CHTA Education Foundation Welcomes New Trustees

The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association Education Foundation (CHTAEF) is welcoming two new trustees into the fold who will help deliver on the foundation’s mission to support Caribbean hospitality professionals in their careers.

“We are proud to welcome Heidi Clarke and Noorani Azeez to our board of volunteer trustees,” said CHTAEF chair Karolin Troubetzkoy. “They have a wealth of knowledge to share with the hospitality professionals we support, and they share in our commitment to the betterment of this industry and everyone in it.”

Heidi Clarke, executive director of the Sandals Foundation, has managed development projects across eight Caribbean islands, focusing on the areas of education, environment and community.

Clarke, who studied child psychology and education at the University of Miami, also has experience working with abused children and under-resourced schools in the South Florida community.

Born and raised in Jamaica, she has demonstrated a passion for service and commitment to community development through wide-ranging volunteer work. Clarke is a certified Game Warden with the National Environment and Planning Agency and sits on the boards of the South West Coast Fish Sanctuary Alliance, the Fish Sanctuary Network, the North East Regional Health Authority Fundraising Committee, and the Culloden Early Childhood Institute.

Currently serving as CEO of the Saint Lucia Hotel and Tourism Association as well as president of the Caribbean Society of Hotel Association Executives (CSHAE), Noorani Azeez has extensive tourism experience, knowledge and insight.

Azeez has also been a human resources consultant with the Human Development Network for 12 years and formerly sat on the board of directors for the Soufrière Marine Management Association.

He gives back to his local community in many ways, though perhaps most notably through his work with the Lions Club of Gros Islet, in the north of St. Lucia.

CHTAEF provides training for current hospitality industry professionals and scholarships for the next generation of Caribbean tourism superstars. Funds raised by CHTAEF helped train more than 750 hospitality workers in 2019 and, in the past five years, have provided more than 80 scholarships.

CHTAEF’s volunteer trustees give their time, services and products to support the development of young Caribbean people desiring a career in tourism and hospitality, as well as Caribbean nationals who are already employed in the industry and want to upgrade their skills and knowledge to further their career paths.

The foundation’s current trustees include Omar Robinson, chief operating officer of Arya Resorts Management (Jamaica); Magnus Alnebeck, general manager of the Pelican Bay Hotel (Bahamas); Ernest Dwight, founder and former president of SouthWood (United States); Mike Hampton, professor and former dean at the Chaplin School of Hospitality & Tourism Management at Florida International University (United States); Amrita Bhalla, founder of AB Consulting (Canada); Richard Doumeng owner and managing director of Bolongo Bay Beach Resort (U.S. Virgin Islands); Nadine Rankin, joint CEO at AMG (United Kingdom); Neil Forrester, principal at Azingo Hospitality (Antigua); Neil Kolton, director, Caribbean, Florida, and Southeast, business development at Interval International (United States); Gilda Gumbs-Samuel, CEO of the Anguilla Hotel and Tourism Association (Anguilla); and chair Troubetzkoy, Executive Director, Marketing & Operations of Jade Mountain and Anse Chastanet resorts (St. Lucia).

About CHTA Education Foundation

CHTAEF was established in 1986 as an independent nonprofit offering tax-exempt status for donations. As part of its mission, CHTAEF provides people throughout the Caribbean region with an awareness of the varied career opportunities in the industry, as well as technical and professional development through scholarships, special assistance initiatives and other training programs. 

The Education Foundation has awarded more than US$2 million in scholarships and grants to applicants who demonstrate a strong commitment to the hotel and tourism industry. 

CHTAEF volunteer trustees administer one of the largest scholarship programs available in the Caribbean hospitality and tourism industry. Funds for these scholarships and grants are generated from corporate sponsorships, benefit auctions and special events.