Women's Leadership Initiative (WLI) Chair Eva Lewis (second left) joined guest speaker Kwayera Archer Cunningham (left) and her panellists, retired economist Dennis Jones and client financial education manager at Jamaica Money Market Brokers Michelle Sinclair-Doyley, for a post-presentation photo.

Lifestyle, Local Lifestyle, Style, Style Observer, Tuesday Style

March 9, 2016

Strength of a Woman!

Just ahead of International Women’s Day, the Women’s Leadership Initiative (WLI) successfully hosted its first full conference on Monday, in the Montego Suite at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel in New Kingston.

Sponsored by Jamaica Money Market Brokers (JMMB), the event saw a host of female movers and shakers in attendance, and featured inspiring presentations by president and CEO of ASE Consulting and Women of Distinction Awardee Kwayera Archer Cunningham; president and CEO of First Global Bank, founder of Teach Caribbean, and Rhodes Scholar Mariame McIntosh Robinson; as well as outgoing professor of computational linguistics at the University of Sussex, Donia Scott.

Topics of discussion ranged from striking the balance between family and career, maintaining one’s authenticity whilst climbing the ladder of success, and shattering the glass ceiling in the workplace. Friday Social brings you more from the esteemed gathering!

Engaged by the introduction of the first speaker were (from left) panellist and research fellow at the Institute for Gender and Development Studies, University of the West Indies, Suzanne Charles-Watson, WLI Chair Eva Lewis, guest speaker and outgoing professor of computational linguistics at the University of Sussex Donia Scott, client financial education manager at Jamaica Money Market Brokers Michelle Sinclair-Doyley, retired economist Dennis Jones, guest speaker and president and CEO of ASE Consulting Kwayera Archer Cunningham, as well as guest speaker and president and CEO of First Global Bank Mariame McIntosh Robinson.

Post-presentation, guest speaker Professor Donia Scott (right) was joined by panellists research fellow at the Institute for Gender and Development Studies, University of the West Indies, Suzanne Charles-Watson (left) and Lola Fung, director, talent management at CIBC FirstCaribbean International Bank.

Paying keen attention were (from left) CEO and managing director of Morningside Retirement Resort Youlanda Nunes; operations manager at Morningside Retirement Resort Yvette Williams; Christine Gomes; Kristen Brown; senior account executive at PROComm Limited Tashna-Toya Edwards; programme manager, social enterprise and special projects with Digicel Foundation Patrice Smith-Sterling; and training specialist at Digicel Foundation Evadne Cowell.

Captivated by the presentations were (from left) general manager of Restaurant Associates Limited Valda Ormsby; district manager at Restaurant Associates Limited Kerryann Griffiths; Managing Director at EJ’s Trading Judith Clemetson Lawson; culture and internal communication specialist Clover Anderson; executive assistant at Restaurant Associates Limited Rosemarie Smith; and district manager at Restaurant Associates Limited Brenda Kerr-Williams.

Sharing lens time was the team from United Way of Jamaica (from left) Vice-President, Africa Region and the Caribbean International Janet Butler; Campaign and Communications Manager Althea Bennett; CEO Winsome Wilkins, and Director – Network Capacity for Africa and the Caribbean Wamite Muthara.

Panellist and retired economist Dennis Jones represented the male populace well.

Panellist and client financial education manager at Jamaica Money Market Brokers Michelle Sinclair-Doyley paused for a moment to acknowledge our lensman.

Enjoying the presentations were (from left) counselling therapist Reverend Carla Dunbar; office manager at Certified Heavy Equipment and Associate Repairs Judine Reid-Myles; Carol Thompson; partner at Rattray Patterson Rattray Attorneys at law Andrea Rattray; consultant – business development at Jamaica National Building Society Sharon Smith; journalist and entrepreneur Christene King broadcaster as well as training specialist Elaine Wint.

Among those in attendance was the team from the Inter-American Development Bank (from left) lead investment officer Stefan Wright, Technical Support Administrator Terry-Ann Coley-Graham, Senior Operations Analyst Janet Quarrie, Operations Consultant Sudaney Blair, and consultant Jodi Ho Lung.

CEO of the GraceKennedy Financial Group Grace Burnett (right) presented guest speaker Mariame McIntosh Robinson with a gift after her presentation.

Guest speaker Kwayera Archer Cunningham (left) received a token of appreciation from managing director at EXIM Bank Lisa Bell.

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