Jamaica

Tassia is an experienced communications specialist with a diverse background in marketing, politics, entrepreneurship and advocacy. She began her career at Jamaica’s Investment Promotion Agency (JAMPRO), gaining unparalleled experience in international business and destination marketing. JAMPRO’s global focus provided her early exposure to functioning at a high level and engaging a myriad of partners and stakeholders, both in Jamaica and across the world. Tassia has refined her craft over the years through volunteering and working with various projects, some funded by international development organisations such as the World Bank, EU and the IDB. She has served in a communications support role to Jamaica’s former Minister of National Security, and was an integral member of the team that developed the Ministry’s Unite for Change project, which leveraged community partnerships and social marketing to support violence prevention initiatives in vulnerable communities. Her diverse work and volunteer experiences have helped her develop strong competencies in development communications, project coordination, monitoring and evaluation, and community mobilization. A consummate team player, Tassia earned a Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations and French from The University of the West Indies, Mona, and is a certified project manager. She is passionate about gender equality, child rights, youth violence prevention, and using technology for social good.

Host Organization: American Red Cross

Role at Center for American Red Cross Tassia will serve as the Communications and Community Engagement Fellow: coordinating outreach and marketing.

Esther has over three years of experience in the non-profit sector, having served as Executive Director of Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB), Jamaica. She holds a Bachelor’s of Arts Degree in Media and Communication from the University of the West Indies, Mona. While at CAB, Esther had managerial responsibility for the operations of the Bureau, Skills Training Centre, as well as the Early Childhood Institution it operates. As an Executive Director, she gained experience in corporate governance, operations management, and youth training and development. Esther previously worked as a Public Relations Officer with the Jamaica Information Service, (JIS) the public relations arm of the Government of Jamaica. Esther has also involved herself in youth leadership and community development in voluntary capacities in local community based organizations. Her professional experiences honed her into a strategic planner, who is competent in the application of communication for social transformation. Esther is passionate about empowering citizens through information and education. Through her pursuit of an MBA in Social Entrepreneurship, she aims to create a synthesis between development communication and entrepreneurship that will dismantle abject poverty and its effects, throughout her sphere of influence.

Host Organization: Atlas Corps

Role at Host Organization: Esther will support the work of the Chief Development & Engagement Officer to raise the profile of the organization, to better share the story of Atlas Corps, with the purpose of increasing the pool of potential Host Organizations and individual candidates and leveraging additional funding opportunities. She will be integral to the management of the organization’s social media strategy, and will be involved in event planning, and publications development, while assisting the execution of Atlas Corps’ Fellow Recruitment Strategy.

Alecia has over five years of experience in the nonprofit sector, and is currently completing her Master of Science degree in Human Rights at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), under the British Chevening Scholarship. Alecia served as a Regional Programme Officer at the University of the West Indies (UWI), Jamaica from 2013-2014. While at UWI, Alecia coordinated the regional youth platform, University of the West Indies Student Today Alumni Tomorrow (UWISTAT). In this position, she gained experience in project management, programme development and youth training. Prior to this, Alecia served as an Assistant Language Teacher for the Japan Exchange and Teaching Programme and was based in Shizuoka, Japan, for three and a half years. In this position, she was responsible for curriculum design, capacity building and education. Alecia previously worked as a Public (Consumer) Relations Officer which, coupled with her current responsibility as a Chevening Scholar Social Media Ambassador, has honed her communication, public speaking and outreach skills. Alecia has been actively involved in youth leadership both in her community and at the national and international level. She participated in the Jamaican national consultation process for the Post -2015 as a youth advocate, and she has represented her country at several international fora. Alecia also volunteered in Ishinomaki, Japan, after the Great Tohoku Earthquake and she was an international volunteer on the Peace Boat’s 78th global voyage. With the knowledge gained from her professional, volunteer and multicultural experiences, Alecia intends to pursue a career in human rights policy-making and corporate social responsibility.

Host Organization: ChildFund International

Role at Host Organization: Alecia Maragh will provide major support in conducting research on education, protection and economic strengthening. She will also be providing operational support, strict analysis and support to the National Offices and Lifestage team.

Anna-Kim has seven years of work experience in the development sector and is passionate about youth leadership and empowerment. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations and Economics and a Master’s Degree in Economic Development Policy. Her experience in the development field started at age 15, when she participated in a U.K.-based global youth-to youth mentorship project. This experience gave her the opportunity to interact with young leaders from the U.K., South Africa, and the U.S., and inspired her to start a youth-to-youth mentorship program in Jamaica. As a young professional, Anna-Kim continued her promotion of youth empowerment as the Project Officer of Sports Development and Youth Leadership at the N.C.B Foundation. There, she assisted with the design and implementation of grassroots initiatives that provided access to basic necessities and encouraged young people to shape their own futures. She also managed the Foundation’s operating expenditure and public relations and advertising budgets. Throughout her career, Anna-Kim has worked in several areas of development, such as education, youth empowerment and development, rural regeneration, health safety and security, social entrepreneurship, and advocacy. Through these experiences, she has developed strong competencies such as grant writing for USAID, UNICEF, and UNDP funding, project coordination and implementation, monitoring and evaluation, budget forecast and tracking, marketing and communications, event coordination, and community mobilization.

Host Organization: Heartland Alliance International

 Role at Host Organization: Anna-Kim will support the operational aspects of HAI, including but not limited to: subaward, human resources, budget, and finance management and provide translation or interpretation as needed. She will provide back-end support to ensure quality operations that are on par or better than international standards and best practices.

Elton has four years of cumulative experience in the nonprofit sector and holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in Media and Communication from The University of the West Indies, Mona in Jamaica. Previously, Johnson worked in the Arts providing communication support to numerous fundraisers and initiatives aimed at preserving Jamaica’s arts and culture, and securing scholarships for Jamaica’s next generation of artists. This he achieved over his three years in marketing communications with the Caribbean’s premier arts institution, Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts and the Arts Foundation of Edna Manley College. He has also volunteered extensively in anti-discrimination as a Youth Ambassador for the dynamic Respect Jamaica campaign. Elton’s efforts have been aimed specifically at dismantling gender, class and LGBT discrimination. Simultaneously, he worked as Social Media Consultant with Respect Jamaica, raising awareness of the adverse effects of discrimination on Jamaica’s development using social media tools. With UNICEF Jamaica, he volunteered as a youth advocate with the mandate of increasing youth representation and youth participation in nation building. Elton’s future goals include serving as a global civil servant with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and becoming a documentary filmmaker.

Host Organization: Bread for the City

Role at Host Organization: Elton will participate in departmental meetings and activities respective to their role. He will develop creative content to capture and engage audiences, work directly with clients to help them tell their stories in a variety of mediums, and gain valuable writing, communications, and fundraising experience in a nonprofit setting.

“Maxsalia has six years experience in the nonprofit sector, particularly engaged in activities related to youth development, gender equality, and sexual and reproductive health and rights. She completed her second Master’s degree in International Development at the University of Birmingham in England and also holds a Masters in Clinical Psychology, as well as a Bachelors degree in Psychology and from The University of the West Indies. Maxsalia was most recently employed as a Foreign Service Officer at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade in Jamaica, where her duties included liaising with multiple state and non-state stakeholders, coordinating meetings, preparing reports, briefs, statements and position papers on a wide variety of development issues. Furthermore, Maxsalia is passionate about youth and women’s empowerment and has extensive advocacy experience as part of local, regional and international nonprofit networks such as the International Women’s Health Coalition (IWHC), Advocates for Youth (AFY), and Development Alternatives with Women for a New Era (DAWN). Through these experiences, Maxsalia has developed strong coordination, interpersonal, research, and communication skills.”

Host Organization: Council on Foundations

Role at Host Organization: Maxsalia will work closely with the Council’s Global Philanthropy Director in growing a portfolio of internationally focused programming for the Council on Foundations, including supporting ongoing resource development for expanded global activities. She will also help research and write about trends in international philanthropy and develop marketing and communications strategies and support the Council’s advocacy activities on global regulation of cross-border grantmaking.