Associates
Meet our Associates
Andrew Agard
BSc – IT and Web/ User Research/ Project Writing
Trinidad & Tobago
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.
Colene Hoyte
BSc Biology & Environmental and Natural Resource Management
MBA with a Concentration in International Finance and a health-based practicum
Trinidad & Tobago
Colene is a results-driven Human Resources and Corporate Services professional with over eight years of experience leading people, projects, and organizational development initiatives across public, private, and non-profit sectors throughout the Caribbean. Possessing a strong foundation in human resource management, business administration, quality assurance, and strategic operations, she has successfully supported organizational growth through effective talent management, policy development, industrial relations, executive support, and corporate governance.
She currently serves as Head of Corporate Services at EarthMedic and EarthNurse Foundation for Planetary Health, where she oversees strategic planning, human resource management, financial administration, information technology, marketing, and stakeholder engagement initiatives at local, regional, and international levels. Her leadership supports the organization’s mission to advance planetary health through sustainable and impactful programs.
Previously, she served as Human Resources and Executive Support Coordinator at the Caribbean Fisheries Training and Development Institute (CFTDI), where she managed the full spectrum of human resource functions for a workforce of more than fifty employees. Her expertise includes workforce planning, recruitment and selection, performance management, organizational restructuring, policy development, employee relations, collective bargaining support, disciplinary management, and training and development. She also provided executive-level support to senior leadership and governance committees while contributing to the development of the Institute’s Strategic Plan 2020–2025.
Her professional background spans human resources, logistics coordination, project management, quality assurance, and operational leadership. She has successfully led organizational restructuring initiatives, managed high-value projects and budgets, coordinated stakeholder partnerships, and delivered customized training and consultancy solutions for international organizations including the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the World Bank Group, and Woodside Energy.
She holds an International Master of Business Administration (MBA) with Distinction from the Arthur Lok Jack Global School of Business, University of the West Indies, with a concentration in International Finance. She also earned a Certificate in Health Systems Strengthening from The University of Melbourne’s Nossal Institute for Global Health and a Bachelor of Science in Biology with a minor in Environmental and Natural Resource Management from The University of the West Indies.
Recognized for her strategic thinking, strong leadership, and exceptional communication skills, she is passionate about developing high-performing teams, fostering positive workplace cultures, strengthening organizational systems, and driving sustainable business performance. Her commitment to community development is reflected through her active leadership within Rotary International and her work supporting humanitarian, health, and environmental initiatives across the region.
Jihana Mottley
BSc, MPH, PhD
Florida, USA
Jihana Mottley is a passionate Ph.D. graduate 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.
Mary Hospedales
BA English & French Language/ Writer & Editor
USA/ Trinidad & Tobago
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.
Ari Heffes-Doon
MSc Economics, MD Pediatric Resident/ Asthma & Air Pollution
Trinidad & Tobago/ USA
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 bachelor’s 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.
Richard Ramsawak
PhD, Economics & Environment/ Research & Strategy
Trinidad & Tobago
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.
Gary Parker
BSc MSc, Associate for User Research. Research Manager (UX Research & Design, Global Collaborations)
at Global Alliance for Chronic Diseases London, UK
England
Gary is a research psychologist, who has worked in a variety of public health research and intervention projects since 2008. He is particularly adept at managing relationships among stakeholders at all levels. Having led projects, managed teams, designed clinic flows, data collection tools and other processes positions him to offer a unique set of skills in a UX role. Projects of which he is proud include: jointly conceptualizing and developing a platform for indexing global research project metadata to promote collaborative research; leading on standardizing core outcome metrics for 33 mental health projects across 45 countries; leading on the development of the GACD Hypertension Programme Report – a report detailing the efforts, outcomes and impact of a global, 15-project research programme over 5 years, and more.
Sharon Lindo
Writer/ Researcher/ Outreach
Belize
Sharon Lindo has been working in the development space for twenty years. She has worked across national, regional and international spaces in foreign affairs, foreign trade, climate change and sustainable development. Sharon has championed the rights and well-being of SIDS persons as the Policy Advisor at the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre and most recently as Lead Negotiator for Sustainable Development with the Alliance of Small Island States. Sharon has a Masters of Science in Development Economics and Policy and Master of Laws in International Law. Sharon has special interest in climate change, hunger, conflict and population displacement/migration.
Dr. Loren De Freitas
MBBS, PhD/Health Services
Trinidad and Tobago
Loren De Freitas is a citizen of Trinidad and Tobago. She is a medical doctor working in emergency medicine and primary care in Trinidad. She has a keen interest in research which led to her completing a PhD in Health and Related Research (Health Services Research) from the University of Sheffield. Her broad research interests include the organisation and delivery of health services and patient and public involvement in health and research. She currently has editorial roles with the Caribbean Medical Journal and Emergency Medicine Journal. She is also a research advisor to undergraduate medical students at Oceania University of Medicine and the module leader for Health Systems Science at the All-American Institute of Medical Sciences, Jamaica. She is keen to continue conducting research, blending research activities with clinical practice to strengthen health systems.
Dr. Calae Philippe
MBBS, MPH
The Bahamas
Dr. Calae Philippe is a Senior Medical Officer, Ministry of Health and Wellness, The Bahamas with 20 years of experience. The first Climate Resilient Health System Focal Point to receive the Yale Certificate in Climate Change and Health following Hurricane Dorian. Supported The Bahamas in completing Climate and Health Country Reviews, the first Health and Climate Country Profile, Health National Adaptation Plan and the first Green Climate Readiness Proposal. She is a Climate Change Health Changemaker having completed the Public Engagement Leadership Program developed by Dalberg, funded by Wellcome. Engaged in Climate Change and Health Research as a Certified Principal Investigator under the American Association of Clinical Research Professionals. She is an executive member of the National Stem Cell/National Medical Ethics Committees. A woman of faith, she believes health is in the hands of the people, in empowering people and that “Nothing is impossible with God.” Luke 1:37
Dr. Nyoni Winchester
Veterinary Scientist/ Veterinary Researcher/ Veterinary Consultant/ Adjunct Professor/ Caribbean Agriculture Research and Development Institute (CARDI), Tobago.
Trinidad & Tobago
Nyoni Winchester originates from Tobago and holds the position Veterinary Scientist in the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) since July 2017. She obtained her Doctor of Veterinary Medicine (DVM) degree at the School of Veterinary Medicine at the University of the West Indies in July 2015. Nyoni’s participation in the New Zealand/Caribbean Regional Small Ruminant Capacity Building Activity, in Jamaica 2016, prompted her interest in Livestock Reproduction, which inspired further academic training and the completion of a Masters in Veterinary Studies (MVS) from Massey University, New Zealand in July 2019.
Nyoni serves diligently as a veterinary consultant for farmers and other groups. She is passionate about Agricultural development and Regional food security and hopes to address this through the improvement of livestock production throughout the region.
Nyoni enjoys the diverse cultural experiences when travelling and she is also an avid hiker, which has led her to better appreciate the environment and recognise the need for its protection. This keen interest encouraged her to complete an online course, ‘The Health Effects in Climate Change’ offered by HarvardX, which has increased her awareness and willingness to advocate for a healthier planet.
As an animal health professional and nature enthusiast, Nyoni believes in EarthMedic’s goals. She is eager to highlight the applications of veterinary medicine to combat the impact of climate change and the environmental degradation which affects our health and the wellbeing of future generations.
Dr Kerriann Peart
Dr. Himawatee Baboolal
Dr. Baboolal is an Environmental Scientist who has spent her entire career in cross discipline environmental research. She was a Research Officer at the Institute of Marine Affairs for 12 years as well as an Environmental Consultant for 4 years in air quality and energy sector environmental impact assessments. Her doctoral research characterized the pollutants, particulates and gaseous contaminants in ambient air throughout the island of Trinidad.
She is currently a lecturer in the Environmental Science and Sustainable Technology programme, Faculty of Science and Technology (UWI, St. Augustine) as well an SME Environmental Consultant with a start-up company established from her doctoral research – Air Science and Environmental Quality Ltd. She is an enthusiastic supporter of using science and data-driven decision making for sensible policy generation.
She has earned two fully funded postgraduate scholarships –
- BGTT/ British Council/ University of Strathclyde – MSc Environmental Science
- BPTT/ University of Trinidad and Tobago – PhD Applied Life Sciences – Characterisation of Air Pollutants in the Ambient Environment – Trinidad’s west coast
In the last two years she has been awarded an Innovation Challenge Facility Grant from EUROCHAMTT/IDB/Gov’t T&T/CARIRI (Feb 2025) and a grant from the UNDP-GEF for monitoring air quality at high schools in Trinidad (Jul 2026).
Kimberly Ramlochan
Kimberly Ramlochan is a dedicated lawyer with a passion for justice, advocacy and environmental sustainability. She strives to integrate her legal expertise with her commitment to preserving our planet, supporting initiatives that promote environmental stewardship and sustainable practices.
As an Ordained Presbyterian Minister of Religion, she provides spiritual guidance and support, fostering communities grounded in compassion, justice, and shared responsibility for our world.
Kimberly is also a proud member of the NGC All-Female Sweet Tassa Band, celebrating cultural heritage through the vibrant rhythms of tassa drumming. This unique combination of roles reflects her dedication to nurturing both the cultural and ecological well-being of the communities she serve.
Kimberly is eager to collaborate on projects that make a positive impact—whether through legal innovation, spiritual support, or environmental advocacy. Kimberly believes that we must work together to build a better, more sustainable future.
Ingrid Cox-Pierre
MD, MPH. Senior Associate for Planning. PhD candidate at Menzies Inst for Medical Research and President of the ISPOR Student Chapter for Victoria and Tasmania
St. Lucia
A committed and caring public health physician, who has served her country St. Lucia, and the Caribbean region. Dr Cox has years of experience in planning/coordinating, multi-country, multi-partner, public health and development projects, including HIV/AIDS at the Pan Caribbean AIDS Partnership, and, while at CARPHA, a CARICOM 6-point policy package for healthier food environments to promote healthy weight and prevent childhood obesity, which brought regional health and economic sector institutions together. Her passion for continued self-development has led her to be a Ph.D. candidate in Health Economics at Menzies.
Nicola Hospedales
Nicola is a professional dancer and dance teacher. She trained at London Studio Centre in London, England. Her performance career has taken her to the UK, Trinidad, Grenada, Brazil and the USA. She freelanced with many different dance companies and while living in Grenada, she founded her own dance company, NHD Dance. She currently lives in Long Island where she performs with Moving On and regularly teaches ballet and modern to students of all ages. Nicola taught the Earth Medic pledge dance at the launch event on zoom in 2020.