Non-executive Council Members

Krishna Desai: Krishna is a natural scientist and an attorney-at-law.  He has a Bachelor of Science with a double major in Botany and Zoology from UWI, a Masters of Marine Management from Dalhousie University, and he was called to the bar in 2010.  Krishna spent eight years with the Natural Resources Conservation Authority and the National Environment and Planning Agency where he advised on coastal zone management issues, monitored natural resources, and regulated physical development.  He has also worked for the Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea where he advised on climate change and carbon management issues.  He has experience working as an independent environmental consultant in Jamaica and the Eastern Caribbean providing regulatory advice, and writing management plans and environmental impact statements in connection with resort and marina developments.  Krishna is currently employed as a litigator for a major law firm in Kingston, he is a member of the JIEP Council, and he also assists a California based charity to identify conservation projects that are in need of funding in Jamaica.

Tamia Harker: is an Environmental Scientist currently employed to C. L. Environmental Co. Ltd. She has a B.Sc. in Environmental Biology (honours) from the University of the West Indies (2005) and is currently pursuing an M.Phil. in Zoology, also at the U.W.I. Tamia has more than four years experience in the environmental field in areas such as Natural Resource Management, Environmental Monitoring and Marine Ecology. She also has extensive knowledge in sea turtle biology and conservation and is a Certified British Sub-Aqua Club (BSAC) Sports Diver. Tamia, a member of the JIEP since 2006, now serves on the JIEP Council and is also the Chairperson of the University Sub-Aqua Club at the U.W.I.

Andrene Jones - Central Region Focal Point

Shakira Kahn

Ava Maxam: joined the JIEP in 2011. She completed Ph.D. studies in Oceanography at the University of the West Indies where she also obtained a Bachelor’s degree (Hons) in Zoology and Botany. Her range of professional experience spans the environmental field, from 3D hydrodynamic modelling to environmental impact studies of Jamaica’s coastline. She is currently the Deputy Director of the Mona Geoinformatics Institute (MGI) where she manages the projects and programming units as well as develops and coordinates GIS training for the institute.

Karen McIntyre: Karen McIntyre, an Environmental and Geographic Information Systems (GIS) scientist, has had seven years experience in the environmental field. She obtained a B.Sc. in Environmental Science from the University in East Anglia in 2003, after which she returned home to Jamaica and worked in varying positions, including Environment, Health and Safety Manager at Beaches Sandy Bay, Environmental Scientist at CEAC Solutions Co. Ltd. and Information Officer for the Jamaica Clearing-House Mechanism. At present, Karen is the Projects Manager at Mona GeoInformatics Institute (MGI), University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, where she is responsible for the management of GIS related projects primarily related to the business sector, environment and natural hazards. She is currently undertaking her Masters in GIS with Lund University’s online programme and she assists in the preparation of Environmental Impact Assessments (EIA) and Monitoring Reports for CL Environmental Co. Ltd. Karen has been a member of the Jamaica Institute of Environmental Professionals since 2005, she is a United Nations (UN) Volunteer and was accepted on the Roster of Candidates in 2008.

Michelle McNaught: A member of the Jamaica Institute of Environmental Professionals (JIEP) and Jamaica Coral Reef Monitoring Network (JCRMN), Ms. McNaught has a B.Sc. in Zoology and Botany (Double major) and a M.Sc. degree in Tropical Ecosystems and Assessment Management.  She is also involved in project management. As a Scientific/Research Diver she is trained in several regional and international reef assessments methodologies including, Atlantic and Gulf Rapid Reef Assessment (AGRRA), Reef Check and Caribbean Coastal Marine Productivity Program (CARICOMP) and has executed numerous reef assessments locally and regionally. She is also trained in Coral Reef Crime Scene Investigation (CSI) for the Government of Jamaica, Project Management and Mangrove Forest Ecology Management and Restoration. Ms. McNaught is currently the Fisheries Manager/Ecologist at the Ministry of Agriculture (Fisheries Division) working on the "Improving Jamaica’s Agricultural Productivity Project" (IJAPP) where she deployed several artificial systems within fish sanctuaries towards ecosystems/fisheries enhancement.

Philip Rose: Philip Rose is a Ph.D. graduate, Teaching Assistant and Adjunct Assistant Lecturer in the Department of Life Sciences (Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences) at the University of the West Indies (UWI) – Mona Campus. His research career has been focused in the fields of Terrestrial Plant Ecology and Botanical Taxonomy for just over a decade. He is also an environmental consultant with over ten years combined research and professional experience in projects involving developmental impacts on local terrestrial plant ecology. His Ph.D. project involved combining the skills associated with plant taxonomy and database development to create Jamaica’s first virtual herbarium which serves specimen data and images based on user queries.

Thessa Smith - Western Region Focal Point