WHEN Professor Minerva Thame steps into the spotlight at the Jamaican Women Pinnacle Awards Gala 2026, it will not be for a single achievement, but for a lifetime of service to children, women and families across Jamaica and the wider Caribbean.

Professor Thame will be among 15 exceptional women honoured at the prestigious International Women’s History Month event, set for March 14 at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel in New Kingston. The gala celebrates women from diverse industries and levels of leadership whose work have significantly impacted Jamaica and the diaspora.

A trailblazer in academic medicine, Professor Thame is professor of perinatal and paediatric medicine and consultant paediatrician in the Department of Child and Adolescent Health at The University of the West Indies (UWI) and the University Hospital of the West Indies (UHWI). Her career has seamlessly woven together clinical excellence, groundbreaking research, academic leadership and mentorship.

From 2021 to 2025, she served as dean of the Faculty of Medical Sciences at The UWI, becoming the first woman to hold the post. Her tenure marked a historic milestone for the institution and underscored her steady rise through its academic ranks.

Prior to her deanship, she held several senior leadership roles, including head of the Department of Child and Adolescent Health, deputy dean and chair of the Committee of Graduate Studies for the Faculty of Medical Sciences, director of Graduate Studies and Research at the Mona campus, and consultant paediatrician at UHWI.

At the heart of Professor Thame’s work is an unwavering commitment to the health of the region’s most vulnerable. As a clinician, she was one of the consultants in charge of the Special Care Nursery and Neonatal Intensive Care Unit at UHWI, guiding the care of premature and critically ill newborns. Her influence extends well beyond the hospital walls. For decades, she has trained medical students, nurses, midwives and postgraduate paediatricians, shaping generations of healthcare professionals who now serve communities across Jamaica and the Caribbean.

Her research has significantly advanced understanding of maternal and foetal health. Professor Thame has investigated the role of maternal anthropometry and body composition on foetal growth, with particular focus on pregnant adolescents, mature pregnant women and women living with sickle cell disease.

Her contributions have earned widespread recognition. In 2007 and 2009, she received the Principal’s Award for Most Outstanding Researcher in the Faculty of Medical Sciences, along with the Principal’s Award for Best Research Publication for three publications in 2009. That same year, she was honoured by the Rotary Club with the Paul Harris Fellow Award for her work in clinical medicine in Jamaica and received the Jamaica Medical Foundation Award for Outstanding Contribution in the Field of Child Health. In 2011, she was presented with the Vice Chancellor’s Award for Excellence in Research.

Beyond academia and clinical practice, Professor Thame continues to shape regional health policy and research. She currently serves as chair of the Research Advisory Committee at the Caribbean Public Health Agency and is a member of the Regional Eminent Persons Panel of the ANSA McAL Foundation, which administers the prestigious Anthony N Sabga Awards for Caribbean Excellence.

She was recently appointed Emerita Professor by The University of the West Indies, a title reserved for those whose service and scholarship have left an indelible mark on the institution.

The Jamaican Women Pinnacle Awards Gala 2026 celebrates women who have shaped industries, influenced communities and opened doors for others, and Professor Thame stands as a powerful example of leadership rooted in service.