve the public health systems in Saint Lucia. She plays an active role in the prevention and management of public health outbreaks and the coordination of activities with external stakeholders.

Julietta Frederick – Cassius

Registered Nurse
St. Jude Hospital
Saint Lucia

Julietta Frederick – Cassius career started in Nursing in 1990. Serving as a Registered Nurse at the St. Jude Hospital for 26 years. Immediately following graduation in 1993, she moved on to continue studies in the certificate midwifery program at the Sir Arthur Lewis Community College. During her ten-year service at the St. Jude Hospital, she pursued a Continuing Education certificate and Diploma program in Management Studies.

From there Julietta joined the Community Nursing Service in the Ministry of Health, from where she developed a passion for Community/ Public Health. In 2004, she went on to pursue a Bachelor of Science in Public Health Nursing at the University of Technology, Jamaica and then in 2018, a Master of Science in Nursing Leadership and Management at the University of the West Indies, Trinidad.

Being employed with the Ministry of Health and Wellness, Julietta has held post graduate job titles as Public Health Nursing Supervisor, Assistant Principal Nursing Officer, National Immunization Manager, and currently in the post of Principal Nursing Officer at Community Nursing Services (Primary Health Care).

Daina Lambert 

Inflight Supervisor 
Saint Lucia

Daina Lambert, was raised in Castries during my earlier childhood years and attended the Ave Maria Infant and Primary School. From there, she attended the Entrepot Secondary School.

Daina moved to the US shortly after graduating, completing a year and a half of Community College in the Computer Science area of study. In November 2014, she joined the JetBlue Team as a Flight Attendant. In August 2017, she decided to pursue my dream even further and joined the Management Team to become an Inflight Supervisor; trading in her wings to gain more experience and depth in the Aviation Industry.

In November 2017 and May 2018, Daina was approached to join an Aviation Symposium in Saint Lucia; where she traveled to different schools on the island to speak to students who were not only curious, but anxious to learn more about the Aviation Industry.

In September 2020, Daina made the decided to further her education at The Thomas Edison University. She is now working towards her BA in Liberal Arts.

Liz Jennings Clark

Pilot
Saint Lucia

Liz Jennings was inspired to be a pilot from the age of 12. She later won a scholarship to flying school in Trinidad. The only girl there, she was determined to prove to self – graduated with top marks and was soon accepted as LIAT’s first woman pilot. A few years on, life took her to the Netherlands where for the next 30+ years she flew Boeing 737s. Over the years. She has always loved inspiring other women to take to the skies; Liz chaired, the International Women Pilot’s Association and enjoy speaking in schools and coaching anyone to overcome the fear of flying.

Erwin Louisy

Barefoot Holidays 
Saint Lucia

The brainchild of Erwin, Barefoot Holidays Saint Lucia has become a key player providing Destination Management services for the last 30 years on Saint Lucia and selected neighboring islands.

Erwin is a 35-year veteran of the industry, attaining a wealth of knowledge and experience in Hospitality Services & Management, Customer Service & Delivery, Contract Negotiations, Marketing and Networking.

She currently serves as the Second Vice President of the Saint Lucia Hospitality and Tourism Association and a Port Councillor of the Saint Lucia Airport & Seaport Authority (SLASPA).

Erwin attended the St. Joseph’s Convent and the Saint Lucia Advanced Level College, as well as successfully participating in and concluding several specialized training and development programs and courses across a spectrum of institutions and organizations over the years thus developing and solidifying her understanding and knowledge of the tourism industry.

She entered the industry on leaving College, working across a spectrum of related sectors including the airlines, real estate and then Destination Management. Tourism was however always her focus. Consequently, as soon as the opportunity presented itself for her to be involved in the establishment of Barefoot Holidays (St. Lucia) Ltd, she sized it, and has built it over the years into the major player in tourism and hospitality services that it is today, in St. Lucia and the Eastern Caribbean. Pre Covid, the company employed 20 Full time Team Members with numerous persons on a part time basis.

Loverly Sheridan

Author / Motivational Speaker
United States

Loverly Sheridan is a mother, author, educator, storyteller, and motivational speaker, who believes in the power of education and storytelling. As an author and globetrotter, she finds great enjoyment in teaching, writing, travelling, telling stories, and in developing campaigns which raises awareness and empower children and adults to live their best lives.

She has written five children books and an autobiography “A Girl Like Me,” about her amazing world travels, which allowed her to explore six of the seven continents and over fifty countries! Her tailored made programs are designed to help children develop positive social and emotional skills that are linked to success in school and life. These include abilities and traits such as teamwork, persistence, goal setting, self-control and getting along with others.

In 2015, she was the proud recipient of the International Athena Young Professional Leadership Award. The Athena Award honors women who have excelled in their professional endeavors, shown a commitment to the community, and have fostered a culture or shown leadership that has resulted in promoting women in leadership roles. She graduated with a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Communication and Women Studies from Florida Atlantic University and a Master of Arts Degree in International Relations from Griffith University in Queensland, Australia.

Natalie John

CEO
Dreamy Weddings
United States

Natalie John, CEO of Dreamy Weddings celebrates 21 years in the destination wedding planning industry. This savvy and trend-forward entrepreneur who oversees a portfolio of growing businesses started with Dreamy Weddings operating in 2 destinations in 1999 and has grown to operating in 13 Caribbean destinations.

Recognized by leading media outlets, Natalie is the recipient of the A-List Wedding Planner designation by Destination Weddings & Honeymoons magazine in 2010, Caribbean Wedding Planner and Off-Site Wedding Planner of the Year 2018/2019 by Caribbean Wedding Industry Awards.

In 2020 she founded the Caribbean Wedding and Events Professionals, (CWEP) a non-profit regional organization that represents Caribbean professionals and business entities. As a regional champion for event industry excellence, she created CWEP as a platform for industry professionals to network, leverage their creativity and grow. As part of Romance and Black History Month celebrations in February, Natalie launched her first book, “The Destination Wedding & Events Vendor Guide to COVID-19” on February 23, 2021 in both a paperback and Kindle formats, which are available on Amazon.

Traci Melchor

ETALK Senior Correspondent
Toronto, Canada

Vibrant, witty and fab, Traci Melchor is a senior correspondent for Canada’s most-watched entertainment program, ETALK. Before joining Etalk, Melchor covered high-profile events including the OSCARS® and Super Bowl. A true renaissance woman, Melchor has received the Harry Jerome Award and the Champions of Mental Health award both in the media category and supports various charitable organizations that support mental health including Kids Help Phone.

Melchor has years of experience interviewing hundreds of stars, including Beyoncé, Justin Bieber, Mariah Carey, Madonna, Denzel Washington, Jennifer Lopez, John Travolta, Channing Tatum, Joan Rivers, Ryan Gosling, Zac Efron, Jamie Foxx, Dolly Parton, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, and Janet Jackson. When she interviewed Oprah Winfrey for Lee Daniels’ The Butler, Oprah told Melchor her question made her “salivate.”

Melchor has travelled to her native St. Lucia to interview The Jacksons – Jackie, Tito, Jermaine, and Marlon – and she has also travelled to seven countries in seven nights on a chartered jet as part of Rihanna’s “777” tour in support of the singer’s seventh album, Unapologetic. She also covered both Michael Jackson’s public memorial service in Los Angeles and Joan Rivers’ funeral in New York City following their deaths. Melchor is seen in Crave Original series, CANADA’S DRAG RACE.

Delivering daily entertainment news hits on CP24, Melchor was named one of the National Post’s “Worthy 30” for her contribution to the television industry. Melchor was also part of the launch of CTV’s daytime talk series, THE SOCIAL, which she co-hosted for two and a half years. Now a senior correspondent for ETALK, Melchor also contributes regularly to CP24 BREAKFAST, THE MARILYN DENIS SHOW, CTV NEWS CHANNEL, and CHUM 104.5.

Melchor kicked off her career as host of the legendary RAPCITY on MuchMusic, followed by a move to Citytv Toronto as the station’s entertainment specialist. Melchor thrived in L.A.’s celebrity scene, guest-starring on hit series CSI: CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION and LIZZIE MCGUIRE and reporting from countless red carpets as the Hollywood correspondent for Star! (now E!).

Karlyn Percil

CEO
KDPM Consulting Group
Toronto, Canada

Karlyn Percil, (born and raised in Banse, Laborie), is the CEO of KDPM Consulting Group, a Certified Emotional Intelligence and Neuro-Life Coach with a focus on equity, inclusion, and belonging. She is the Founder of The SisterTalk Group Leadership and Wellness Academy – a women’s network designed to help women optimize their potential and emotional well-being.

After 20 years in the Financial Industry, Karlyn has dedicated her career to helping companies identify problem areas (known as “Elephant Stories”) that may interfere with an organization’s equity, inclusion, and human optimization goals. Further, she provides transformational tools, including the Success Planner, to help women, teams, people leaders, and individuals increase their emotional and social intelligence to lead and live more purposeful and fulfilling lives.

A passionate advocate for gender equity, Karlyn worked with UNICEF-TARCO to help end child sexual abuse, a story she shared on OWN TV. She also worked with the Toronto Police Service to help create the first survivor-led PSA on reporting. Karlyn is the former Vice President of the Black Business and Professional Association and held the Chair position of The Harry Jerome Awards – celebrating Black excellence in the C-STEAM Industry for 5 years.

She is most recognized for her multiple features on Oprah’s Lifeclass and mentions in Forbes, Essence, The Globe and Mail. Karlyn is also a guest expert on Cityline, the longest-running daytime talk show for women in Canadian history.

Chef Victoria Alexander

Ti KayLa Foods 
Toronto, Canada

Chef Victoria Alexander created an artisanal line of cooking sauces and condiments made with natural, fresh, local, and imported ingredients for a true taste of Saint Lucia. In Creole, Ti Kay La means the little house, and for Chef Alexander, each recipe is a taste of home growing up in a small house in the lush coastal town of Castries.

As a trained Nutritionist, Chef Alexander is committed to making healthy foods, and to achieve an authentic Saint Lucian flavor, she uses some imported ingredients, and to keep things fresh, she sources as much as she can locally.

Chef Alexander has cooked in some of the top hotels, restaurants, and catering kitchens in both her native Saint Lucia and Toronto, and in 2019, her culinary skills earned her an invitation to compete on Food Network Canada’s Fire Masters.

Laura Henry-Allain MBE

Early Education Specialist
United Kingdom

Laura Henry-Allain MBE, is an expert international award-winning Early Education specialist, consultant, author, and scriptwriter. She is the creator of the well-loved CBeebies characters JoJo and Gran Gran and is also the series’ associate producer.

Laura is the vice-president of The British Association for Early Childhood Education and is an educational consultant for several well-known brands as well as children’s media, television, and publishing, particularly in the areas of inclusion, racial equality, and diversity.

Brenda Emmanus OBE

Broadcaster / Journalist
United Kingdom

Brenda is a long-established Broadcaster and Journalist, best known as an Arts, Culture and Entertainment Correspondent at the BBC; former presenter of the BBC’s flagship fashion programme, The Clothes Show,’ ‘The Midweek National Lottery.’ as well as ITV’s ‘This Morning’ and a host of documentaries including: ‘Tate Modern: Switched On,’ ‘The Brits Who Designed the Modern World,’ ‘Who Ever Heard of A Black Artist?’ and ‘Charles I: Treasures ReUnited.’

Brenda is renowned as a champion of Diversity in the Arts and is a Founder Member and Vice Chair of the Creative Industries Alliance and Vice Chair of Sir Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures Dance Company.

Brenda has been awarded an OBE for services to Broadcasting and Diversity, A Visiting Professorship and Honorary Doctorate from the University of the Arts.

Brenda’s list of interviewees has included A-list international stars – from Oprah Winfrey, Sir Elton John, Will Smith, Angelina Jolie, Daniel Craig and Clint Eastwood to artists and performers including David Hockney, Grayson Perry, Whitney Houston, Jean Paul Gaultier and Sir Steve McQueen.

Imani-Lara Lansiquot

Team Great Britain Sprinter
United Kingdom

Imani-Lara Lansiquot is a 23-year-old sprinter on the Great Britain Athletics team. She is a World Silver Medallist and European Gold Medallist in the current 4x100m team.

Imani-Lara is a European finalist and World Semi-finalist in the 100m. Currently, Imani-Lora holds the title for British Champion over 100m, the fourth fastest British woman in history, and the third fastest teenager in British history.

Future goals include participating in her first Olympic Games this summer and to bring home an Olympic medal for the country. Imani-Lara is also a recent graduate from Kings College London, studying Psychology.