Andrew Agard
Andrew Agard is a dual-citizen of Trinidad & Tobago and Ghana who is determined to become a truly global citizen. He holds a B.A. in Engineering Science from Trinity College, Hartford. He is driven towards contributing to the global effort to find and implement solutions to some of the most pressing issues of our time including climate change, health and poverty. Andrew believes in the effectiveness of social entrepreneurship, data-informed decision making and human ingenuity. He is committed to working with NGOs and assuming his niche in society as an ambitious young adult. Andrew’s hobbies include art, writing, hiking and reading. His newer interests include martial arts and woodwork. Andrew aspires to develop as a well-rounded and holistic individual.
Edith Amponsah
Dr. Ingrid Cox
Ari Heffes-Doon
Ari Heffes-Doon is a medical doctor currently completing his pediatric residency at NYU Langone Health, NYU Winthrop in Long Island, New York. He obtained his bachelors in Economics at York University, where he developed an interest in health economics, studying the social determinants of health and the economic impact of non-communicable diseases. He completed a health management internship at the Port of Spain General Hospital in Trinidad and Tobago and later received his M.D. from St. George’s University. He believes that access to high quality healthcare should be experienced by every human being regardless of their socioeconomic status and is passionate about mitigating health disparities. Ari hopes to strike a balance between fellowship training and his passion for advocacy for underserved populations as he continues his medical training. He is the husband of Nicola Heffes-Doon and the father of Luca.
Mary Hospedales
Mary Hospedales graduated from Loyola University, New Orleans with a Bachelor’s degree in English Writing, and minors in both Biology and French. Since graduating, she has worked with the Editorial Board of the Caribbean Medical Journal, for the Communications Department of the Caribbean Public Health Agency, and most recently for the French Ministry of National Education. She is proficient in French and continues to study other languages. Mary is passionate about issues of environment, human rights, sustainable development and culture, and currently works with two nongovernmental organizations – EarthMedic and the Institute for Small Islands – to help some of the world’s most vulnerable communities.
Colene Hoyte
Colene Hoyte is a Human Resource and Executive Support Coordinator at Caribbean Fisheries Training and Development Institute. She has an MBA with a concentration in International Finance from Arthur Lok Jack Global School of Business. She is the Co-Founder and Managing Director of Hope for Stroke TT, a social enterprise designed to improve the quality of life of stroke survivors and their caregiver by facilitating access to stroke rehabilitation and social support services. She is also passionate about global public health, health systems strengthening and reducing health inequalities. She has a BSc. in Biology and Environmental and Natural Resource Management from The University of the West Indies, which enables her to adopt an inter-disciplinary approach to tackling the issues of climate change and non-communicable diseases. Her publications include journal articles on stroke-related services in Trinidad and Tobago, food safety and quality considerations for products of an aquaculture origin, and contributions to the ‘Online Guide to the Animals of Trinidad and Tobago’.
Josefina Josepha
Josefina Josepha has served in various roles in journalism, reporting, editing and marketing. She is an author of several books including, “THE RISE & FALL OF GOVERNMENTS IN CURACAO, FORMULATED ON THE 4 PILLARS OF GOOD GOVERNANCE & THE IMPACT OF PARLIAMENTARY BUDGET EFFECTIVITY”. In 2015 Josefina captained, “The Petition For Justice For Curacao’s Students” as well as becoming the president of Future Doctors Of Curacao. She studied Parliamentary Budgeting at The World Bank Organization, Health Finance, Public Healthcare and Humanitarian Crisis at John Hopkins University School of Public Health. Josefina is an Eu-Neo Classical Liberalist; in 2017, at the age of 23, she became the youngest leader of any political party in Curacao’s history. Josefina is a kind-hearted and soft-spoken, but in her Representative state, she is a fighter for justice and equality! Josefina enjoys cooking, baking, outdoor and underwater activities. Research interests include Medicine, Public Healthcare and Policy, International Business and Entrepreneurship.
Natascha Kersting
Natascha Kersting is a multilingual lawyer and pianist, loves life, the outdoors and cares about justice and the environment. She studied political science and holds law degrees in German and French law from the University of Cologne and Panthéon Sorbonne University. She holds a masters in International Law from the University of Cambridge, with a focus on global governance and human rights. Natascha has worked with the International Committee of the Red Cross in Zimbabwe and Algeria and co-founded the student-run refugee support NGO Réfugiés Bienvenue in Paris. She was an intern at the German Permanent Mission to the United Nations.
Jihana Mottley
Jihana Mottley is a passionate PhD student and public health professional with demonstrated success working cross-culturally and conducting negotiations with a diverse range of stakeholders. She spent her childhood between Toronto, Canada and Port of Spain, Trinidad before completing her tertiary education and early career in the United States. She is skilled in research methods, survey design, epidemiological analysis, project management, health policy interpretation and client management. Jihana has been consistently recognized for her creativity and ability to innovate in challenging and novel situations. Jihana is an ardent advocate for programmes that improve access to healthcare, particularly for vulnerable populations. She is bilingual; English and Spanish.
Fayola Nicholas
Gary Parker
Dr. Kerriann Peart
Born and raised on the island of Jamaica, Dr. Kerriann M. Peart has followed her passion for public service through her educational and professional pursuits. After graduating high school in Jamaica, her family moved to the United States, where she earned a Bachelor of Science in Biology from Emory University. Given her desire to tackle matters concerning health disparities in a global context, Kerriann completed her Master’s in Global Health Communication at the Milken Institute School of Public Health at The George Washington University. She has also completed a Certificate in Child and Adolescent Psychology and a Doctorate in International Psychology, both from The Chicago School of Professional Psychology.
Much of Dr. Peart’s work experience has informed her academic pursuits, given her exposure to health education and behavioral health management. Throughout her career, she has led teams of health educators, youth advocates and young people, in effecting and strengthening mechanisms of change impact. Currently Dr. Peart’s portfolio has her leading the development of two special initiatives for a population of a million residents of Prince George’s County, Maryland. Her initiatives: Child Friendly County (modelled after UNICEF’s Child Friendly City framework), Healthy and Well Prince George’s addressing metabolic syndrome, mental health, and prenatal engagement. Both initiatives pay close attention to ensuring access and care for seniors, LGBTQ+, and differently abled individuals. As she leads the development of these various scopes and efforts, her practice places emphasis on the critical need to provide equitable and culturally appropriate healthcare and access. Working with diverse teams is a true strong point of Dr. Peart’s management abilities and experience. She truly believes “that a small group of thoughtful, committed citizens can change the world; indeed, it’s the only thing that ever has.” (Margaret Mead).
Dr. Richard Ramsawak
Dr. Richard Ramsawak is Head of the Center of Strategy and Competitiveness – Arthur Lok Jack Global School of Business, UWI. He has significant experience coordinating the development and implementation of national level strategic plans and competitiveness initiatives domestically and internationally. He has participated as a Facilitator for the Inter-American Development Bank (IADB), sponsored the Caribbean Growth Forum and acted as lead consultant for the Competitive Analysis of the South West and 4C Growth Poles of Trinidad and Tobago, a project commissioned by the Economic Development Board of the Ministry of Planning and Development.
Dr. Ramsawak is a Fulbright Scholar and completed his PhD in Economics at Clark University, Worcester MA, USA. He also holds an Executive Master of Business Administration (EMBA), as well as a Master of Sciences in Economics (Distinction) from the University of the West Indies. Additionally, he has completed various specialized private development programs in areas such as export diversification, sustainable enterprise development, and cluster development offered by the World Bank, ITC/ILO Summer Academy on Enterprise Development, UNIDO and the Harvard Business School. He has contributed at expert meetings at the United Nations and at various international business and trade promotion events.
Dr. Ramsawak is an Affiliate Member of the “Microeconomics of Competitiveness Network” of the Institute of Competitiveness, Harvard Business School, the American Economic Association (AEA), and past member of The Competitiveness Institute (TCI), as well as past Secretary of the Trinidad and Tobago Economics Association.