18^th Caribbean Media Exchange on Sustainable Tourism

December 3-7, 2009
Coco Palm Conference Centre
Rodney Bay Village
Saint Lucia, West Indies
Telephone: + 1 758 456-2800

"Multicultural Marketing: A Climate for Change"

Day 1 – Thursday, December 3

ARRIVALS (ALL DAY)

8:00 p.m. – 10:00 p.m. – CMEx WELCOME RECEPTION (Cap Maison)

Welcome – Ross Stevenson, General Manager, Cap Maison; Dr. Basil Springer, Board Member, Caribbean Media Exchange

Dinner at Leisure

DAY 2 – Friday, December 4

7:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. Breakfast at Host Hotels

9.00 a.m. CMEx OPENING SESSION (Coco Palm Conference Centre)

Invocation

Tribute to Andria Hall

Opening Remarks: Lelei LeLaulu, Vice President, Caribbean Media Exchange

OPENING PRESS CONFERENCE: STATE OF CARIBBEAN TOURISM

PANELISTS: Terestella González Denton, Partner, CaribbeanRound; Fernando William, Chairman, Winair; Cuthbert Didier, Saint Lucia Tourist Board/ Consultant, IGY Rodney Bay Marina

REVERSE PRESS CONFERENCE (Tourism Industry Officials Pose Questions to the Media)

Clive Bacchus, WINN FM

Donn Bobb, United Nations Radio

10:15 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. – Coffee Break (Sponsored By Ti Bananne Caribbean Bistro and Bar)

10:45 a.m. – 11:15 a.m. – FIRST SESSION: CLIMATE CHANGE  – Supported by The Caribbean Catastrophe Risk Insurance Facility

11:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. – SECOND SESSION – MULTI-CULTURAL MARKETING

Overview: Malika Harrison - New York University

Caribbean Diaspora: Simon Khan, President, Antilia

US Hispanic Market: Nelly Cruz, Nelly Cruz and Associates

12:15 p.m. – 12:30 p.m.

RESILIENCE TO THREAT OF GLOBAL RECESSION

Presentation: Dr. Basil Springer, Caribbean Business Enterprise Trust (CBET)

12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.

ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS WITH DR. BASIL SPRINGER

The Environment, Climate Change, Renewable Energy, The Economy, Special Markets, The Youth

1:30 p.m. – 2.45 p.m. – LUNCH PRESENTATION (Coco Palm Conference Centre - Sponsored by Ti Bananne Caribbean Bistro and Bar)

Introduction: Feolla Chastanet, Managing Director, Coco Palm

Agenda Building and Agenda Setting – PR/Media Synergies During a Crisis: Lisa Ann Joseph, Managing Director, Reputation Management Caribbean Ltd

Afternoon Break

6:00 p.m. Cocktails and Dinner at Rendezvous (Sponsored by Sunswept Resorts)

Gros Islet and Rodney Bay Village "Night Lime" Optional

Day 3 – Saturday, December 5

7:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. Breakfast at Host Hotels

9:30 a.m. – 4:00 p.m.

Tours of Soufrière via Carnival Sailing Catamaran

Lunch at Anse Chastanet Resort/ Jade Mountain (Sponsored by Anse Chastanet Resort and Jade Mountain)

Remarks by Senator Allen Chastanet, Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation, Saint Lucia

Evening at Leisure

Day 4 – Sunday, December 6, 2009

7:00 a.m. – 8:00 a.m. Breakfast at Host Hotels

SUNDAY MORNING SESSION (Coco Palm Conference Centre)

9:00 a.m. Invocation

9:10 a.m. Greetings from Tourism Development Company of Trinidad and Tobago

A CLIMATE FRIENDLY CARIBBEAN

Introduction:  Ian Williams, Author/ Writer

Presentation: Charles Kao, Chairman, TravelMole Media Group

10:15 a.m. – 10:45 a.m. – Coffee Break (Sponsored By Ti Bananne Caribbean Bistro and Bar)

10:45 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. – FIRST SESSION:

Corporate Social Responsibility and the Media: McHale Andrew, Executive Vice President, Saint Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association

Encounters with Wildlife - Enhancing Sustainability and Visitor Satisfaction: Dr. Robin Andersen, Professor, Environmental Studies, Fordham University; Dr.

Dr. Christina Colon, Author, Frommer’s Caribbean Guide/ Department of Biological Sciences, Kingsborough Community College, City University of New York

11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. – SECOND SESSION

CHIC COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGIES

Communications: Johnson Johnrose, Communications Officer, Caribbean Tourism Organization

Public Relations: Karen Taylor Bass, PR Expert – TaylorMade Media

Image and Style: Patrice Da Costa, President, Stoosh Images

High Definition Television: Nancy Gilligan, President, The Barefoot Agency; Clayton Sizemore, Operations Manager, CNN

12:30 p.m. – 1:30 p.m.

ROUNDTABLE DISCUSSIONS WITH DR. BASIL SPRINGER

The State of CMEx, Technology, The Youth (Next General Perspectives), Public Relations

1:30 p.m. – 2.45 p.m. – LUNCH PRESENTATION (Bay Gardens Hotel - Sponsored by Bay Gardens Resorts)

Welcome: Waltrude Patrick, Bay Gardens Resorts

Introduction: Lelei LeLaulu, Vice President, Caribbean Media Exchange

Presentation: Dr. Noel Brown, President, Friends of the United Nations

Afternoon Break

7:30 p.m. – DINNER AWARDS AND TALENT SHOW (Sandals Grande St. Lucian - Sponsored by Sandals Resorts)

Exhibitions by Stephen Paul's Photographic Images and Kamille Huggins' Max Micoud Designs

Host: Gail Moaney, Executive Vice President, Ruder Finn

McHale Andrew
McHale Andrew is a Saint Lucian economist and Executive Vice President of the Saint Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association. He was, from March 2005 to March 2008, the Research and Development Adviser on the Caribbean Regional Sustainable Tourism Development Programme (CRSTDP), which was funded by the European Union (EU) and based at the Caribbean Tourism Organisation (CTO) in Barbados. He is also a former Director of External Relations at the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank (ECCB) as well as a past Permanent Secretary in St. Lucia’s Ministry of Tourism. McHale holds a Bachelor's degree in Economics & Law from the University of the West Indies and a Master's degree in Economics, Law & Policymaking from the London School of Economics, University of London. His major projects as an independent consultant include a University of the West Indies/ IDRC competition policy analysis of six selected Caribbean countries; the design of a USAID funded Caribbean trade policy project; an IMF/CARTAC Tourism Statistics Development project for seven (7) OECS countries;  a tourism policy development workshop and related tourism master plan development proposal  for the South Pacific region; and an economic impact assessment of 10 approved tourism projects in Anguilla. He has also conducted business plans for a number of small- and medium-sized enterprises in St. Lucia.

Clive Bacchus

Clive Bacchus is the Managing Director/EIC of WINN FM 98.9 on St. Kitts and Nevis and a freelance journalist with the BBC and AP. He is president of the Media Association of St. Kitts and Nevis, a member of the St. Kitts and Nevis National Advisory Council on

HIV/ AIDS and past president of the Rotary Club of Liamuiga. Clive also is a member of the National Crime Task Force and a former member of the St. Kitts and Nevis Electoral Reform Consultative Committee.

Jerry Blenman
Jerry Blenman, Founder and Managing Director of Calidad Investment & Financial Services Inc., is an experienced banker and financial analyst. He holds a Master's Degree in Financial Services Management from the University of Surrey, London, a diploma in Credit Union Management from the University of Wisconsin, USA and is a Fellow of the Life Management Institute. His technical skills, knowledge and wealth of experience in financial planning, diagnostic audit reviews and management together with his vast exposure to strategy formation, benchmarking and performance management has positioned him to be a key contributor to institutional strengthening efforts in the Caribbean region. His wealth of experience spans the leading banking, insurance and credit union institutions in Barbados. Jerry, a member of the Barbados Sustainable Finance Taskforce, is also originator of the CFin Model™  –  a scorecard-based business management solution focused on organizational efficiency and sustainable development through the integration of strategy, finance and human capital. 

Marsha Branch

Marsha Branch is the owner of Avant-Garde Media, which brings new and interesting programming to Barbados, the Caribbean and the world. Marsha began her media career as an announcer at 17 after completing an internship at the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation’s then Liberty FM. From there she moved to the newsroom as a reporter, then producer and finally news anchor at the age of 21. After completing a double major in Sociology and Psychology at the University of the West Indies in Barbados, she moved to London in 2001 and graduated a year later with a Master’s in Television Journalism. While in London she also worked as a BBC producer and presenter. Projects pursued by Avant-Garde Media have a nation and/or character building element. Part of the proceeds of all shows produced by Avant-Garde Media is donated to charity.

Ivan Cairo

Suriname’s Ivan Cairo is a senior journalist at de Ware Tijd newspaper which he joined in February 2002 after working for De West newspaper. He began his career at De West in October 1995 were he received his original training and subsequently became president of the Surinamese Association of Journalists in 1999. A co-founder of the Association of Caribbean Media Workers, Ivan has covered numerous regional political, economic and social events, including CARICOM summits, the Summit of the Americas and CARIFESTA. His works have been published in Surinam Airways’ in-flight magazine, Sabaku. Ivan is also the Suriname correspondent for the Caribbean Media Corporation, Caribbean Net News, Reporters Without Borders and Caribbean Maritime. During his career, assignments took him to most countries within the Caribbean, China, Taiwan, the United States and Chile. He frequently appears on local radio and television talk shows as a panelist. He has started writing about the environment, tourism and climate change-related issues due to the increasing significance of these topics to Suriname.

Senator Allen Chastanet
Allen Chastanet is St. Lucia's Minister of Tourism and Civil Aviation. He has served as President of the St. Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association. Named Travel Agent Magazine’s “Caribbean Destination Person of the Year” in 2001, Senator Chastanet has earned a strong reputation in all aspects and sectors of tourism in the Caribbean due to roles as St Lucia’s Director of Tourism, Air Jamaica’s Vice President for Marketing and Sales, and hands-on experience as Marketing Manager for Island Resorts and most recently as Managing Director of Coco Resorts. Senator Chastanet holds a BA from Bishops University in Quebec and an MA from American University in Washington D.C, both in economics.

Feolla Chastanet
Celebrating 21 years in the travel industry, Feolla Chastanet returned to St. Lucia in 2007 to assume the position of managing director of Coco Palm. After graduating from Manhattanville College in New York in 1986, Feolla has held several senior positions with the St. Lucia Tourist Board in North America and Europe, Windjammer Landing Villa Beach Resort, World Travel & Tourism Council and Brighter PR in the UK. With specialty training in the Asian art of Feng Shui, Feolla enjoys anticipating and responding to the needs of Coco Palm’s guests. Feolla holds a Masters of Science degree from the University of Surrey in tourism marketing.

Makedah Coke
Makedah Coke is a 17-year old photographer from Canada. Born and raised in Toronto, Canada to West Indian parents, Makedah has learned a lot about the Caribbean culture and has participated in numerous Caribbean initiatives in Toronto schools and in the community. She developed a passion for photography three years ago and has spent her time off from school traveling abroad and capturing the life and culture of people in Canada, the Caribbean, the United States and most recently, in Europe. Makedah is very passionate about the global economy and wishes to pursue her post-secondary education in Financial Business at the University of Concordia in Montreal, Canada. With her strong interest in business, photography and travelling, Makedah hopes to make a difference in helping to sustain tourism in the Caribbean.

Josue Cruz Morales
Josue Cruz Morales is a 4.0 pre-law senior in the Top 5 at the University of Puerto Rico, Carolina. He plans to attend Howard University Law School in Washington D.C. and aspires to become the Mayor of Vieques. A founding member of the Vieques Youth Leadership Initiative (VYLI), Josue is VYLI’s bi-lingual spokesperson at events and conferences in San Juan, Tortola, Boston and Washington D.C. He created his own Community Radio Show with Radio Puerto Rico 740 AM; contributed to VYLI’s 2020 Report on Sustainable Development; and is a founder and youth board member of Vieques Green Community, a 500-acre project with 300 low income families. www.vyli.com

Nelly Cruz

Nelly V. Cruz is a Public Relations Consultant specializing in the areas of travel, tourism, lifestyle and culture. She created her own practice in 2007 after a successful career in both the public and the private sectors. For six years, Nelly served as Public Relations Director for the Puerto Rico Tourism Company (PRTC). She oversaw international public relations and was instrumental in elevating the destination’s profile with the media by emphasizing the island’s unique attributes. Prior to working with PRTC, Nelly served as Public Relations and Special Events Manager at Macy’s and Borders. Nelly holds a B.A. in Political Science from the University of Puerto Rico, an M.A. in Latin American and Caribbean Studies and a Graduate Certificate in Archives Management both from New York University. Prior to her career in public relations, Nelly was a successful Archivist, specializing in historic preservation, and contributed her talents to various Archives in New York and Puerto Rico.

Patrice Da Costa
Patrice Da Costa started her company Stoosh Images Inc., in July 2005. The name “Stoosh” is inspired by her Jamaican heritage, which means “elegant, sophisticated and nice.” She works with both private and corporate clients in the areas of Color Analysis, Wardrobe and Style Analysis, Personal Shopping, Closet Clearing, and Etiquette. She has worked with many Caribbean corporations, television stations and private clients. Her experience as a stylist was most recently evident at the 2008 US Virgin Islands Fashion Week where she served as lead stylist. Trained by Dominique Isbecque, an internationally renowned image consultant at the Image Resource Center in New York, Patrice is committed to the image industry. She earned a Professional Diploma in Fashion Merchandising from Professional Career Development Institute in Atlanta. A graduate of Barbizon Modelling School. Patrice is also a member of Nassau Women Owned Business Enterprise and the Association of Image Consultants International (AICI). Patrice holds a Master of Science degree in Information Technology and Marketing from the University of Salford in Manchester, England. She also holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Administrative Management from the University of Technology, Kingston, Jamaica.

Eli Dagostino
Eli Dagostino is a freshman at Martha’s Vineyard Regional High School. He is an intern with the Stone Soup Leadership Institute working with the Martha’s Vineyard Community Television (MV-TV) to edit videos on the Institute’s youth leadership initiatives; feature them on MV-TV, and upload them to the Institute’s YouTube channel. An actor, he has performed in numerous plays in New York City and the Vineyard as well as on Blues Clues and Saturday Night Live.

Khady Gadiaga
Khady Gadiaga is the marketing director of FESMAN (World festival of Black Arts) which  will be held in December 2010 in Senegal. A graduate of Liverpool Polytechnic Business School, she is specialized in strategic marketing and organisational communication. She’s also owner and managing director of Futura Communication Inc, which gathers a pool of competences to advise clients on all aspects of communication and organisation management. She’s also associate editor of “Afriklive.com,” the first Pan African online magazine, edited in 35 languages, and collaborator of “Emergence Plus Magazine” where she is in charge of the cultural desk. She speaks English, French, German, Wolof and Fulani fluently. She likes travelling and is able to work in a heavy pressured environment.

Terestella González Denton
Terestella González Denton has an extensive background in economic and tourism development in both public and private sectors. She held the position of Executive Director of the Puerto Rico Tourism Company (PRTC) from 2005 to 2008. Under her tenure González Denton excelled as a leader of the travel and hospitality industry by advancing a five point strategy to enhance the quality of all sectors of the industry by developing sustainable programs, and defining and implementing public policies to elevate Puerto Rico’s profile as an optimal hub for tourism investment and significant development projects. She has been a major advocate of the One Caribbean vision during her time at the Puerto Rico’s State Department through the Caribbean Basin Initiative and most recently through her participation with the Caribbean Tourism Organization.  Among her many local and international accolades, she was recognized by Travel Weekly Magazine in 2007 as one of the 33 most influential persons in the global travel and tourism industry. Terestella holds a Juris Doctor Degree from the Inter American University of Puerto Rico as well as a Degree in International Affairs thanks to a fellowship granted by the Government of Spain after attending the Diplomacy School of the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Marita Greenidge
Marita Greenidge lives by the mantra aut viam inveniam aut faciam – I will find a way or make one. An entrepreneur at heart with a passion for marketing, she founded the Barbadian-based management consulting firm Crimson-Jade Consulting. The firm specializes in strategic and quantitative marketing, developing marketing strategies that lead to bottom line results. Marita holds a BSc. in Economics & Management (First Class Honours) from University of the West Indies in Barbados and an MBA in Marketing & Entrepreneurship from Simon Graduate School of Business, University of Rochester. She is a part-time tutor in the Economics Department at the University of the West Indies at Cave Hill and enjoys working out at the gym, hiking and reading about entrepreneurship & marketing. She strongly believes in living life to its fullest.

Elhadji Abdoul Aziz Gueye
Elhadji Abdoul Aziz Gueye is the Director of the Atlanta-based Senegal Government Tourist Office for North America. At the Ministry of Tourism in his home country where he had been serving since the late 1970s, he filled the positions of Director of Department of Marketing & Promotion, Director of Investments, Senior Technical Advisor to the Minister of Tourism, Auditor of Administrative/Financial issues, among others. Aziz was educated in Dakar, Senegal and in Southern France. He received a Master of Arts’ degree from Cheikh Anta Dio University, and two post graduate diplomas in Tourism Economics and in Zoning from the Academy of Aix-Marseilles.

Malika Harrison
Born to Jamaican parents, Malika Harrison graduated magna cum laude from Florida A & M University with a Bachelor’s in Journalism in 2006. A full-time student, Malika is pursuing a Masters of Science in Public Relations and Corporate Communications at New York University (NYU). She is writing her thesis on cross-cultural communications and the impact public relations has on the nonprofit sector in the Caribbean. As evidenced by countless hours of community service, memberships in community organizations, and a dedication to public relations, she plans to begin her career in the nonprofit sector, with long-term sights on advancing to an international level. Malika serves on the executive board of NYU’s PR League. She is also an AmeriCorps volunteer, member of the National Council of Negro Women, Inc., and mentor with Blue Nile Passage, Inc. Malika has travelled extensively throughout the Caribbean and Europe.

Mabel Hall
Mabel Hall is a retired former educator. After serving as high school guidance counselor for more than 20 years, she resides in Somerset, New Jersey where she has done some voluntary service in a local nursing home. She enjoys travel, reading (especially Biblical works), scrapbooking and writing. Currently she is writing her family history so the younger family members and generations to come will be informed of their ancestral background.

Edgar Henry
Guyanese American entrepreneur Edgar Henry has lived in New York for more than 30 years. He had a 12 year association with a Greek shipping company Hellenic Lines, servicing the Red Sea, Middle East, East Africa and Pakistan. Operating successfully as a Licensed Real Estate Broker in New York, he also ventured into the Optical industry, serving the Caribbean community at ENG Caribbean Vision Center in Brooklyn. Aware of the importance of communication systems to the Caribbean American community, he established Sterling Communications Network in 1993, broadcasting “Calling the Caribbean” on WNJR Radio, 1430 AM. Since 2003 he has been part owner of the popular Caribbean Diaspora newspaper, Caribbean Impact, where he contributes two articles in every issue. Edgar is also involved in community and philanthropic activities. He is currently the President of the Flatbush Avenue Business Improvement District, a position he has held for the past 10 years.

Iris Ho
Born and raised in Taipei, Taiwan, Iris Ho is currently the Communications Manager for an international, Washington-headquartered Taiwan advocacy organization. She is a specialist in international relations, congressional advocacy and U.S. foreign policy. She is regularly consulted by U.S. Congress regarding U.S. policy towards Taiwan. Her advocacy efforts focus on drafting, promoting and passing legislation bills that seek to strengthen U.S.-Taiwan relations. She also manages her organization's online advocacy campaigns, and oversees her organization's Young Professional Group and the group's social networking outreach. During leisure time, she enjoys volunteering for causes such as mailing care packages to U.S. soldiers in Afghanistan, researching and writing grant proposals for a humanitarian relief, non-profit organization, and helping Taiwanese NGOs gain greater international visibility. She looks forward to her first CMEx conference.

Doug Hoyte
Doug Hoyte is Director of Corporate Communications at Almond Resorts in Barbados and St. Lucia. He formed PRM Image Media Consultants several years ago and has provided services to a variety of international, regional and local organizations. He is an Emmy award-winning journalist who has been Director of Communications and Press Secretary for the former Governor of Florida, Robert Martinez. He is a former anchor/political reporter with WTSP-TV, the ABC affiliate in Tampa, Florida, and News Director of WTOG-TV, St. Petersburg, Florida. Doug began his career in Barbados as a reporter and then as a Reuters correspondent before emigrating to the US. Back in the Caribbean, he became executive producer/anchor with the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation.

Kimran Jean Jacques
Kimran Jean Jacques, aged 20, is from the Nature Isle of the Caribbean, Dominica. He graduated from the Dominica Grammar School in 2006 with passes in seven CXC general proficiency certificates and then attended the Dominica State College where he is pursuing an Associate Degree in Electrical Engineering Technology. He has already received a diploma of distinction there. Blessed with the ability to play the keyboards, he loves playing music. Kimran is very actively involved in youth ministries and clubs. He is the youth vice president at the Deliverence Baptist Church, a member of the drama ministry, plays for two sports clubs at national level in football and cricket, and is the sports coordinator for Generation of Opportunites.

Johnson JohnRose

Johnson JohnRose is the Communications Officer for the Caribbean Tourism Organization, where he started as a consultant in 2002 before joining the organisation in January 2003 as a full time member of staff. A highly-respected, award-winning journalist with over 25 years' experience, Johnson has written extensively on Caribbean tourism and issues that impact on the industry in the region, as well as on journalism and reporting in general, and has lectured to both tertiary school students and industry professionals.

Margot Jordan

Margot Jordan is one of the most creative personalities of our time. As a professional photographer, she has been able to capture many historic and cultural events around the world: The U.S. Open, The Essence Music Festival, Inaugural Celebrations for President Barack Obama, countless galas and award shows, conventions and conferences. Born and raised in New York City, Margot has worked in television radio and print and film.  An extensive publicity campaign launched by Margot became one of the most notable holiday stories of the 2001 Christmas holiday season. The media got to meet Mac Neil Jordan speaking about his 1920's voyage from Barbados to New York's Ellis Island. Today, Margot is in demand as an event photographer and, she plans to release several books based on her diverse body of work. She says "it's a win win situation to help promote my favorite things: philanthropic organizations; music, and the Caribbean."

Lisa-Ann Joseph
Lisa-Ann Joseph is the Managing Director of Reputation Management Caribbean Ltd. – a Public Relations and Crisis Communications Agency based in Trinidad and Tobago which serves the Caribbean. Lisa-Ann has more than 18 years’ experience in developing, managing  and implementing public relations and crisis communications programmes for multinational, regional and local companies  within the energy, retail, manufacturing and financial sectors. She has also served as Communications Manager for BP Trinidad and Tobago, Public Affairs Manager for the Caribbean for Coca-Cola, Group Public Relations Manager for TCL Group of Companies, Public Relations Manager for First Citizens Bank and Marketing Consultant to the Fifth Summit of the Americas 2009 and the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) 2009.

Stefan Keyes
Stefan Keyes received his Bachelor’s of Journalism degree from Carleton University. Stefan acts, sings, and dances, performing in more than 15 plays. He has worked professionally as an actor, doing animation voices for the Toronto SickKids hospital, and industrial videos for companies such as Cognos and Alcatel. He has mentored youth as a volunteer theatre coach at the Ottawa Church of God, was the author and performer of a spoken word piece for CBC radio Outfront, and is now a reporter with CTV News. His time as a journalist has brought him to cover municipal politics, fatal fires and collisions, and regional tourism features.

Charles Kao
Over the past 30 years, Charles Kao has served as CEO and/or Chairman of several travel and tour companies in the U.S., Europe and the Orient. Since 1988,
he has had interests in various software development companies focused on
the technology needs of tour companies, hotels, airlines, and destinations,
which evolved into eCommerce in more than 20 countries since the mid-90s. He has been the Group Chairman of the TravelMole Media Group since 2001. In recent years, Charlie has been immersed in the green economy and innovation for
sustainable development.

Simon Khan
Simon Khan, a New York-based Trinidadian, is the chief executive officer of Antilia, a Caribbean entertainment brand dedicated to the global promotion of Caribbean culture, entertainment and tourism, including Trinidad and Tobago's Carnival celebration. The company began in 2007 as a nexus between Caribbean elegance and New York style, allowing U.S. citizens, overseas-based Caribbean nationals and the media to experience the integration of cultures through visionary special event productions in New York City. The company continues to promote the most prestigious and upscale elements of Caribbean culture such as Caribbean art, music, fashion, spirits and liqueurs, fine dining and sought after festivals, both within and outside the region. Antilia has offices in New York City and in Port-of-Spain, Trinidad. Simon holds a Bachelor’s (Honors) Degree in Marketing from Brunel University (UK) and a Master’s Degree from New York University (USA). His background also includes artist management and executive music production, and he recently founded Indigo Music, a Caribbean music distribution and licensing company that has partnered with The Orchard, the world’s largest digital music marketer and distributor – to further the online reach of Caribbean music throughout the world. Simon also is a director and shareholder of Today’s Optical Ltd., a leading optical retail chain in Trinidad &Tobago, where he oversees purchasing and marketing processes for the company's designer eye wear.

Dr. Kristin Lamoureux
Dr. Kristin Lamoureux is the Director of the International Institute of Tourism Studies at the George Washington University, specializing in destination management, volunteer tourism, sustainable and niche tourism development. Currently, her duties include the oversight of all of the Institute’s activities including the Professional Education Program and all grants/contracts such as the Global Sustainable Tourism Alliance. Dr. Lamoureux has served as a consultant for USAID, the World Bank, the UN World Tourism Organization, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the Ecotourism Society, and Conservation International, among others. Dr. Lamoureux has an A.S. from La Universidad Catolica del Ecuador, a B.S. from Johnson and Wales University in Rhode Island, a M.T.A. (Master of Tourism Administration) and a Ph.D. in Business Administration with a focus on Strategic Management and Sustainable Tourism from The George Washington University in Washington, DC. She has recently been quoted in several articles pertaining to her work in volunteer tourism, including stories appearing Time Magazine, Condé Nast Traveler, The Globe and Mail, CNN.com and the Washington Times.

Marianne Larned

Marianne Larned is the founding director of the Stone Soup Leadership Institute, an international education NGO that develops educational curricula, and provides training and technical assistance. She is the author of the Institute’s educational curriculum Stone Soup for the World: Life-Changing Stories of Everyday Heroes which has been used in 120 communities to prepare the next generation of leaders to address the economic, environmental and social challenges of the 21st century. Founded on the island of Martha's Vineyard, the Institute worked in the Caribbean for five years – first with the

Institute’s demonstration project: Vieques Youth Leadership Initiative (VYLI.com) that culminated with a 2020 Report on the youth vision for the future of their island. The Virgin Gorda Youth Leadership Initiative is a two year program that has held a Youth Summit for Sustainable Development www.vgyli.org. The Institute is collaborating with the Martha's Vineyard Community Television to launch its Global Technology Initiative with a Tribute to Walter Cronkite and its YouTube station: stonesoupleaderinst.

Lelei LeLaulu
Lelei LeLaulu is a development entrepreneur working at the confluences of climate change, tourism, food security and renewable energy.  A founding director of the World Tourism Forum for Peace and Sustainable Development in Brazil, Lelei is also co-chairman of the Innovations for Sustainable Development Centre and President of Sustainable Solutions, the renewable energy company in the Dominican Republic.
Coordinator of the Oceania Sustainable Tourism Alliance, Lelei is also president of the Island Nations Climate and Oceans Program of the Earth Council, vice president of the Caribbean Media Exchange (CMEx) and chairman of the Foundation of the Peoples of the South Pacific (FSPI), the largest NGO network in Oceania.  As president of the development and humanitarian agency Counterpart International, Lelei worked with the Global Sustainable Tourism Alliance to set up community benefit tourism projects in Ethiopia, Mali, Ecuador, Dominican Republic and the Adriatic. He also set up the Mundo Maya Sustainable Tourism project with the Inter-American Development Bank in Guatemala, El Salvador, Honduras, Mexico and Belize. A former foreign correspondent in Asia, Africa and the Middle East for several media houses, Lelei was a contributor to CNN World Report from the United Nations, where he produced multi-regional radio shows, edited UN Report, UN Secretariat News, and hosted "One World One Voice" on PBS TV, Lelei also served on the team which reformed the United Nations and the way it handles communications.  Lelei serves on many boards and advisory groups including as chairman of the Leadership Council of the George Washington University School of Business, Applied Brilliance, Counterpart Caribbean, National Cancer Coalition and the South Eastern European Film Festival. He also is an advisor to National Geographic's Geotourism initiative.

Beverly Lewis
Grenadian Beverly Lewis is the News Editor/Producer at V.I Broadcasting in the British Virgin Islands and a stringer for the Caribbean Media Corporation, CMC. Her training includes communication courses in news presentation, writing features, writing news stories and interviewing techniques at UWI Mona Campus and Thompson Foundation London. Her areas of coverage include Health, Tourism, Court Stories, Environmental Issues and Politics. Interests are Human Rights, Climate Change, Globalisation and Trade matters. She has been a journalist for the past 12 years, eight of which she worked as a reporter/news anchor and Producer at Grenada Broadcasting Network.

Pete Mansel

H. Peter Mansel is president and cofounder of 4P Group, Inc. a marketing and business planning firm based in the Atlanta, Georgia, area. He has 30 years of telecommunications operations, marketing, strategic planning and sales experience at senior executive level positions. He has developed business plans for domestic U.S. and Caribbean clients. Some of the major Caribbean plans include Barbados Photovoltaic Module Assembly Plant, Caribbean Media and Communication Services, Ltd., Barbados Sugar Cane Industry Development, Inc., West Indian Sea Island Cotton Strategic Alliance, Hit-for-

Six film, Wentworx Spices, Native Sun NRG Bio-diesel Plant and Rapsodee Gourmet Island Spices. Pete holds a B.B.A. from Adelphi University and an M.B.A. from Pace University in New York.

Gail Moaney, APR

Gail Moaney is executive vice president and director of Ruder Finn’s travel and economic development practice. Gail has 20 years of experience in agency and corporate public relations and in broadcasting, implementing communications programs for destinations, transportation companies, hotels and resorts, and economic development entities worldwide. She has also served as chief of communications for the State of Ohio Department of Economic Development, managing radio, television and print communications for international trade, science and technology, business development and tourism. An accredited member of the Public Relations Society of America (PRSA), Gail has been a member of the board of PRSA NY since 1995. She also sits on the boards of the American Foundation for the University of the West Indies Partnership, Caribbean Media Exchange, Counterpart International, New York Urban League and Opportunities Industrialization Centers of America. Gail is an Adjunct Professor at New York University.

Colin Moore
Shakespeare once wrote that “all the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely actors. And one man in his time plays many parts.” Colin Moore has been a versatile and multi-dimensional actor “who has played many parts.” He has been a community activist, attorney-at-law, political candidate, adjunct professor, radio commentator, minister of religion, freelance columnist and editor-in-chief. He has been a legal practitioner in New York City who has litigated many high profile cases – The Central Park Jogger case, The Gavin Cato case, and Colin Ferguson case. He has litigated more police brutality cases than any other attorney in New York City. He ran for political office in the 45^th councilmanic district in 1991 and 1993. He has been a political commentator on the following radio stations – WNYE, WLIB, WBLS and WWRL. He has been a freelance columnist for the following publications –  New York Amsterdam News, Carib News, Daily Challenge and City Sun. He is presently the editor-in-chief of the Caribbean American Weekly and The Immigrant Journal where he writes the bi-weekly editorials and opinion pieces. He has been an adjunct professor at Rutgers University and Brooklyn College where he has taught courses in political science and constitutional law. He has received more than 20 community awards from organizations as diverse as Sesame Flyers, Medgar Evers College, Caribbean American Chamber of Commerce and Industry and Guyana Tri-State Alliance. He has written several articles on Sustainable Tourism in the Caribbean, including “Sustainable Tourism in Puerto Rico – and the struggle between the old and new Puerto Rico,” and “St. Lucia on the brink of the Tourism Revolution.”

Sarah Munn
Sarah Munn is a 16year-old Canadian writer. Born on the Pacific island of Palau, she spent the first 12 years of her life living in Micronesia. At the age of nine, “something clicked”, she says, “And I knew I wanted to write”. Currently, she resides in St. Lucia, West Indies where she is attending the International School in St. Lucia. She writes in the local newspapers on a wide range of topics. Sarah is eager to broaden her writing horizons and plans to attend the University of British Columbia in Canada. She wants to pursue a career in journalism and eventually make her living from writing her own books. Her interests include reading, writing, and not arithmetic! Sarah is also very environmentally-conscious, and hopes to use her craft as a tool to help stop global warming. This is her third CMEx conference.

Zodet Negrón 
Zodet Negrón is a journalist and business reporter for the Puerto Rico Daily Sun. As a reporter, she has covered such beats as tourism, retail and telecommunications. She has contributed to several business publications and the tourism magazine Bienvenidos. She graduated from the University of Puerto Rico with a Master's in Translation while working as a translator for The San Juan Star. A Puerto Rico native born in Brazil, Zodet grew up in Ponce and has made San Juan her home since 1996.

Deborah Patton
Deborah Patton is Executive Director of Applied Brilliance LLC, a thought-leadership advisory group that promotes creativity and innovation.  It uses an original holistic approach that reveals important emerging trends and critical shifts in our global culture that impact how we live, work and play. She has spent her entire career as a leader in strategic marketing and communications, including marketing planning, advertising, brand positioning, creative services and communications. She has had in-depth experience in the travel, luxury, entertainment, media amd marketing, teen, menswear, shelter, bridal, packaged goods and pop culture markets. Deborah has helped top media brands manage tumultuous change in the marketplace. She has revitalized traditional brands, re-launched media businesses and created new brand identities for established media organizations. She holds a dual B.A. degree in Art History and French from Pitzer College with international studies at l’Ecole de Louvre in Paris. She lives in New York City with her husband, Jon, and their two sons, Max and Sam.

Berthia Parle, MBE

Berthia Parle is the former President and Chair of the Caribbean Hotel Association, (the first female President in the history of CHA), Caribbean Hotelier of the Year 2002/2003, as well as the first inductee into Saint Lucia’s Tourism Hall of Fame. Mrs. Parle was a SLHTA Crystal Award Winner, 1998 and Saint Lucia Hotelier of the year, 1999. Mrs. Parle is the General Manager of the newly opened 4-star Bay Gardens Beach Resort, located on famous Reduit Beach, Saint Lucia. She has previously served as President of the Saint Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association (SLHTA), Director of the Saint Lucia Development Bank, Deputy Chairperson of the Board’s Marketing Committee, Chairperson of the Caribbean Hotel Association Advocacy Committee, and held the 4^th and 1^st Vice Presidency of the Caribbean Hotel Association (CHA). Mrs. Parle is currently serves as a member of the Saint Lucia Tourist Board. In June 2004, Mrs. Parle was awarded the honor of Member of the Order of the British Empire, MBE, on the birthday of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II of England. Berthia is married to John Anthony Parle, a fellow Irish Hotelier. They have one son.

Felicia Persaud
Felicia Persaud is publisher of the US-based Caribbean World News Network, a multi-media syndicated news service that focuses largely on the Caribbean Diaspora. Felicia also is CEO of the minority-certified PR and advertising agency, Hard Beat Communications, Inc., and founder of CARIB ID, the campaign to get Caribbean nationals their own category on the US Census Form. Felicia recently advocated for and secured a congressional and senate bill that calls for an ancestry identify category for Caribbean nationals to be added to the US Census Form. Her column, Immigration Korner, appears in several newspapers, including The New York Amsterdam News. She is the winner of a New York Association of Black Journalists Award, two Independent Press Association Awards for excellence in writing and several community proclamations and awards.

Nancy Gilligan
From the frenzy of Wall Street to secluded Caribbean getaways, Nancy Gilligan has been on the pulse of international news and intimate family dramas, managed promotion for global corporations and created television for a child’s mind. Her work has been broadcast on CBS, FOX News, PBS, USA Networks, CNBC, MTV and VH1, to name a few, and has received wide recognition, including eight Telly and six Crystal Communicator awards. She’s also been nominated for a Cable Ace and was a finalist at the Cannes Film Festival. Currently, Nancy heads the dynamic team of creative and marketing professionals at Barefoot Agency.

Tracy Pilgrim-George 

Tracy Pilgrim-George has been a secondary school teacher for more than 10 years. She has taught in both public and private institutions in St. Lucia and Boston. Currently she is a teacher at the International School of St. Lucia in Rodney Bay. She has a B.A. from Wellesley College and an M.A. from Middlebury in Spanish. As a trained teacher, she received her teaching diploma from the University of the West Indies at Sir Arthur Lewis Community College and graduated with the award for outstanding teaching practice. In 2006, she was awarded a CARICOM scholarship to study teaching methodology in Santiago, Chile and finished the six week course as one of the top students. She is a Spanish Oral Examiner for the Caribbean Examinations Council (CXC) and A-Level Cambridge exams. She has also helped organize language camps and exchanges for students and teachers. Tracy is an energetic and dynamic teacher who tries to bring out the best in all her students!

Barbara Pyle

Barbara Pyle is a renowned pioneer of environmental television programming. She served as Corporate Vice President of Environmental Policy for the Turner Broadcasting System and CNN's Environment Editor. Throughout her extensive career as executive producer and director, she created the popular 113-episode animated series, Captain Planet and the Planeteers and 55 films covering a range of global issues, which have garnered almost 200 industry awards and eight Emmy nominations. Among them is People Count, a 35-part television series which focuses on remarkable individuals leading the way to create a better future. In 1997, Barbara received the world's most prestigious environmental honor, the United Nations Environment Programme Sasakawa Prize and used the award to establish the Barbara Pyle Foundation. She also founded and directed the Captain Planet Foundation, which provides grants for hands-on environmental projects involving children. Barbara is currently in collaboration with the Kellogg Innovation Network (KIN) on a revolutionary technology transfer initiative that will be the subject of her next film. To empower local people, KIN is also beginning to distribute episodes of the People Count series in rural Africa. Barbara's 1975 photographs of Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band, taken in New Orleans during the Born to Run Tour, are currently on display at SNAP Galleries in Mayfair, London and she is in negotiations for a book deal. She is an Advisory Board Member of Counterpart International and one of many proud sponsors of CMEx.

Kenrick Quashie
Kenrick Quashie is the founder of Plenty Caring Organisation which was launched in 2009, the parent body of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Youth Business Trust. He has held the positions of First Vice President and Public Relations Officer of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ National Youth Council. He is a former student of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Community College and the North Union Secondary, and was Chairman of the National Student Council. He is former champion of the National Public Speaking Competition in 2002 and the Council’s First Independence Debate in 2001. Added to that, Kenrick has represented his nation at the Caribbean Tourism Organisation’s Youth Congress and then carried the title of Junior Minister of Tourism for the year 2003. His motto is “the joy of the Lord is my strength,” and he aspires to be an attorney-at-law and the Prime Minister of his island nation. He is currently pursuing studies at the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, majoring in Political Science with minors in International Relations and Economics. Before moving on to study, he was a Secondary School teacher of Spanish, English and Social Studies and did two years of Law Studies (distance learning) with Holborn College/ University of Huddersfield. 

Ernie Seon

Ernie Seon is considered one of the region’s most accomplished tourism writers, who not only reports on tourism issues, but also has a thorough understanding of the impact of travel and tourism on the region’s economy. A correspondent for both Agence France Press and Agencia EFE (Spanish News Agency), Ernie is a graduate of the University of the West Indies and serves as the St. Lucia Bureau Chief for the Caribbean Media Corporation and editor of the 19-month old St. Lucia Advocate. A journalist for more than 20 years, working in both print and electronic media, he has also served as a correspondent for Voice of America, United Press International and several local and regional media houses, in addition to remaining on the frontline of public relations and promotional activities over the years.

Chase Sizemore
Chase Sizemore is a 16 year-old Junior at Scotch Plains Fanwood High School in Scotch Plains, New Jersey. This highly artistic young man has a passion for Japanese culture, its language and art. He actively studies Kanji, and the Japanese language, and visited Toyko in 2006. A born entrepreneur, his company is called Chase and The Dollar – a service specialty consulting firm. In the future, he intends to study enviornmental studies.

Clayton Sizemore
Clayton Sizemore is currently Manager of Operations for CNN in New York and Vice President of Operations and New Technology for SpeakEasy M.E.D.I.A. Before joining CNN, he worked for New York’s NBC 4 as Manager of Field Operations and Manager of Field Maintenance. Clayton’s record of success in television news management has earned him professional accolades as problem solver, decision-maker, team player, and motivator. In 1998, Clayton won entry into the highly competitive and prestigious Poynter Institute. He also serves as president of the SpeakEasy M.E.D.I.A. Foundation.

Ogo Sow
Ogo Sow, an Africa Travel Association Board Member and Advisor on Diaspora Affairs, is the host of OgoSow.com (previously known as Africavision), the first African talk show in the U.S. The show is a leader in online media and entertainment. Through the power of media, Ogo Sow has created an unparalleled connection with people around the world. His accomplishments as an African television and radio pioneer, producer and publisher have earned him much respect and admiration as a commentator.

Dr. Basil Springer, GCM

Dr. Basil Springer, a Barbadian, is leading the charge, as a change-engine consultant, with the private sector-led Caribbean Business Enterprise Trust Inc. (CBET). He promotes the CBET Shepherding Model™, an enterprise development initiative, to diversify economies in the Caribbean by contributing to the development and growth of what are now called ‘sunrise’ high performance enterprises to replace the fading ‘sunset’ industries. This initiative is characterised by the effective optimal partnership between CBET, the Government and the Private Sector of a sovereign country. The model combines the entrepreneurial opportunity to penetrate global markets, shepherding and quick response seed and venture capital, as the entrepreneur embarks on a journey from business concept to sustainable business success. The prototype of this model is currently being tested in Barbados before it is aggressively promoted in the Caribbean and beyond. At a recent launch of The Barbados Entrepreneurs’ Quick Response Venture Capital Fund (VCF), which is an integral part of this model, the Government pledged the incentive of a government guarantee to local and foreign sophisticated investors in the VCF. He is a CMEx Board Director.

Bevan Springer
Bevan Springer, an award-winning journalist and seasoned public relations professional, is the President of Marketplace Excellence, a full service public relations, marketing and media company. For the past eight years, Bevan has produced CMEx, designed to improve the quality of media coverage of sustainable tourism in the Caribbean. Bevan has worked as a sports reporter with the Barbados Nation and Barbados Advocate newspapers, and has contributed to the Trinidad Guardian, BBC World Service, New York Daily News, 1600 AM WWRL radio and WNBC-TV in New York. As former North American editor of the Barbados Advocate, Bevan spent considerable time covering the United Nations, the tourism industry and events and activities in North America’s Caribbean Diaspora. A former national tennis player of Barbados, he is a member of New York’s Christian Cultural Center, American Federation of Television and Radio Artists, National Association of Black Journalists, United Nations Correspondents Association and is an alumnus of Lester B. Pearson College of the Pacific in British Columbia, Canada – a member of the United World Colleges’ (UWC) network.

Jeremy Stephen

Jeremy Stephen is a business and financial consultant who assists business entities with their business and financial planning strategies through his company, Damoola Inc. A former economist at the Central Bank of Barbados, he graduated with a BSc. Economics (First Class Honours) from the University of the West Indies – Cave Hill Campus, where he received the prestigious Charles M. Kennedy Prize for academic excellence in Economics. A former Commonwealth Scholarship winner in 2006, he completed his MSc. Finance degree from Imperial College Business School in 2007. Thereafter he founded Damoola Inc. in January 2009 with the intention of providing his services to funding agencies, financial companies and subcontracted regional projects from firms such as CBET Inc, BBEC and the CSME. Damoola Inc is primarily held as Jeremy’s holding company for his diverse business interests ranging from asset and portfolio management and investments to quantitative and qualitative research. His specialisation is in financial and economic modeling along with financial and business advisory services. These skills were honed during his stints at the Central Bank of Barbados – where he was responsible for maintaining the Bank’s economic and financial forecasting model – and his highly quantitative Master’s programme at Imperial College London. He is also a part-time tutor at UWI Cave Hill. Jeremy is an active Rotarian and lends his time and expertise to many community development projects.

Marsha St. John
At 21 years old, Marsha Rachel St. John is currently employed in a supervisory position with an engineering company in her native Dominica. She completed a program in Physics at the Dominica State College and prior to that attended a private high school run by the Roman Catholic Church. There, she acquired passes in seven (7) CXC subjects. Throughout her teenage years, she volunteered with and headed many organisations, including Drug-free Peer Helpers Association Zealous under the auspices of the Drug Prevention Unit of the local Government; Red Cross, Duke of Edinburgh Awards Scheme, Girl Guides Association, Roseau Cathedral Alter Servers, the Roseau Public Library Summer Reading Program, Optimist International and Dominica Broadcasting Corporation Summer Camp where she learned the basics in radio broadcasting. She worked as a co-host for a two-hour radio program every week day for eight weeks. Additionally she worked with one of the local television stations where she got the opportunity to understudy media production.

Karen Taylor Bass
Considered one of the premier authorities in the public relations industry, Karen Taylor Bass, has set the standard in providing Branding, Marketing and Public Relations to entrepreneurs and corporations. Her message of public relations as an empowerment tool has appeared in such publications: the prestigious - Entrepreneur magazine, NY Daily News, Marie Claire, Billboard, Heart & Soul, Essence, The Network Journal, Black Enterprise and the Philadelphia Daily News. Also has appeared on the popular morning show – Kiss FM Wake-Up Club (WRKS, NY); The Santita Jackson Show (WVON, Chicago); and, midday drive on WKYS (Philadelphia). Karen has also commented on pop culture on Black Entertainment Television (BET), and respective FOX and ABC affiliates. Karen has empowered, motivated, and coached over 3000 entrepreneurs in 2009. She is a graduate of St. John’s University with a degree in Mass Communications and Business. Recently, Ms. Bass received her certification as a Life and Career Coach. Visit her at www.taylormademediapr.com and www.karentaylorbass.com.

Bobby Vieira Franklin
“Bobby” Vieira is Vice President of One Caribbean Radio 97.9FM-HD2 in New York. He also serves as Executive Director of "We Are The Caribbean Media Service" (an internet-based news and information service) and is President/CEO of Caribbean Cargo & Package Services at the JFK Airport in New York. Bobby, who is also a correspondent for a number of radio stations in the Caribbean, has attended numerous tourism conferences in an effort to spread the word about the challenges facing the industry today. Bobby Vieira was recently nominated to be accepted as a member of the House Radio-Television Gallery, one of three press rooms or "galleries" serving as newsrooms for members of the media who cover the US House of Representatives.

Ingrid Walter
Ingrid is an award winning journalist and communications consultant who works with government, the private sector and NGOs. A former CBC Television reporter, City TV parliamentary correspondent, host and interviewer for TV Ontario, Ingrid is the recipient of a Telefest journalism award and a B’nai Brith award nomination. The first woman of colour to work as a parliamentary correspondent in Canada’s English media, Ingrid is an author and publisher. Her latest book Our Father to the Fatherless was recently optioned for the making of a film.

Adrian Wildgoose
Adrian Wildgoose is presently a second year marketing major, pursuing a BA in the program at the College of The Bahamas. He recently graduated with a AA in Mass Communications from the College of The Bahamas where he received the Student Leadership Award. He is presently a member of the Bahamas National Youth Policy Team and the National Youth Against Crime and Violence Planning Committee. Adrian is also actively involved in a number youth initiatives aimed at youth empowerment. His interests are film and video production, photography, networking and anything involving communications. His wider ambitions are to use his writing, video production and youth empowerment skills to help integrate people of similar talents across the Caribbean. In the past two years he wrote and produced three major stage plays in Freeport, Bahamas.

Fernando William

Fernando William is a St. Maarten professional with an extensive background in the areas of Business development, Finance, Port Development and Operations, Tourism, Construction, Airline operations, Video production and Consultancy. He is presently the Chairman of the Board of Windward Islands Airways International (WINAIR) and the Chief advisor to St. Maarten’s Commissioner in charge of Tourism, Aviation, Sports and Economy, Frans Richardson. Fernando is the former CFO of one of the island’s largest Ready Mix and Construction material suppliers, BBW and also former CEO of the St. Maarten Harbour Holding Company, responsible for managing and developing the US $80 Million port expansion project. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Finance from Johnson & Wales University in Providence, Rhode Island and has more than 28 years of working experience in the Caribbean and the Unite States.

Ian Williams
A writer and broadcaster, Ian Williams’ latest book is Rum: A Social and Sociable History of the Real Spirit of 1776. His first book was The Alms Trade, a study of the role of charities in Britain, and his second, The UN For Beginners. Deserter: Bush’s War on Military Families, Veterans and his own Past, was published in 2004. He appears in print around the globe, and often on television as well, on politics, business and economics. Born in Liverpool, he graduated from Liverpool University after two years’ suspension for protests against its investments in South Africa. Consequently, he had a variegated career path, which included a drinking competition with Chou En Lai, an argument about English literature with Mme Mao and being a rail workers’ union executive, before taking up journalism, briefly taking time off to be a speech/article writer for British Labour Party leader Neil Kinnock in the 1987 election campaign. He is a columnist with www.guardian.co.uk and senior analyst with Foreign Policy in Focus, www.fpif.org.

Jayne Wise
Jayne Wise is a senior editor with National Geographic Traveler, the National Geographic Society's travel magazine. Her editing responsibilities include the magazine's geotourism department, Destination Watch, which focuses on sustainable-tourism issues, and the annual Destinations Rated survey, which rates popular travel destinations – including a number in the Caribbean – for their adherence to geotourism and sustainability principles.

Akosua Yeboah
Akosua Yeboah is an Information Technology Consultant and has worked for the IBM Corporation for the past 25 years. She has a Master of Science degree from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and a B.A. from the State University College at New Paltz. She currently resides in Upstate New York. She has a keen interest in Traditional African Healing and Spirituality and travels to Ghana, West Africa, spending time with the indigenous population there. In her spare time, she studies cosmology, religion and classical guitar.