IWFTT – Our Beginnings
“To unite, inspire and celebrate accomplished women. To advance exemplary leadership, while learning from and supporting each other, and empowering the next generation of women leaders.”
An Idea bears fruit…
IWF Trinidad and Tobago was born out of a desire for an association of professional women in Trinidad and Tobago, with international reach and influence. The Managing Director of Scotiabank Trinidad and Tobago at the time, Anya Schnoor was already a member of IWF Jamaica, and seeing the opportunity for a similar organisation for her Trinidad and Tobago colleagues, shared the idea of IWF with fellow director, Gisele Marfleet in August 2013. That conversation led to an exciting series of events that saw the launch of IWF Trinidad and Tobago (IWFTT) in Port of Spain on September 1, 2014.
The duo of Schnoor and Marfleet reached out to the then President of the Jamaica Forum of IWF, Patricia Ramsay, with the idea of sponsoring a Chapter (later to become a forum) in this twin-island state; in October 2013 the organising team was expanded to include businesswoman Sandra Chin Yuen Kee, and in November, banker/attorney-at-law, Sharon Christopher, who was identified as an ideal candidate for the first President. Patricia Ramsay and IWFJA jumped eagerly at the idea of sponsoring a forum in Trinidad, and so began the team’s collaboration with IWF New York, recruitment of members from among Trinidad and Tobago’s impressive array of female business professionals, and receiving the formal approval of IWF to proceed. That approval was granted in May 2014, following IWF International’s Board meeting in Berlin. From then, the Trinidad and Tobago and Jamaica teams pressed full steam ahead.
With sponsorship by IWFJA, the formal launch of IWFTT occurred on September 1, 2014, and was attended by then IWF Leadership Foundation Global Director and President of IWF Florida, Toni Randolph, along with Minna Israel, who by that time had succeeded Patricia Ramsay as the President of IWFJA, and Patsy Latchman-Atterbury, Treasurer of IWFJA, along with the four-person Trinidad and Tobago planning team, and the 21 other foundational members. It was a ground-breaking and memorable event and moment in history. Sharon Christopher, then Deputy Chief Executive Officer of First Citizens Bank, lawyer and thought leader, was installed as IWFTT’s founding President.
Inaugural Executive Committee…
The inaugural Executive Committee comprised: Sharon Christopher (President), Gisele Marfleet (Vice President), Sandra Chin Yuen Kee (Secretary), Lisa-Ann Joseph (Public Relations Officer), Patricia Kong Ting (Treasurer), and Anya Schnoor member by invitation. This team led the Forum for a period of two years from September 1, 2014 to August 31, 2016. The foundational membership group comprised 25 accomplished and well-respected women leaders, most of whom continue to be active members today.
IWF Raison d’etre
Consistent with the overarching mandate of IWF International, IWFTT’s primary objective was the bringing together of women of diverse backgrounds and significant accomplishments in a leadership forum for the exchange of ideas, learnings, matters of mutual interest, and in the service of advancing women’s leadership.
IWFTT achieves this objective by fostering fellowship among women, by influencing the empowerment of women individually and collectively in their respective spheres and communities in a positive manner. Hence, IWFTT’s core purpose is, “To unite, inspire and celebrate accomplished women. To advance exemplary leadership, while learning from and supporting each other, and empowering the next generation of women leaders”.
IWFTT’s membership now stands at 35 members – all accomplished and respected women, in a wide range of professions and diverse fields including: Energy (oil and gas), Banking, Corporate and Entrepreneurial Business, Arts, Finance and Accounting, Marketing and Communications, Media, Human Resource Management, Engineering, Public Service, Education, Law, Public Relations, Occupational Therapy, Psychological Professional Services, Medicine, Fashion and Manufacturing.
The Future is Bright…
Though still relatively young, the Forum has built and solidified its infrastructure and systems to ensure continuity; propelled strategic thinking with the introduction of the Forum’s core purpose, mission, vision and core values; driven member engagement; introduced programmes to foster the next generation of women leaders, encouraging thought provoking discussions, innovative thinking and advocating for further advancement of women in business.
IWFTT is poised for further groundbreaking strides as the Forum continues its work in building the next generation of women leaders.