Shirley Selvon- Founder
Shirley Selvon is a retired school librarian who has worked in this field for over 42 years with 16 of those years in the School Library System. She has been involved in community work for close to 60 years and it was whilst doing community work, that she met her husband Bartholomew. In 2005, Shirley and Bartholomew, together with the La Seiva Community Council applied to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) for funding of the La Seiva Homework Centre project. The funding application was successful and the council created a space of opportunity, structure and safety for the children in the community. The Project was active from 2005 -2009 but was self- funded for the last two years of its active status. Shirley was a major supportive figure in the community and her many roles included administrator, researcher, operations manager.
She has served on the board of the YWCA of St. Augustine and is also a board member of the Secon Spring Senior Citizens Activity Centre. She is a proud mother of 6, grandmother of 21, great grandmother of 5 and foster parent to many.
Shirley is an avid reader and loves to travel. She enjoys movies, writing and spending quiet, quality time with her family
Cassandra Selvon- Cooke- Founder/Executive Director
“Give light and people will find the way” (Ella Baker)
Cassandra attended Caribbean Union College and St Joseph College in Trinidad and Tobago. She graduated with an Associate degree in Business Management from The Wilfrid University in Canada, attained her bachelor’s degree in Business-Finance from Howard University in Washington DC, and her Master’s degree in Nonprofit Management from The University of Maryland Global Campus. She is presently a Relationship Manager/Small Business Specialist at Bank of America in the United States of America. Cassandra served as a Fellows Manager for Organizing for America (OFA), a non-profit grassroot organization that was a continuance of President Barack Obama’s organizing for Action (OFA). She served as a member of UNICEF US Congressional Action Pact where she advocated for children’s rights on capitol Hill. Cassandra also served on the board of Turning Point Academy (TPA) as treasurer, the first charter school in Prince Georges County located in Maryland and is presently the treasurer for Caribbean- American Educational and Innovation Fund (CAEIF) a nonprofit geared towards greater advancement for the Caribbean diaspora residing in the United States. Cassandra loves reading, traveling and helping communities. As a founder and executive director of the BSF organization she will be committed to furthering her dad’s legacy by helping communities thrive.
Colin Selvon- Founder
Coming soon!
Camille Selvon- Abrahams- Founder
Camille Selvon is Founding Director of Animae Caribe Animation and Digital Media Festival and the Programme Coordinator for Animation Studies at the University of Trinidad and Tobago. She has a Bachelor of Arts in Media & Communication with specialisation in Animation, from Goldsmiths University of London and has won numerous awards for her work. Together with business partner Jason Lindsay they created the first Caribbean outsourcing animation studio called Full Circle Animation Studio in Trinidad. Creating work for international studios around the world.
In 2016 she spent a month in Jamaica for an intervention project called “New Path’ which used animation in prisons, funded by the Organization of American States through its Department of Public Security in Washington DC. Turning those stories of dread and despair into constructive affirmations. She gives inmates an opportunity to express their fears, their trauma, and allow them to use storytelling to change the plot. With over 20 years in the animation and digital media industry Camille is the project lead for an IDB funded outsourcing studio at the University. The UTT TTAP Factory is an outsourcing centre for audio-visual digital services for the entertainment and ICT sectors. Awards include the Royal Television Society Student Award 2000 – London UK, Caribbean Tales Innovation in Animation in the Caribbean Award – Toronto Canada, Trinidad and Tobago Film Festival – Pioneer in Film Award 2014 – Trinidad & Tobago
Corey Selvon- Founder
Corey Selvon attended St. Georges College High School and St. Augustine Senior Comprehensive, where he was part of the 1988 Secondary Schools Football Championship team. He obtained a football scholarship to the United States where he graduated with a (BA) in Communication and History.
In 2013 He obtained an (MA) in Project Management from the University of the West Indies and in 2015 he completed his FIFA/CIES Masters Diploma in Sports Management from the University of the West Indies. Corey has been applying his significant capabilities and experience in design, planning and implementation to his job as a Project Manager for the past ten years. Corey is also a passionate and dedicated Sport Administrator who has a proven track record in the Management, Administration and Development of Sporting Programmes and Events.
Mr. Selvon has served the communities of Maracas Valley for many years, He has been deeply involved in a wide range of community-based events, particularly social and sporting activities and has been working with at-risk youths, both boys and girls for over a decade. Some of his most notable community roles include serving as the President of the La Seiva Village Council, Founder and Director of Maracas United Youth Football Academy and Director of the Maracas St. Joseph Sport Foundation. In December 2019 Corey Selvon was the successful candidate at the Local Government Elections and became the Councillor for the Electoral District of Maracas Santa/ Margarita.
Cama Selvon-Gonzales- Founder/Curriculum Specialist
Cama holds a BA in Language, Literature and Education as well as a post-graduate Diploma In Education, both obtained from the University of the West Indies. She has been a member of the teaching service for over twenty-five years and has taught at both the primary and secondary levels and her teaching experience includes the holistic education of children with varying levels of abilities in different parts of Trinidad and the Caribbean.
Her Catholic Faith together with her experience of being a member of a convent gives her the motivation and drive to help those that have slipped through the cracks, especially at-risk youths in need of guided developmental supports. She is presently a secondary school teacher and resides with her husband and six children in the Valley of Maracas. Cama is a talented artist, especially at portraiture and loves crafting. Her joy in life comes from spending time with her family, cooking, reading, and writing.
Cimone Selvon-Le Maitre- Founder/HR & Business Support
Cimone is currently pursuing an MBA at the University of East London and holds a BA (hons) in Visual Arts (Silversmithing and Jewellery) from the School of Art, Architecture and Design at London Metropolitan University. She currently resides in London.
She is a skilled Communicator with an eye for detail and holds a level 3 qualification in First Line Management and has been active in the field of Administration and Management for over 20 years. Cimone has worked with various organisations in the United Kingdom and Trinidad and Tobago. She was the Data and Admin Coordinator for a Drug Intervention Programme at the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea, where she produced reports for various Agencies like The Metropolitan Police and National Drug Treatment Authorities. She was also the Business Support Manager for the Brent Schools Partnership and worked with over seventy-five schools within the Borough.
Cimone is also a small business owner and has an online business that sells handmade art, ceramics and jewellery. Her interests include painting, pottery, writing, hiking, listening and dancing to pre-2000 Hip-Hop and R&B and spending quiet, quality time at home with her two children.
Francilla Henry (Fran)- Chief Communications Officer
Fran joined the Bartholomew Selvon Foundation in July 2021. As the Chief Communications Officer (CCO) for the Washington DC/Maryland area, she facilitates donor requests, assists in community leadership initiatives and Project Development. Fran holds a BSc in Organisational Management from St. Joseph's College, Brooklyn.
For Fran, philanthropy has always been a passion. She has organised numerous fundraising events and is a frequent volunteer with DC Central Kitchen, New Hope Housing and Minority Parents for Excellence in Education. In her current role as a Management and Program Analyst for the Federal Government, she is responsible for the collection, analysis, maintenance and processing of man hours and salary for one of the larger Military Treatment Facilities in the US. Prior to this, Fran was a Senior Client Services Officer with Citibank, where she managed and executed the global transaction for Citi's Private Bank institutional clients. Fran's interests include interior design, travelling, reading, cooking and spending time with family and friends- usually around a potluck while listening to soca!
Ayesha Gomez- Executive Assistant, Admin and Social Media Manager
Ayesha has over 20 years of Executive level administrative, management and financial services experience. She has worked across a wide field of industries and has accumulated many useful skills and a wealth of knowledge.
Ayesha attended Corpus Christi College and has been actively involved in community initiatives since then. She has worked for First Citizens Bank in Trinidad and Tobago and Guardian Life of The Caribbean. In her previous role as Client Services and Office Manager for Rene Sound and Vision, she managed all administrative and temporary staff and supervised all event programs and was also the client Liaison and the first point of contact for the organisation. Some of her interests include listening and dancing to 90's jams, hiking ,travelling and reading.
CHAIR- BOARD of DIRECTORS- Roger Warner
Mr. Roger Warner is a Student Counsellor at the University of Trinidad and Tobago. He received his M.Ed in Counselling from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore in 2003 and a Bachelor’s Degree in Sociology Magna Cum Laude from UMES/UMAB Honors Program in 1998. He has volunteered his services as a counselling psychologist at Rainbow Rescue, a home for socially displaced, homeless boys in Belmont. He has also done work in sport psychology with various teams including the Trinidad and Tobago National Under 17 Women’s Football Team for the CONCACAF qualifiers as a Peak Performance Coach in 2012.In 2015 he did volunteer work in life skills for both Persto Praesto and Chatham youth camps and more recently he has developed a mentoring programme with T&T Maestros Football Academy, fostering the development of quality football and social skills in the Laventille, Beetham and San Juan communities.Mr. Warner conducted motivational sessions in "Good Citizenship and Camaraderie" to young residents of the National Male Transition Home located in Manahambre in June of 2020 for The Child Development Specialist Child Affairs Division, Office of the Prime Minister.
BOARD MEMBER- Patricia Irma Charles
Patricia Irma Charles ( nee McNish) was born on 5th November, 1953 – the first of 5 children. She attended Sacred Heart Girls’ and St. Joseph’s Convent, PoS and graduated from the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine with a BA (Gen) in 1977. She obtained a Master’s in Educational Leadership from the Framingham Teachers College in Boston in 2008.
Mrs. Charles taught English at the Secondary level from November, 1977 to August, 2001, until she was appointed Vice-Principal at El Dorado (West) Secondary School in 2007. After six years as V.P. at El Dorado she was promoted to Principal of South East Port of Spain Secondary School where she served for six years till her retirement in June, 2013 after 36 years in Education.
Mrs. Charles has been active in her parish of St. Michael’s R.C. in Maracas/St. Joseph and continues to serve where needed. She has also maintained an active interest in the Dragon Boat fraternity where her school team, the South East Sea Dragons, has performed creditably over the years.
She lives a simple life, enjoying retirement and trying to serve her God.
BOARD MEMBER- Shurlan Oliver
Shurland Oliver was awarded a Football Scholarship to the US, where he studied Business Administration.
In September of 2015 — Mr. Oliver, a Washington, D.C. resident, was sworn in by Mayor Muriel Bowser to the Mayor's Advisory Commission on Caribbean Community Affairs (MACCCA).
He also served as a member of Hillary for America, Pres. Barack Obama's Organization For Action (OFA) and UNICEF's Congressional Action Team, where he led grassroots campaigns and lobbied on behalf of Children's rights on Capitol Hill.
Mr. Oliver also serves on several leadership platforms and is a long serving community advocate for Caribbean-American Social & Economic Development in all aspects.
Presently, he serves as Founder and Executive Director of the Caribbeam-American Education & Innovation Fund, a 501(c)(3) non-profit, non-partisan charitable organization geared towards greater advancement of Caribbean Amerians in socio-economics, health, technology, women's rights, voter education, the arts and civic engagement.
He remains an avid reader, sport enthusiast and lover of the arts and (liming)
BOARD MEMBER/Community Outreach Manager- Natasha John
Natasha John is a certified Law Clerk, and she hails from the community of La Seiva. She holds certificates in a diverse range of fields, such as, Geriatric Nursing, Hairdressing, Drapery Design and Event Management. She has worked at the Maracas Health Centre for four years and was able to identify that her passion was helping the sick and elderly. Ms. John also has a Physical and Massage Therapy background and is involved in the rehabilitation of patients and palliative care. She is an active part of the community and has organised fundraising and charity events that go towards underserved members of her area.
Ms. John is also an entrepreneur and has had many seasonal small food businesses over the years. Her passion is singing, and she enjoys performing in public and cooking. Her motto is “Community, Family is the center of who I am”.
BOARD MEMBER- Mark Lessey
Mark Lessey is a practising registered engineer with the Trinidad and Tobago Electricity Commission. He holds a BSc (hons) (2000) and an MASc (2010) in Electrical and Computer Engineering from the University of the West Indies St. Augustine. A certified Project Management Professional, Mark has served in various engineering, academic and management roles for over 20 years.
From 2007 to 2013 Mark was part of the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering UWI as a Tutor and Instructor and was privileged to work on an applied research team in search of innovative indigenous ICT solutions to local and regional poverty reduction targets. This culminated in the ongoing ‘mFisheries’ project, an award-winning multi-sector collaboration that features a mobile application first developed in 2009-10 for use in the small-scale fisheries sector, which has since expanded internationally. In 2010, Mark and one of his students produced software that earned them a Technology Innovation Award from MIT. Mark is also an entrepreneur with a passion for providing youth with opportunities to experience the wonders of learning and applying knowledge. Most of all, he enjoys family time, conversational Spanish, cooking, gardening and music.
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BOARD MEMBER- Jasmine Pascal
Jasmine Pascal is a career public officer who entered the public service in 1985. she has worked in several ministries and departments during her tenure. Ms. Pascal is the Registrar of the Integrity Commission and is presently serving as the Deputy Permanent Secretary at the Ministry of Tourism, Culture and the Arts. She has a wealth of experience in HRM, Public Administration, Finance and Projects. Ms. Pascal has a BSc in Sociology and Management and Post Graduate in Human Resource Management.
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