Leadership
About CWIT
CWIT Board
Andrea Ewart Esq.
Andrea Ewart is a seasoned international trade and customs attorney, and policy adviser for various companies and governments with a demonstrated history of successfully developing and implementing sustainable and dynamic trade programs. She has experience in creating partnerships with various business-support organizations to drive compliance and growth in the international market and brings 20 years of consulting experience in understanding and teaching trade regulations to clients of varying backgrounds and expectations in preparation to be competitive in the trade industry. She has been operating DevelopTradeLaw, LLC. Andrea is admitted to the Washington D.C., Maryland, and the Florida Bars, and the U.S. Supreme Court Bar. She received her JD from the University of Miami School of Law, which she attended as a Harvey Reid scholar. She earned an M.A. in International Studies from the University of Miami and her B.A. from the Patrice Lumumba People’s Friendship University in Moscow, Russia. She has successfully taken the U.S. customs broker exam; and is a native English speaker and conversant in Russian and French. She is an active member of several professional organizations and a former President of the Organization of Women in International Trade (OWIT).
President
VASHTI GUYADEEN
Vashti has more than twenty years’ experience in research and development, policy design, SME development, global and institutional competitiveness and international relations. Prior to her role as CEO at the Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Vashti worked in academia, public and private sector, including the Trinidad and Tobago Coalition of Service Industries (TTCSI) Arthur Lok Jack Global School of Business, Trinidad and Tobago Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Economic Development Board, Trinidad and Tobago International Financial Centre and Ministries of Energy and Public Administration. She was the lead researcher for the development of the dataset for Trinidad and Tobago’s entry into the World Economic Forum’s “Global Competitiveness Report” in 2006 and conceptualized and produced this country’s first centennial statistical digest on the Energy sector in 2010. In 2020, Vashti commenced work with SporTT on tracking the economic contribution of sports to T&T as well as initiated export development training for professionals in sports and recreational services.
Vice-President
Cherise Trotman
Cherise Trotman is a Barbadian trade specialist working at the intersection with experience in trade, environment and innovation. She has worked across the international public sector with roles in the World Trade Organization, World Intellectual Property Organization and the Association of Caribbean States. She has worked on projects focused on maritime issues and biodiversity, trade transparency, technical barriers to trade, SME development, regional cooperation and innovation. She has degrees in International Studies , Economics and International Trade Policy.
Secretary
Vanessa Toré
Vanessa has served as Director, Foreign Economic Cooperation Division of the Ministry of Economic Development since July 2011. She was also the acting Secretary General of the Ministry of Economic Development between August 2011 and May 2014. Previously, she worked at the Ministry of Traffic, Transport and Urban Planning and the Curaçao Chamber of Commerce and Industry. Vanessa has participated in various trade related committees internationally, including a two-year term on the board of the Caribbean Association of Investment Promotion Agencies (CAIPA). She is Vice President of the Permanent Commission for International Trade and Foreign Economic Relations handling Curaçao's independent membership within the WTO and negotiations on bilateral trade agreements with regional partners. Since 2019, she is the Navigator for the development of a National Export Strategy for Curaçao. She holds an MBA and has studied management, international trade and investment promotion in Geneva, Netherlands, USA and Canada.
Treasurer
Dav - Ernan Kowlessar
Dav-Ernan (Dave) is an experienced business development consultant based in Trinidad and Tobago and Canada with over 25 years of experience in strategic planning, and the management and execution of business projects; and over 12 years experience at the policy level in the services sectors. He has over 13 years’ experience in institutional reviews, public sector reforms, and gap analyses related to the implementation of World Trade Organization (WTO) and other trade agreements. From 2015 to 2016, Dave served as the Vice-Chair and Secretary for the CARIFORUM side of the CARIFORUM-EU Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) Consultative Committee, where he advised and worked on its work program, following which, for the two-year term ending December 2018, he served as Committee Chair. Concurrently, he serves as Chair of the ACP Non- State Actors Network with a specialty focus on trade in services and private sector development. He also serves as the Secretary / Treasurer of Caribbean Women in Trade (CWIT) since its formation.
Board Member
Michelle Low Chew Tung
Michelle Low Chew Tung, MBA BA (Hons) U.K., is a Certified Executive Coach and the visionary founder of Inveni Business and Technology Ltd, leading the charge in revolutionizing China sourcing solutions across the Caribbean. Renowned for her coaching, mentoring, and training prowess, Michelle is a guiding light for entrepreneurs in marketing, export strategy, and SME Capacity Building. As the Lead Business Coach at Inveni's Coaching Division, she empowers the next generation of business leaders, drawing from her extensive experience across diverse industries including hospitality, tourism, finance, manufacturing, and government enterprise development. Michelle's commitment to driving positive change is exemplified through her pivotal role in the UNDP Fut-Tourism Business Adaptation Project, where she provides invaluable facilitation and mentoring services to MSMEs across 10 Eastern Caribbean countries, advocating for digital solutions to elevate their global competitiveness.
Board Member
Jan Yves Remy
Jan Yves Remy is the Director of the Shridath Ramphal Centre for International Trade Law, Policy and Services (SRC) of University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus, Barbados Jan Yves holds a Ph.D. in International Law (summa cum laude) from the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies (Geneva, Switzerland), an LL.M (Hons) in Commercial and International Law from the University of Cambridge (UK) and an LL.B. (Hons) from the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus (Barbados). Prior to joining the SRC, Jan Yves worked for five years as a Senior Trade Associate at the offices of Sidley Austin LLP in Geneva and Washington D.C and as a Legal Officer at the Appellate Body Secretariat of the WTO, where she assisted Members of the Appellate Body in their disposition of appeals in trade disputes.
Board Member
Hyde Constantine – Felix
Hyde Constantine-Felix is a Saint Lucian born International Business Professional with a passion for helping small businesses in particular creative businesses and a recognized skill for service excellence.Mrs. Felix holds a Bachelor’s Degree in International Business from the Universidad de Guadalajara in Mexico and a Masters in Foreign Trade from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid in Spain.
Board Member
SANDRA MCLEISH
Sandra McLeish is a Jamaican agro-processor, entrepreneur, pastor, and international development consultant based in Jamaica, West Indies. Nowadays she is often most recognized as the Managing Director of Sankhard Company Limited (home of Springvale brand of foods and condiments), a board member of Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association, and a pioneer in the public-private partnership space with an emphasis on innovative health financing. As an International Development Specialist, she possesses a unique background in gender and diversity issues, climate change, project management, health, and non- traditional financing of social services. Her work has involved strong stakeholder engagement in developing critical management documents for governments and public programs.
Board Member
Ileathea Cabral
Ileathea holds an Master’s degree in International Trade Policy, a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish with Management Studies from the University of the West Indies Cavehill Campus as well as a professional Certificate in Project Management from University of the West Indies Open Campus (Antigua). Ileathea Cabral is the Project Development and Research Officer within the Office of the National Authorising Officer for the European Development Fund within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Trade and Barbuda Affairs. She holds a diverse portfolio providing technical support for matters relating to the implementation of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME), the CARIFORUM- European Union Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA), the CARIFORUM-United Kingdom Economic Partnership Agreement, and the Post Cotonou Agreement. She also provides critical support and advice to different ministries, departments of government and the private sector on to trade- related matters.
Board Member
GENNIKE MAYERS
Gennike A. Mayers is a serial CEO from Trinidad and Tobago. She made a major switch from humanitarian response with the United Nations and International Red Cross, to launching her own businesses in the height of the pandemic. She is the co-founder of Trinidad and Tobago's first line of Sargassum-based spa products known as Spargassum. She is also the Chief Interpreter in her multilingual services company Interpreting Your Needs. Gennike has been bridging language barriers for 25 years using foreign languages as a tool to connect, communicate and collaborate with people across the globe. With educational roots from prominent institutions such as the University of the West Indies, University of Malta and University of Versailles, Gennike has been an advocate of Caribbean regional integration. As a testament to her fervour, Gennike authored CARICOM: Good Offices, Good Neighbours published in English, French and Spanish. Gennike serves on the Membership Committee of the CWIT
Board Member
Nicole Pitter Patterson
A senior international development advisor with 20+ years of expertise in both the public and private sectors, Nicole has focused her career in the areas of women’s economic empowerment, women’s entrepreneurship, SME growth and social enterprise development. Nicole has successfully designed and managed a combined portfolio of US$20 million, with agencies such as USAID, the United Nations and UK FCDO working with public and private sector partners in the Caribbean, Africa, Asia, and the MENA region.
Board Member
Caribbean Women in Trade (CWIT) is a dynamic organization established in 2020 that unites women from diverse corners of the Caribbean who are actively engaged or interested in international trade.
