Speakers Biographies

We would like to share information about the amazing speakers that graced the stage in the inaugural edition of the Kingston Culture Forum. 

Andrea Dempster-Chung

Co-Founder & Executive Director, Kingston Creative Andrea is the cofounder and Executive Director of Kingston Creative, a nonprofit organisation seeking…

Dr Saadia Sanchez-Vegas

Director and Representative of the UNESCO Cluster Office for the Caribbean Saadia Sanchez-Vegas, PhD, is the Director and Representative of…

Minister Audley Shaw

Audley Shaw was born in Christiana, Manchester on June 13, 1952. He attended the Christiana Leased Junior School, Knox College…

Therese Turner-Jones

Therese Turner-Jones has been the IDB’s country representative for Jamaica since 2013. In 2017 her portfolio was expanded when she…

Debbie Bission

Media Personality| Media Producer| Voice Over Talent| Public Relations| Script Writer| Event Manager I connect audiences to the most valuable…

Dr. Carey Wallace

Dr. Carey Wallace, Executive Director of the Tourism Enhancement Fund since March 1, 2017 is responsible for directing and managing…

Museums, Heritage Institutions and Cultural Memory in the Digital Age Curated by Sonjah Stanley Niaah, University of the West Indies, Institute of Cultural Studies

Dr. Sonjah Stanley Niaah

Dr. Sonjah Stanley Niaah is the inaugural Rhodes Trust Rex Nettleford Fellow in Cultural Studies (2005) and is Senior Lecturer…

Dr Zachary Beier

ZACHARY J. M. BEIER is Lecturer in the Department of History and Archaeology at the University of the West Indies,…

Dr Shani Roper

Dr Shani Roper is Curator of the University of the West Indies Museum and former Research Officer and Acting Director…

O’Neil Lawrence

An artist, curator, researcher and writer, Lawrence has worked at the National Gallery of Jamaica in various capacities since 2008…

Georgie Rookwood

I am presently employed as a Senior Research Officer at the Jamaica National Heritage Trust. I have been a cultural…

Nichole Patrick Shaw

Nicole Patrick -Shaw has had a keen interest in Cultural Resource Management and the role that these entities have in…

Sara Shabaka

Sara is the Co-Director of Coen-Shabaka Design Limited – a design studio with over 10 years of experience in branding…

Creative Placemaking and Urban Regeneration in Cultural and Creative Cities
Curated by Pablo Rossello Regional Director of Arts, British Council

Maxine Fisher Casserly

Mrs. Fisher-Casserly is the Urban Development Corporation’s first female Chief Architect.  A portfolio which entails providing oversight to architects who…

Chenine Bhathena

Creative Director of the UK City of Culture in Coventry 2021, with overall responsibility for developing programmes, co-creation and community…

Jo Shore

Jo has extensive experience in local government placemaking and construction and is passionate about delivering beautiful public spaces which add…

Ben Kearns

The Design Director for Creative Giants, Ben leads the team on taking ideas from early concept inception through to reality….

Colin Bell

A Coventry born Freelance Producer with over 25years experience in developing and producing participatory arts projects both locally and internationally,…

Raymond Poyser

A passionate urban planning and development practitioner with over 15 years’ experience in policy analysis, research, community development, urban planning…

Policies for Growth of Cultural and Creative Industries through the Festival and Experience Economy

Harold Davis

Harold Davis is a trained Industrial Engineer with over twenty-five (25) years’ experience in Industrial development. His areas of specialization…

Stephen Hignell

Nicola Madden Greig

Presently, Nicola Madden-Greig is Group Director-Marketing & Sales at The Knutsford Court Hotel, Group Director-Marketing & Sales at The Holiday…

Howard McIntosh

Patrick Barret

Justine Henzell

Justine Henzell is an independent producer and oversees the legacy of THE HARDER THEY COME, the award winning movie, co-written,…

Capacity building in communities: promoting creative industry and preserving heritage in at-risk communities.

Rhian Holder

Rhian Holder has a BA (Hons) Social Anthropology & International Development from Trent University and an MA (Dist.) Heritage Studies…

Romaine Allen (Saboukie)

Romaine Sabukie Allen, has contributed greatly to his community and island . LifeYard a social enterprise and community based organization…

Nicola Green

Charmaine Brimm

Charmaine Brimm is employed as Technical Specialist with portfolio responsibility for Socio-economic Development at the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ),…

Joshua Chamberlain

Joshua Chamberlain co-founded The March for Music Education with the goal of making music education sustainable. He has worked in…

Nora Blake

A local pioneer in the area of Social Entrepreneurship with extensive technical knowledge in Micro and Small business facilitation at…

Creative Partnership & Reverse Pitch

Kimalea Campbell

Kimalea is the Founder and Managing Director of Weekly Projects an art business advisory firm facilitating & cultivating opportunities for…

Renee Robinson

Renee Robinson is the Film Commissioner of Jamaica, and a multi-lingual orange economy expert, content strategist, and thought-leader. She has…

Paul Chin

Paul Chin is the Manager, Investor Relationships of the Development Bank of Jamaica Limited. Paul has several years’ experience in…

Marielle Barrow Maignan

Dr. Marielle Barrow Maignan is the Coordinator of the Cultural and Creative Industries Innovative Fund at the Caribbean Development Bank….

Alessandra Borch

She is a professional in intergovernmental cooperation in the area of culture. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Relations…

Dmitri Dawkins

Dmitri Dawkins is an entrepreneur and investor with a strong passion to create solutions for a better tomorrow. He serves…

CreaTech: New Platforms and Digital Technology to Develop Creative Communities

Isis Semaj-Hall

Dr. Isis Semaj-Hall is the Riddim Writer. She podcasts For Posterity, blogs pon di riddim, edits PREE: Caribbean Writing, and…

Micheal Holgate

Michael Holgate has spent over two decades exploring the world of theatre, dance, music, film and writing. He holds a…

Jherane Patmore

Jherane is the managing director and founder of Rebel Women Lit, a literary community that’s changing the way we engage…

Jason Scott

Jason is a tech entrepreneur who has a knack for marrying the right tech with the right business case. He…

Bonito Thompson (Don Dada Ja)

My name is Bonito Thompson. I’m a Jamaican digital artist that goes by the name Don Dada. My artist name…

Culture Reasoning

Kimiko Miller

Kimiko Miller is a Dance Choreographer /Dancer/young Entrepreneur and a mother, Born in St. Ann and raised in KINGSTON Jamaica….

Shamara Spencer

Shamara Spencer is a 27 year choreographer, creative director, performer, movement director and accounts executive who hails from the cool…

Jean-André Lawrence (JLL)

J.L.L. is a Jamaican born creative who specializes in music production. He has composed instrumentals for artistes such as Drake,…

Ayanna Dixon

Fashion Designer and Illustrator Ayanna Dixon has trained both at the Edna Manley College of the Visual and Performing Arts and The Art Institute of New York.

Joshua Solas

Joshua Solas is a recent graduate from Kendall College of Art and Design of Ferris State University in Grand Rapids, MI.

Kevin Jackson

Kevin Jackson is an award winning filmmaker and animator. He lectures part time at the University of the West Indies in the animation and film programme.

Fabian Barracks

Fabian Barracks is the CEO of Barracks Entertainment, a theatre company established eleven years ago that empowers youth through the arts.

Chef Samantha George and partner Darren George

Darren and Samantha are a husband and wife team that runs a content creation studio that produces for companies within the foodservice industry.

Preformances

Sevana

Sevana is poised to reach great heights with her limitless vocal range and soulful depth. Iconic singers like Celine Dion, Beyoncé, and Anita Baker have inspired the Jamaican-born chanteuse.

Runkus

His music seems to be influenced by a fusion of the conscious Rastafarian lifestyle, the enigmatic essence of music that comes as a result of the “spontaneous overflow of emotion”.

DjembeKan

DjembeKan is a group of friends well versed in traditional drumming. It consists of percussionists Kemoy Outar, Job Clarke, and Ramoy Rodriques.

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