CARIBBWIIN
HOST COUNTRY:
ANTIGUA & BARBUDA
ABOUT CARIBBWIIN
CaribbWIIN is a part of Global Women Inventors & Innovators Network (GlobalWIIN) formally known as GWIIN. It serves to embrace the Caribbean continent with its independent not-for-profit outreach. It is dedicated to staging international capacity building networking opportunities for women with novel products, services and processes and have held significant events in Africa – (Ghana, Nigeria, Senegal, South Africa), Asia Pacific – (Singapore), Europe (Belgium, Germany, Finland, Iceland, Estonia, Sweden, Italy, United Kingdom) North America (Mexico), Middle East (Kuwait) and now our latest initiative is for the Caribbean (Antigua & Barbuda). The main aim is to bridge the gender gap with effective ways of bringing support, tools and knowledge transfer to assist women in achieving significant growth. GlobalWIIN celebrates 23 years of progress in putting the spotlight on ingenious women from across the globe with intellectual property rights.
AMAZING WOMEN MAKING THE CARIBBEAN GREAT!
CORAL WELLS – TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION
Bermuda’s Coral Wells is the nation’s most recognised woman in technology education, and for good reason. She is driven by a desire to powerhouse knowledge, provide years of experience with her driven passion to bring today’s tech and our young people together in a meaningful way.
Coral’s charity CONNECTECH paves the way to discover and fall in love with technology and continuous learning. Her programmes open doors to the ‘cool’ tech of coding, programming, robotics, artificial intelligence (AI) and mobile app development as well as the fundamental basics of office computing. She’s on a mission to inspire young people to follow their passion, and the love of learning tech. Coral has seen how students are disadvantaged by not having access and exposure to technology education early in life, as their career choices were impacted later in life. She corrects that on a large scale through her non-profit work and is rewarded with the unpredictable growth and confidence of her students, from primary school and beyond.
EMMANUELLE SOUNDJATA – FASHION & CREATIVITY
Emmanuelle’s incredible journey is summed up with this quote by Mark Twain, “They didn’t know it was impossible, so they did it”. This explains her motivation and determination to embark on creating Atelier Maré tèt & the Maré tèt movement.
Emmanuelle’s background was typical of most women, in the sense that she initially studied law which is often considered ‘a safe career’ before turning to the more creative world of fashion and more specifically to ethnic fashion. Emmanuelle’s formidable concept stems from her idea of providing her participants with the opportunity to integrate her creativity into their wardrobe as a fashion accessory and to provide ‘letters of nobility to’ the Maré tèt, as a form of prestige while confirming originally and authenticity.
Emmanuelle brings a certain uniqueness by offering The Atelier Maré tèt (workshop) consisting of a historical component as well as a practical element.
As the Stylist and Creator of Maré Tèt, she is the founder of the Movement and the Concept MARET TET WORKSHOP globally.
EVELYN WEEKES – WASTE & COMPOST MANAGEMENT
Dr Evelyn Weekes is an Environmental Education Consultant of Gunthorpes Eco Gardens, and Bokashi Compost Solution. She is a well-recognised woman of substance that deserves immense kudos. Her education stems from the United States Mainland, the United States Virgin Islands, the Bahamas and in her homeland of Antigua and Barbuda. Upon retirement, she shifted her focus to waste management/composting and environmental education. This sparked her interest and has become her passion and focus. Her interest grew to developing a range of products that includes Bokashi Compost; Bokashi Compost Potting Mix; Raw Edible Microgreens in Clamshells; Microgreen Combo Pack for Food Security. In addition, her Weekly Microgreen Subscription Sales and Quarterly hook ups provide an international dimension with a School Allotment Project in the United Kingdom connecting many British high schools across the world thus providing an avenue for her products and services to reach global communities.
Evelyn believes that her range of products and services can lead to long term social and economic benefits. Collectively she advocates that not only can this empower the lives of many vulnerable individuals and group but also offer opportunities for trade and enterprise. She acknowledges that sustainable agriculture practices can transform present unsustainable agriculture paradigms all over the world thereby providing a chance to meet global climate change goals.
MAKŎ S. WILLIAMS – DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION
Makŏ S. Williams is a well-respected and dynamic digital transformation consultant. Her innovative concept stems from the development of a cross-functional training approach that helps to transform business services and educational practices. Her ground-breaking strategy provides a clear systemic approach for end-to-end productivity training, to improve basic business activities, by delivering targeted lessons impacting workflow. At her company, iLabGlobal Inc., where the trademark is “We Make Complex iDeas Simple”. As the Founder of Caribbean Tech Genius Foundation, she manages STEM/STEAM educational programs. Her not-for-profit company, amongst other things, provides certified training programs, research, evaluation, statistical analysis, and blockchain training, to name a few by proposing further outreach to the OECS and CARICOM nations.
Makŏ has also authored seven technology workbooks currently used by the Ministry of Education of Antigua and Barbuda, her company (iLab) is a an international Code.org – Computer Science Week partner and CISCO Networking Academy. She is also a fine artist (Sweets Designs) with a commissioned mural in one of New York City’s train stations. Over a period of 25 years, she has worked within the Graphic Design and Desktop Publishing fields with companies such as Simon and Schuster, MacMillan Publishing, and American Lawyer Media in New York.
JANETTE N. BRIN – MARKETING & PUBLICATIONS
British Virgin Islands, Janette Brin recognised early on that a small Caribbean Island, would generate a diversity of artists in need of a platform to be heard. This would become her reasoning for perusing the task of building her own publication – Caribbean POSH. Her creation enabled Janette to fulfil her goal of developing a platform for Caribbean writers, designers, photographers, makeup artists, and entrepreneurs.
Wearing several hats helped cultivate her ingenuity as she successfully weaved a distinct and inspiring path in the world of corporate marketing and entrepreneurship. It is her incredible overview on the bigger picture and her development of the first women’s empowerment programme – the Caribbean POSHgirl POWER Brunch, that makes her stand out.
Janette has worked with or interviewed some of the most influential names in the entertainment industry such as Shaggy and Wyclef Jean. She also places pride in featuring some of the Caribbean’s brightest talents who she considers celebrities in their own right – such as designer Kristin Fraser and 2020 Face of Grenada, Usha Thomas. She has hosted Yvette Noel-Schure (Beyoncé’s Publicist) and Grammy Award Winning Singer/Songwriter Angela Hunte. Gaining some accolades along the way, both the Association of Black Media Workers and the Caribbean Fashion Awards have recognized Caribbean POSH.
Janette’s successes have not come easy. Being a single mom and raising her son, Keano meant she recognized the importance of uplifting women. With no investors or financial support, she created a platform for local and regional talent, to empower women, and most of all provide a strong example for her son.
“As an entrepreneur, it can be extremely hard – there was a time when I struggled with my anxiety, wanting everything to be perfect with my brand. I wanted to give up several times.” said Janette. She learnt, to take her time and stay true to her brand and who she is while also evolving.
JANICE SUTHERLAND – LEADERSHIP & CAPACITY BUILDING
Janice Sutherland is CEO of the award-winning leadership and personal development consultancy This Woman Can, an organization rooted in career coaching for women of color. Janice is a first-generation Antiguan Windrush child; her professional career spanning over 25 years of leadership with prestigious multinationals in the UK and Caribbean.
In 2011, she left the UK with her husband moving to Antigua and Barbuda, proceeding to make history in 2015 by becoming the first woman to head up the country’s Telecoms Sector for international multi-media provider Digicel. Encountering talented women not realizing their own leadership acumen and seeing organizations overlook their amazing talent revealed an opportunity. Janice utilised her knowledge and expertise as a coach as she stepped down as CEO of Digicel and developed her business, as a sought-after career strategist.
She is the author of best-seller This Woman Can – The no bullsh*t guide for women who lead. As well as the host of the This Woman Can Podcast, featuring the career journeys women of color. Her personal reinvention has not been easy, divorce left her determined to succeed, juggling work, single motherhood and becoming a full-time student to attain various qualifications.
Leveraging her knowledge and natural sales abilities she climbed the career ladder. Eventually the thrust of the corporate environs left her feeling unfulfilled and confined, challenging her to pivot her career into entrepreneurship. Janice’s superpower is helping women to re-align their careers while staying true to their personal values and professional priorities.
KETTY COTREBIL – CREATIVE FASHION
Ketty Cotrebil is the founder, fashion stylist and creative director of THÉOLINE. Upon completion of a bachelor’s degree in Fashion Business Strategy and Communication from the foremost Parisian fashion school, ESMOD International Group, Ketty amassed a wealth of knowledge and experience working with luxury fashion designers, brands and retailers. Her experience extends to working with Karine Arabian, Pierre Hardy, and Bess Nielsen and Jan Machenhauer of ÉPICE. This was supported by valuable work gained at the popular department store, Le Bon Marché, and the world’s premier luxury fashion e-tailer, YOOX NET-A-PORTER GROUP (YOOX) to name a few.
Through her latest fashion foray, Ketty has answered her call to express herself with the 2021 launch of her fashion brand, THÉOLINE. The vintage brand pays homage to her grandmothers, Theonie and Pauline, with versatile designs and an urban aesthetic that reflect the soul and essence of contemporary Caribbean style.
NADINE PRIAM – ART ON A GLOBAL MARKET
Nadine Priam is an art market specialist working with artists, art collectors and auction houses. Her expertise provides a unique perspective on the art market – an industry with an estimated annual value of $50 billion. Martinique-born Nadine, creator of TRAYSKREYOL has combined thirty years of personal art collecting with bringing Caribbean artists together within the global art market. Inspired by pioneer scholars’ works, Nadine has a fierce passion for discovering the deeply buried history of Caribbean Art. This reflection provides a rich vein of work, a new outlook for curation and enhances the positioning on the international art market. She understands how critical it is to share this historical provenance of the ‘Caribbean art cannon’ – as the crucial building block required to provide a platform for all Caribbean artists to stand on as a foundation.
Consequently, Nadine strives to create the first-ever digital platform to specialise in the Caribbean arts market in terms of Auction sales. Her uniqueness derives from her desire to provide this peculiar accessibility. Sales in auction houses play a vital role in the Art-market ecosystem. Realized prices in auction sales are the parameters which establish the valuation of artists internationally. In addition to this, this process guarantees interest and visibility for their peers as a consequence.
REFICA ATTWOOD – NATURAL PARK & ENVIRONMENTALIST
Ambassador Refica Attwood is a certified Hydroponics farmer, Agro Processor, and the founder, first board President and the Executive Director for Wallings Nature Reserve Inc. This is the first community managed national park in the twin island state of Antigua and Barbuda which she established in 2018.
This initiative is nestled in the Southwestern side of Antigua, used as an international case study aspired to contribute to a solution to the environmental problems faced by her country. The organization has spearheaded eleven different initiatives to restore and protect Antigua and Barbuda’s habitat. For example, the Caribbean Tree Planting Initiative was established in unison with the Sandals Foundation to replenish 10,000 native trees by the summer of 2022. Refica recognises that Antigua and Barbuda are a well-known tourist destination, therefore it formed her increasing drive for ecotourism. Aside from the danger posed by the annual hurricane season, Antigua and Barbuda faces unique environmental challenges due to its modest size and proximity to the Atlantic Ocean. Growing weather pattern variability, rising sea levels, erosion of coastal lands, and the encroachment of saline water into freshwater aquifers all threaten the country’s ecosystems and biodiversity.
LAUREN LE FRANC – AGRI-BUSINESS
Lauren is the Founder & CEO of The Little Coffee Company with an outstanding brand that spells ‘passionate about people and the planet’. Lauren created the company in 2017 to help improve the lives of farmers facing poverty by introducing them to sustainable farming methods.
Lauren’s remarkable contribution has gained recognition due to the invaluable products she promotes. They are 100% natural and pesticide-free and ensuring that farmers are paid directly (without mark-ups and middlemen) their product. Her formidable approach ensures that funding is also extended to community projects that help economic independence and women’s rights to equal pay.
Lauren says, “I was born and raised in Kingston, Jamaica the home to reggae, jerk chicken, beautiful beaches and delicious Jamaican Blue Mountain Coffee. My culture defines who I am as I have learnt everything from what has been passed down from generations to generations. From our way of life, music, art and our story telling nature”. When Lauren created the Little Coffee Company with roasted, whole, or grounded coffee packages, female empowerment became a high priority. 100% recyclable, refillable and reusable premium quality tins with labels continue to share personal and previously untold stories of women farmers. On the label of the ‘Jamaican Blue Mountain’ roasted coffee, is a statement from Mrs Watson and an illustration of her face. It reads: “I work with my son to produce this coffee. I am a female farmer from the Jamaican Blue Mountains. It’s time for you to know who I am.”
Lauren is dedicated to restoring opportunities for women farmers. As a commercial grower, her team of strong women and herself dedicate their commitment to the community and to improving the lives of its farmers.
NIDIA CHACON – MARINE CONSERVATION AND CLIMATE ADAPTATION
Belizean Nidia Chacon’s love for field work drew her to beginning her career within the Belize Fisheries Department in 2002. Starting at 22 years old, and now at 43 years old she looks back and she can truly say that she accomplished her personal goals.
Former Director of The Belize Marine Conservation and Climate Adaptation Project (MCCAP), a five-year project implemented by the World Bank and funded by the Adaptation Fund grant in the amount of US$ 5.53 million with US$ 1.78 million in-kind contribution by the Government of Belize can be described as a woman of substance. Working on the objective of MCCAP where she had to work with others to implement priority ecosystem-based marine conservation and climate adaptation measures to strengthen the climate resilience of the Belize Barrier Reef System demonstrated her invaluable leadership skills. Her role evolved in this industry from 2011, when she became the Lionfish Project Coordinator to the Senior Technical Officer for the Marine Conservation Climate Adaptation Project from 2016-2020. Through this project, she became involved in working with twelve fishing communities using three MPAs Of Belize with the objective to build climate resilience and adapt to climate change.
CARIBBWIIN 2022 TAKES OFF!
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE FIRST INAUGURAL GATHERING OF INGENIOUS WOMEN WITH AMAZING BUSINESSES AND PROFESSIONAL SERVICES.
WOMEN CAPABLE OF MAKING THE CARIBBEAN GREAT BROUGHT A CONNECTION FULL OF EXCITING MOMENTS AND FOR POTENTIAL & MEANINGFUL PARTNERSHIP.
From simple technology, high viability to works by exceptional creative women and highly acclaimed social and economic inventions and innovations, the journey for achieving such success is applauded and acknowledged by these highly acclaimed international awards. CaribbWIIN is a part of the Global Women Inventors & Innovators Network (GlobalWIIN) which was established in 1998 with an amazing track record.