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2024 IWD HONOREES
list presented by
BETTY BARAUD MBE, Cert Hon
Founder, Baraud International
Schooled in Grand Cayman, Jamaica and the United States, Betty Baraud, started her career within the Financial Industry, initially in Banking and Trust.
In 1992, she made history, when as Founder and Sole Shareholder, she opened her own business, Baraud, a Recruitment and Immigration Consultancy Service company, and for 8 years, single-handedly pioneered the Recruitment Industry on the island, a business that globally, was primarily owned and operated by men. Her business quickly proved to be a great success and hundreds of Caymanians were placed into jobs. In 2015, Betty established another successful business, “Caring Hands Cayman”, a home healthcare company, which today, plays a major role in providing home healthcare within the Community.
Always passionate about making a positive difference within the community, and the island as a whole, she dedicated much of her time and effort contributing to the community, as well as on Statutory Boards. In 2000 she was one of the Members appointed to the first Cayman Islands Immigration Appeals Tribunal, (a role previously carried out monthly by Cabinet Members). In 1983, together with the Hon Dr. Linford Pierson, she assisted in spearheading the Beautification Committee, that was charged with preparing the island for the Queen’s visit in 1983. In 1988 she was appointed for 2 years to the Tourism Advisory Board, and later appointed as a Member of The Water Authority Board and the Central Planning Board. Using her company as a platform, she also spent much time within the schools, providing career counselling, Resume writing and job talks.
A Council Member of the Chamber of Commerce, in 1993, together with the current President of The Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Wil Pineau, she helped to create the Annual Job Fair, (that continues to date at a larger scale), for the purpose of preparing and placing Caymanians into employment. In 2009 and 2013, she was appointed to the Immigration Review Team, to review the current PR requirements and Point System.
In 1996 Betty joined the Rotary Club of Grand Cayman, where she was quickly appointed a Director of Community Services. Using the Rotary Platform, together with her Company, Baraud, in 1999 to 2004, she created a Computer and Career Counseling programme at Northward Prision for first time Offenders, which was approved by the Prison and the Office of the Chief Justice. With the help of the Labour Department, upon their release, many such inmates were successfully placed into Jobs.
In 1992 to 2018 Betty was appointed Chair of the CIOC Fundraising Committee, where she created over the top, successful and very enjoyable Fundraising Events that provided much assistance to the Athletes in their training and coaching for the games.
In 2010 she was awarded a Certificate of Honour by Her Majesty, Queen Elizabeth the Second for services to the community. In January 2018 Betty was awarded a Long Service Award in Sports by the Heroes Day Committee. Again in 2018 she was awarded and received from His Royal Highness, Prince Charles, an MBE, in recognition of her services to the Community and Sports.
On March 8th 2011, in recognition of the 100th Year of International Women’s Day, Betty organized “The Power of the Purse” Fundraiser, to raise funds for the Women’s Crisis Center and the Francis Bodden Girl’s Home. A Rotarian with 25 years of perfect attendance, Betty continues to organise every year the Tree Lighting Ceremony for the Rotary Club of Grand Cayman, which signifies the start of the Festive Season. She is an Honourary Member of the 100WF.
SELITA EBANKS
Actress, writer, producer, entrepreneur, activist, and supermodel
Selita Ebanks catapulted through the fashion world from age of 17, appearing in campaigns for quintessential American fashion and beauty brands and on the covers of Esquire, Teen Vogue, Maxim, Trace, FHM and Ocean Drive. Selita has been featured in Vogue, Vanity Fair, Essence, InStyle, Allure, GQ, Elle, Marie Claire, Grazia and many other international publications, and was named one of People Magazine’s Most Beautiful People and featured in Sports Illustrated’s illustrious Swimsuit Issue in 2007, 2008 and featured on the 2008 cover for the SI calendar that was shot in her home land of the Cayman Islands. In 2005, Selita became a “Victoria’s Secret Angel”, replacing Tyra Banks and joining alongside other fashion icons Heidi Klum, Gisele Bundchen and Adriana Lima. She has additionally gone on to numerous TV roles and appearances.
In the world of humanitarian work, Selita expanded the scope of the Shine on Sierra Leone which she began working with in 2008 and spearheaded the launch of a progressive Maternal and Child Healthcare program in partnership with Wellbody Alliance that served over 50,000 women and children. In addition to her participation in numerous other philanthropic events and campaigns, Selita hopes to continue to grow a program in the Cayman Islands called the Stardom Youth Foundation – educating children through the arts and experiences.
ELIZABETH CHAMBERS
CEO Bird Bakery, TV Personality
Elizabeth is a TV host, culinary entrepreneur, and mother-of-two who founded BIRD Bakery in 2012 after years of perfecting family recipes. The Texas native grew up in the kitchens of her mother and grandmother, who ran a local catering company for many years in San Antonio, so it was only natural that she opened a bakery in the same city. Since launching, BIRD Bakery has opened additional storefront locations in Dallas, Denver, and most recently the Cayman Islands. The popular bakery has filled a niche in the local communities for fresh, from-scratch, nostalgic offerings and donates all remaining cupcakes and treats to local charities and non-profit organizations each day as part of BIRD’s intention to give back to the communities that have given so much to them.
Chambers is also known for her appearances as a guest judge on several Food Network shows, including Cupcake Wars: Celebrity. She also appears regularly on the TODAY show and is known for her correspondence and hosting roles with E! News, CNBC, and a variety of shows on NBC, CBS, and FOX networks. She recently announced her return to television to executive produce and host a new series about relationships with Investigation Discovery.
NATALIE URQUHART, BEM
Director, National Gallery
Natalie Urquhart is the Director of the National Gallery of the Cayman Islands (NGCI) and currently on secondment to the Cayman National Culture Foundation where, as Chief Executive Officer, she is leading the organization’s strategic redevelopment plan. She holds an MA (Hons) in Art History, an MA (1.1) in Arts Policy and Management, and has over twenty years’ experience in the cultural sector specialising in developing creative strategies, programming and exhibitions for public sector arts organisations and regional associations.
Urquhart is the Immediate Past President of the Museums Association of the Caribbean (2017-2020) and continues to serve on their ICOM Representative. She has formally served as a core committee member of the Tilting Axis Caribbean arts alliance (2016-2020); Council Member of Cayman Islands Chamber of Commerce, Council Member of the Constitutional Commission, and a member of the Cayman Islands National Cultural Policy Committee. She currently serves as a Project Advisor for the University of St Andrews Shared Islands Stories Project, and as the Creative Director for Cayman Art Week, a project she founded in 2021 to help to stimulate investment in Caymanian art.
As the Cayman Islands’ first professional contemporary art curator, Urquhart a leading authority on Caymanian art and author of the book Art of the Cayman Islands (Scala Fine Art, 2016), the islands’ first formal art history. Her own curatorial research explores the influence of traditional cultural heritage and memory on contemporary artistic practice in the Cayman Islands and wider region. Highlights of her tenure as Director at NGCI include leading the NGCI Building Project, launching NGCI’s Creative Careers and Business of Art programmes, stewarding the growth of the National Gallery Art Collection by 240%, establishing NGCI satellite venues in the Sister Islands, and creating the Cayman Islands Biennial – the country’s first multi-venue tri-island contemporary art project.
Urquhart is the recipient of several National Awards for her work, including the Young Caymanian Leadership Award (2011) and a National Arts & Culture Awards (2010, 2016 and 2021). In the 2022 Queen’s New Year Honours list, she was recognized with a British Empire Medal for her contribution to arts and culture in the Cayman Islands and wider region.
JANET HISLOP
CEO, Cayman National Corporation
Janet’s career comprises decades of senior level banking experience, having held senior positions with CIBC, Barclays Bank, and Deutsche Bank (Cayman) Limited, serving at the latter for 11 years as Chief Country Officer prior to her appointment as President of Cayman National Bank Ltd. in April 2019, and then as Chief Executive Officer of Cayman National Corporation in January 2023.
In her earlier years, Ms. Hislop was employed by the Cayman Islands Government as a Genetics Counselor/Medical Social Worker and later as a Training Manager.
Ms. Hislop holds a BSc Hons in Financial Services from the University of Manchester, United Kingdom; and a BSc Hons in Molecular Biology and Genetics from the University of Guelph, Canada. She also has several professional qualifications; among these are TEP, CAMS, and ACIB, and she also successfully completed The Canadian Securities Course. Ms. Hislop also sits on the board of Cayman Finance.
MERCEDES FOY
Manager, Cayman Female Rugby Union
Mercedes is an ex-England International rugby player with 5 caps, and has been the Cayman Female Rugby Manager since August 2021. She is the first ever full-time female manager developing rugby in the Cayman Islands. Having revitalised Cayman Girls and Women’s rugby in the past two years, she now has over 100 girls playing rugby and has put Cayman women’s rugby back on the international scene after an 8 year hiatus.
Mercedes was previsouly a PE teacher at Grace Christian Academy School. She is passionate about offering every girl and woman the opportunity to get into rugby, and providing them with lifelong memories & experience that can support their holistic growth in life.
SUTTON BURKE, LCPC
Founder, Infinite Mindcare
Sutton Burke is registered as a Counselor in the Cayman Islands and is a Licensed Clinical Professional Counselor (LCPC) in the state of Illinois. She is the Director of Infinite Mindcare in West Bay, Grand Cayman. Sutton has a passion for providing individual, and couple’s therapy, for children (over 7 years old), teens, and adults with a variety of concerns.
Sutton completed her internship for her Master’s Degree program at a small, private, Drug and Alcohol treatment center in Chicago, and went on to become an IOP Coordinator and Primary Therapist at the same facility. After leaving Chicago, she worked as a Primary Therapist in a 150 bed private facility in South Florida. Once returning to Cayman, she worked at the government’s Counseling Centre where she facilitated the Intensive Outpatient Program among other drug groups. Before going on to group private practice and in the school setting, she was asked to help revamp the government’s IOP program, and was contracted for a short period of time to create the new IOP curriculum. While she sees clients with a range of issues, Sutton specializes in working with children with learning and behavior challenges, providing couple’s counseling, and treating addiction. She draws upon years of clinical
experience working in community mental health, residential treatment centers, and in the school setting. Sutton offers an integrative style beyond traditional therapy in order to build and support an individual’s self-awareness and coping skills.
Sutton conducts evidence-based cognitive behavioral therapy, including exposure and response prevention (ERP). This is an interactive, hands on approach that examines, exposes, and confronts challenging thought processes or situations an individual might be having. She also has extensive training and experience in EMDR, Gottman Method Couple’s Therapy, and Mindfulness Based Stress Reduction (MBSR). She listens intently, but does not just sit silently. She brings curiosity, intuition, compassion, and humor to her work. Therapy sessions with her can include talking, exposure exercises, feeling identification, stress relief techniques, mindfulness practices, expressivity through art or movement, creativity, and psychoeducation. While she brings her knowledge and skills to the session, she recognizes that you are the expert at being you.