WIMAC Barbados Chapter New President
Bridgetown, Barbados – Women in Maritime Association of the Caribbean (WIMAC) Barbados Chapter, a non-profit organization focused on increasing the presence and participation of women in the maritime industry has announced the election of Natalie O. Sandiford as its new President. Natalie Sandiford succeeds Kemi Linton, who held the post for two years. Natalie O. Sandiford, a founding member of the WIMAC Barbados Chapter, is a maritime lawyer with many years of experience in the industry.
In her new role, Ms. Sandiford is committed to building on the successes of her predecessor and taking the organization to new heights. Under her leadership, WIMAC Barbados Chapter plans to introduce a number of initiatives focused on increasing job opportunities for women, building capacity of women in the industry, mentorship, networking and educational programs to inspire to inspire the next generation of female leaders in the maritime sector.
Commenting on her appointment, Ms. Sandiford said: “I am honored to have been elected President of WIMAC Barbados Chapter and look forward to working with the team to deliver on our vision for the organization. We are committed to promoting women’s involvement in the maritime industry and will be rolling out a number of initiatives and programs to achieve this goal.”
Ms. Sandiford further revealed that in the coming months, WIMAC Barbados Chapter will be hosting a workshop on maritime affairs. The organization will also conduct an awareness campaign to increase its membership and host an event tailored to showcase job opportunities for women in the maritime sector. As part of its efforts to promote gender parity in the industry, WIMAC Barbados Chapter will also conduct research to gather information on the number of women working in the sector as well as the number of women securing jobs and establishing businesses in the maritime sector in Barbados.
According to Ms. Sandiford, the organization will also unveil its 5-prong Strategic Plan in the coming weeks. Ms. Sandiford further stated that “over the next two years, our vision is to lead WIMAC Barbados Chapter into a new era of growth and impact.” She further shared that WIMAC Barbados Chapter’s Strategic Goals for 2023-2025 include expanding its membership through marketing campaigns, increasing job opportunities for women in the maritime sector through workshops and networking events, advocating for gender parity through engagement with stakeholders in the industry, building capacity of women by collaborating with educational institutions to develop more programs for pursuing studies in the maritime field, and mentoring young women interested in pursuing careers in the maritime sector. Consequently, WIMAC Barbados will embark on several key initiatives in order to realize these objectives.
