Meet our President…

Mrs. Ethel Turner, President

Ms. Turner is the Principal of Arthur’s Town Comprehensive School, youth Pastor of the Church of God in the Bluff and a community leader in North Cat Island. She is a proud founding member of Cat Island United, leads its Board of Directors and represents Cat Island United nationally.

Ms. Letitia Brown, Treasurer

Ms. Brown is the manager of the Bank of Bahamas Cat Island Branch. As Treasurer, she is responsible for CIU financial management, accounts and records. She is a founding member of Cat Island United and serves in the memory of her father, a treasured son of Cat Island.

Ms. Jennifer Johnson-Calari, CFA, Secretary

Ms. Johnson-Calari, adopted Cat Island as her second home after retiring from a career at the World Bank Treasury where she initiated and directed an international program building the investment capacity of central banks throughout the world. In 2013, she launched the first Cat Island Earth Day Festival with the help of like-minded friends, who eventually became the founding members of Cat Island United upon its incorporation in 2017. She is passionate about both environmental preservation and fostering the youth’s environmental awareness.

Mrs. Denice Bethel

Mrs. Bethel, a founding member of Cat Island United, is focussed on advancing eco-tourism in conjunction with the Ministry of Tourism. She is an organic farmer, pursuing innovative farming techniques, co-owner of the Hidden Treasurers restaurant with her husband, Trevor, in the Cultural Village in New Bight. She serves as Vice President of the Cat Island Christian Council and is Chairman of the Cat Island Agri-Producers Cooperative.

Ms. Jacqueline Campaigne

Ms. Campaigne, a founding member, is a journalist, author of the Cat Island Guide and active supporter of innovative farming techniques and solar technology. A Swedish national, she lives year round in Shana’s with her husband Curtis.

Dr. Marcus Cooper, MD

Dr. Cooper is a board certified gastroenterologist with offices in Nassau and Grand Bahamas. He has deep roots on Cat Island and worked tirelessly to raise the level of medical facilities on Cat Island by creating Smith Bay Clinic, which will provide specialized medical services and more advanced technology to improve the health of Cat Islanders.

Dr. Charles Hollander, MD

Dr. Hollander serves as President of FCIU and co-leads CIU’s strategy for the conservation of Cat Island’s Marine Protected Areas Dr. Hollander holds a medical license in the Bahamas and regularly volunteers at the Old Bight Clinic.

Mr. Harrison King

Mr. King is the Pastor Restoration Baptist Church in Devil’s Point, runs a highly productive farm in the South and is an active member of the Royal Bahamas Police Force.

Ms. Melanie Knutsen

Ms. Knutsen recently joined the CIU board, bringing important expertise in informational technology from her career in software development and coding. She leads CIU’s working in employing web based tools to streamline workloads and developing remote work opportunities for Cat Island youth.

Mr. Bill Long

Mr. Long brings to the CIU Board a lifetime of non-profit experience from his professional career as a conservation organization executive, and volunteer leadership board work.  Bill’s is honored to be on the board assisting CIU’s sustainability, and specifically, protection of the MPA’s.

Mr. Rich Pappalardo

Mr. Pappalardo brings valuable project management skills to the Board. He had a career in international sales and installations of complex software systems. He is leading the initiative to develop greater youth employment opportunities through developing a platform on Cat Island for remote work.

Mr. Deon Stewart

Mr. Stewart is a senior environmental scientist with more than two decades of experience in environmental governance, sustainable development, and strategic program management across national and international organizations. He currently serves as National Coordinator of the Global Environment Facility (GEF) Small Grants Programme at the United Nations Development Programme(UNDP) in The Bahamas, where he provides strategic oversight of environmental projects throughout the Bahamas archipelago.

Ms. Portia Sweeting

Portia Sweeting is a proud descendant of Cat Island and a nationally recognized educator and conservation leader with more than three decades of service in environmental education, youth development, and community advancement in The Bahamas. She currently serves as Director of Education and Outreach at the Bahamas National Trust (BNT). In that role, she was instrumental over the past decade in bringing BNT’s extra-curricular environmental science education to the primary schools as well as environmental summer camps.

Ms. Gabi Zimmerman

Ms. Zimmerman is a co-founder of the acclaimed Shanna’s Cove Resort, which she led with her husband for over a decade. Since retiring, she is a year round resident of Cat Island devoted to farming and leads CIU’s recycling and composting community programs in the North.