See the full workshop programme

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Gary Allen, RJR Communications Group, Jamaica

Gary has been Group Managing Director of RJR Communications Group since 2008. He has over 20 years’ media experience, including as an award-winning journalist across print and broadcast. Outlets included the Jamaica Gleaner, the Caribbean News Agency and BBC Caribbean. While Deputy MD at RJR in 2004, Gary was instrumental in completing  TV Jamaica’s digital upgrade, making it one of the most technologically advanced stations in the Caribbean. Along with management and journalism qualifications from the US, in 2010 Gary completed his Executive MBA at the University of West Indies at Mona. He holds board positions at several media associations in Jamaica, as well as the CBU.

Rosemary Alleyne, CBC, Barbados

Rosemary is the Director of Broadcast Services at the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation in Barbados. She has extensive experience in the broadcasting business having worked as a reporter, Director of News and Current Affairs, and the Head of the Archives and Information Department at the CBC. Rosemary was instrumental in introducing new programme formats such as Debate of the Leaders, new to election coverage in the 1990s. She holds a BA in History and Political Science, and an MA in Heritage studies from the University of the West Indies at Cave Hill. Her research interests are in heritage preservation and the contribution of TV and radio to national identity and collective memory.

Dominic Beaubrun, Starcom, Barbados

Dominic has been in the media industry for more than 20 years, and has served as the CEO of one of the region’s most modern broadcast operations. He was CNMG’s Chief Operating Officer from 2005 to 2006 and directed the launch of a brand new television and radio network. In 2009, he began consulting for the Caribbean Media Corporation (CMC) in Barbados. He began his first stint with Starcom Network in Barbados as General Manager in 2010. He has been a member of the Trinidad and Tobago Publishers and Broadcasters Association for six years, serving as President for two years. Dominic holds a BA (Hon) in Mass Communications from the University of the West Indies.

Shida Bolai, CEO, Caribbean Communications Network, Trinidad and Tobago

Shida has a career that spans over 30 years in the media industry, at both operational and executive levels across all media platforms, including press, television, radio and the internet. She has played a pivotal role in the development and growth of CCN. She is President of the Caribbean Broadcasting Union. Shida is on the Board of Directors of One Caribbean Media, Caribbean Communications Network, Grenada Broadcasting Network, Tobago News, Trinidad and Tobago Publishers and Broadcasters Association and Starcom Network of Barbados. She was the winner of a Fellowship Programme sponsored by the Commonwealth Press Union which took her to the UK, South Africa and Lesotho.

Michael Boylan, President and CEO, WJCT Public Broadcasting, Florida, USA

After serving 20 years on the senior management team for the PBS station in Miami, Florida, Michael became the head of Jacksonville’s WJCT in May 1999. Under his guidance WJCT successfully transitioned to digital ahead of schedule and took the lead in involving the area commercial stations in educating the community about the transition.

Odette Campbell, GBN, Grenada

Odette started her media career in 1987 as a reporter with the Grenada Informer newspaper. A year later she joined broadcast media as a reporter for Radio Grenada. Odette moved through the ranks and in 2000 was appointed to the position of Director of News and Current Affairs at the Grenada Broadcasting Network. Odette, who is now Manager of News and Current Affairs at the Grenada Broadcasting Network, has served on the boards and executive committees of several not for profit organisations including the Grenada Community Development Organisation and the Grenada Netball Association. She also played a pivotal role in developing a public education strategy in Grenada through the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency after the impact of  Hurricane Ivan in 2004.

Jonathan Carrigan, Digital Product Development and Design, CBC, Canada

Jonathan leads Digital Product Development and Design at the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. He works at national level on strategic planning across verticals such as news, sports, TV and radio services. As the CBC’s futurist and internal consultant, Jonathan tracks the digital media landscape to identify opportunities and risks to come. Jonathan is also responsible for digital product analysis, planning and design and services at an operational level. Prior to joining CBC Jonathan spent eight years as a New Media Producer. He speaks regularly at industry events and conferences in Canada and the US. Jonathan has an MBA from Simon Fraser University, specialising in Technology Management, and a Product Management Certification from Pragmatic Marketing.

Chantal Hylton-Tonnes, CPTC, Jamaica

Chantal has 25 years of  brand marketing and events management experience, working with global brands including Pepsi and Burger King. Following stints in marketing for local drinks giants Red Stripe and Wray & Nephew, Chantal found her niche in media marketing in 1997 when she joined TVJ. She has worked with some of Jamaica’s most recognised media brands including the RJR Communications Group, The Jamaica Observer and the CVM Communications Group in senior sales and marketing positions. She was recruited by the public sector in 2011 to head the Ministry of Culture’s Creative Production & Training Centre, which produces and globally markets TV and radio content celebrating Jamaica’s culture. Chantal has a BA (Hon) in English, Economics and Politics from the University of the West Indies at Mona.

Shouneel Charles, Chief Sales and Marketing Officer, NDTV Convergence, India

Shouneel is head of Revenue, Marketing and Sales for the global digital media business of NDTV. He has over 15 years of experience in the media industry and has previously worked with Yahoo!, Time Warner and News Corp. In his current role and based on his  experience in the television broadcasting space, he specialises in taking traditional TV broadcast content to the internet and mobile and creating successful monetisation models and strategies as audiences move to consuming content on new digital platforms. Shouneel has an MBA from The ENPC Business School in Paris, where he majored in International Finance. He lives in New Delhi.

Louella-Anne Edwards, Caribbean Communications Network, Trinidad and Tobago

Louella has over 20 years’ experience in engineering and IT management, and she is currently Group Technology Manager at the CCN.  Her responsbilities including providing support and training for the group’s systems which includes TV6, Express Newspaper and Six Point Productions. Prior to this, she held the position of IT Manager at Infolink Services Limited. She also held the positions of Information Systems Manager and Graduate Engineer at the National Broadcasting Network in Trinidad and Tobago. Louella holds a BSc in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of the West Indies (UWI), St Augustine. She later successfully completed an MSc Degree in Engineering Management at UWI.
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Dionyse Fitzwilliam, Executive Director, CaribeNTM, USA

DionyseDionyse is an investment banker who has focused on public purpose entities, and is currently Vice-President, Derivative Strategies at Central Park Financial. She is also Executive Director of CaribeNTM, a production company for Caribbean’s Next Top Model, licensed by CBS International. The production, on which she serves as President and Executive Producer, is a reality TV format based on the internationally successful America’s Next Top Model, which airs in more than 150 countries. She attended Baruch College City University New York, as an Abraham Rosenberg Scholar, where she received a BBA in finance, summa cum laude. Dionyse lives in New York City.

Sunity Maharaj, LBIWI/The Trinidad and Tobago Review, Trinidad and Tobago

Sunity is the Managing Director of the Lloyd Best Institute of the West Indies. She is a career journalist of over 35 years experience and has been Group Executive for Content and Editorial Development at One Caribbean Media, Editor-in-chief of the Trinidad Express and Head of News at TV6. She also runs her own multimedia production company.

Amalia Mai, Great Belize Television, Belize

Amalia is a seasoned journalist who has worked across newspaper, radio and television. She has overseen editorial, sales, and production staff. Since 2008 Amalia has been the Chief Executive Officer of Great Belize Television, where she has led the growth and transformation of the station. Over the years, the station has continued to win numerous regional awards in recognition of its quality programming. Amalia has an extensive background in diplomacy and international relations, serving as Ambassador of Belize to Cuba, and High Commissioner to Canada and as Minister Counsellor to the UN. She also served as the Chief Executive Officer for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade in Belize.

John Marsom, Business Director, Manx Radio, Isle of Man

John has spent 30 years in sales and marketing, ten of which have been in radio sales and product development. Originally trained as an electronics engineer with General Motors, he started his sales career with Siemens in 1986 and soon moved onto sales management and general management within the company. In 2002 John decided to make a career change and was invited to ‘re-ignite’ Manx Radio on the Isle of Man. Manx Radio is now highly regarded by other stations in the British Isles for its original sales and marketing concepts and high level of customer retention and growth.

Ria Pacheco-Romeo, Manager, Reach Caribbean, Trinidad and Tobago

Ria graduated from the University of the West Indies St Augustine Campus with a Bachelor of Science in Chemistry and Management. She then successfully pursued a postgraduate degree in Marketing at what is now the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School. Having acquired these academic qualifications, Ria held several managerial appointments with reputable organisations, including Caribbean Communications Network. Ria’s career thus far encompass approximately one decade of Marketing and Sales experience as well as a good understanding of the media industry from both the advertiser and broadcaster perspective, having worked in that industry for just under four years. Ria is currently the General Manager of Reach Caribbean, a division of the One Caribbean Media Limited.

Trevor Parker, ABS TV, Antigua and Barbuda

Trevor has over 30 years’ experience in broadcasting as a videographer, scriptwriter, producer and director. As station manager of ABS, he has responsibilities across all aspects of its operation, from programming, to news, live broadcast, HR and equipment purchasing. Trevor’s accomplishments include working as Executive Producer of Good Morning Antigua and the Barbuda Morning Show; overseeing the first live international broadcast of Carnival Celebration in 2008 and 2009; and the acquistion of ABS’s first outside broadcast facility. Trevor has TV production and management qualifications from Venezuela, and in 2003 Trevor gained an Executive Diploma in Management from the University of the West Indies at Cave Hill.

Skip Pizzi, Senior Director, New Media, National Association of Broadcasters, USA

Skip is Senior Director, New Media at the National Association of Broadcasters in Washington DC. His career includes work at NPR, Broadcast Engineering magazine and Microsoft. He is Vice-Chair of ATSC’s Technology Group 3 (TG3), which is developing standards for next-generation DTV, and is a graduate of Georgetown University.

Dr Mathan Ratinam, Assistant Professor of Design Strategies, Humanitarian Design Lab, Parsons The New School for Design, USA

Mathan is the founder and director of the Humanitarian Design Lab, which conducts design research with various external partners from the humanitarian, NGO and development community including the Red Cross (IFRC, American Red Cross), Oxfam America, World Bank (Social Development, WBI, Africa Region) and the United Nations (UNISDR, WFP and UNU).

Dr Peter Siebert, Executive Director, DVB Project, Switzerland

Peter completed his MSc  in 1984 and his PhD in 1989 in Physics from the University of Frankfurt. In addition he holds a degree in Economics from the Open University in Hagen, Germany. Since 2009  he has been the Executive Director of the DVB Project Office in Geneva, where he is responsible for all operational aspects of the DVB organisation. Before this he worked for Philips Kommunikations AG (PKI AG) in Nuremberg, SES-ASTRA in Luxembourg and Siemens in Switzerland. He has worked on many aspects of audio-video transmission such as video transmission over telecommunication networks (PDH/SDH), satellite and IPTV networks. He has been responsible for various ETSI specifications in the area of satellite transmission as well as for DVB standards. He holds several patents for various aspects of audiovisual data transmission.

Daren Lee Sing, TTPBA/OCM, Trinidad and Tobago

Daren is the President of the Trinidad and Tobago Publishers and Broadcasters Association (TTPBA) and has been a director since 2009. Daren is currently responsible for branding, promotions and new media for 95.5FM, Red96.7FM, 107.1FM, which are subsidiaries of One Caribbean Media. His active duties include strategic planning and management of the frequencies’ day-to-day operations. Daren is the holder of an MBA from Barry University and a BA in Political and Economic Philosophy (Hon) from Wheeling Jesuit University. He is currently pursuing a Doctorate in Business Management at the Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business.

Lien Tran, Assistant Professor, School of Communication, University of Miami, USA

Lien is an Assistant Professor at the University of Miami’s School of Communication where she teaches interaction design. Her design work centres around humanitarian and participatory design and includes social impact games, design advocacy, and web- and print-based information design. Partnerships include: Open Society Foundations, the UN, Red Cross/Red Crescent Climate Centre, World Bank, Tanzania Social Action Fund, Oxfam America, and Games for Change. Lien has an MFA in Design and Technology from Parsons The New School for Design.
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