Celebrating the 2026 Women Impact Awards Honorees
There are moments when a region pauses—not simply to celebrate achievement, but to recognize intention. Moments when leadership is measured not by visibility alone, but by impact, care, and consequence. The Women Impact Awards, presented by the Caribbean Philanthropic Alliance (CariPhil), represent one such moment—an intentional act of recognition rooted in the understanding that women have long been shaping the Caribbean’s future, often without fanfare, and always with consequence.
Rooted in the belief that women are already leading transformative work across the Caribbean and its global diaspora, the Women Impact Awards honor leaders whose influence reaches far beyond titles or institutions. These are women who build where systems have failed, who lead with conscience, and who understand that philanthropy—at its best—is not charity, but shared responsibility. Their leadership is grounded, relational, and deeply human, shaped by proximity to the communities they serve and guided by a long view of progress.
The Women Impact Awards will be presented during Future Forward 2026, CariPhil’s flagship forum, taking place February 9–12, 2026, in Kingston, Jamaica. Within that convening, the awards serve as a powerful anchor—spotlighting women whose leadership across philanthropy, development, advocacy, business, governance, culture, and media is actively shaping more just, resilient, and sustainable futures. The awards are part of CariPhil’s Women-Led Climate Philanthropy Initiative, launched at the Clinton Global Initiative in 2023, and reflect a simple but radical truth: women—particularly those rooted in the Global South—are not waiting for solutions; they are already building them. What is required is recognition, resourcing, and relationship.
This article opens an editorial series by About Her Culture that will unfold over the next two weeks, featuring each of the ten honorees individually. Together, their stories form a collective portrait—not a roll call, but a narrative of shared ethos and distinct pathways. Across education, climate resilience, migration justice, food security, gender equity, economic empowerment, diplomacy, and storytelling, these women model a leadership style that is collaborative rather than extractive, intergenerational rather than short-sighted, and deeply rooted in community rather than removed from it. Their work crosses borders, but never loses sight of the people most affected by policy, investment, and power.
The Honorees
Amina Doherty (Global)
Amina Doherty is a philanthropic visionary whose career has helped redefine how global feminist funding operates. As Head of Impact and Programs at the Clara Lionel Foundation, she has supported social justice initiatives worldwide, centering Black feminist movements, youth leadership, and grassroots power. The foundation was founded by Robyn “Rihanna” Fenty in 2012, and works internationally to support community-led solutions in areas like climate resilience, women’s entrepreneurship, health equity, and education.
Dana N. François (Global / Haiti)
Dana N. François is a visionary global executive leader whose work in philanthropy, investment, and sustainable development has impacted hundreds of thousands of lives. With a rare ability to bridge analytical rigor and empathetic leadership, she has helped architect systems-level solutions in food security, biodiversity, and economic resilience—particularly in Haiti—demonstrating how strategic philanthropy can drive lasting transformation.
Donnya Piggott (Barbados)
An award-winning LGBTQ advocate and social entrepreneur, Donnya Piggott bridges human rights and inclusive economic development. Through her leadership of B-GLAAD and Pink Coconuts, she has advanced workplace protections, inclusive tourism models, and policy reform—demonstrating how advocacy and entrepreneurship can converge to strengthen both communities and economies.
Guerline Jozef (Haiti / USA)
Founder and Executive Director of the Haitian Bridge Alliance, Guerline Jozef is a globally recognized human rights advocate working at the intersection of migration, racial justice, and LGBTQIA+ rights. From the grassroots to the halls of the United Nations and U.S. Congress, her work centers the dignity and humanity of Black migrants and asylum seekers navigating some of the world’s most hostile systems.
Janella Precius (St. Lucia / Jamaica)
A multiple award-winning journalist and CNN Fellow, Janella Precius has built a career anchored in truth, clarity, and public trust. As a senior editor and anchor at Television Jamaica, she shapes national conversations while mentoring emerging voices, reinforcing the role of media as a public service and a catalyst for accountability.
Keithlin Caroo-Afrifa (St. Lucia)
As Founder and Executive Director of Helen’s Daughters, Keithlin Caroo-Afrifa has become one of the Caribbean’s most influential advocates for rural women farmers. Her work expands access to training, markets, and policy influence while challenging entrenched gender inequities in agriculture. Internationally recognized and awarded an MBE for her contributions, her leadership is feminist, grassroots, and unapologetically rooted in land and livelihood.
Leith Lorraine Dunn (Jamaica)
Dr. Leith Dunn is a sociologist, scholar, and gender specialist whose decades-long career has shaped gender-responsive development policy across the Caribbean and beyond. Through her research, teaching, and advisory roles with regional and international institutions, she has helped embed gender equity into the frameworks guiding climate policy, governance, and socio-economic development.
Michèle Duvivier Pierre-Louis (Haiti)
Former Prime Minister of Haiti and President of Fondation Connaissance et Liberté (FOKAL), Michèle Pierre-Louis is one of the Caribbean’s most respected public intellectuals and civic leaders. Her life’s work spans governance, human rights, higher education, gender justice, and cultural preservation. From serving on United Nations high-level panels to safeguarding Haiti’s intellectual and artistic life, she embodies legacy leadership rooted in principle, courage, and cultural sovereignty.
Nabeela Farida Tunis (Sierra Leone)
Hon. Nabeela Farida Tunis, Sierra Leone’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, brings a deeply informed Global South perspective to diplomacy, development, and peacebuilding. With experience spanning the United Nations, environmental governance, and gender mainstreaming, her leadership reflects the power of inclusive, participatory governance at the highest levels.
Thalia Lyn (Jamaica)
Dr. Thalia Lyn is a pioneering entrepreneur and philanthropist whose influence has reshaped Jamaica’s business and cultural landscape. As the founder of Island Grill, she helped legitimize Jamaican cuisine in the fast-casual dining space while championing environmentally responsible practices long before sustainability became fashionable. Her philanthropic leadership—across education, gender equity, and community development—reflects a belief that business success must meaningfully serve society.
Taken together, these ten women represent more than individual excellence; they reflect a shared commitment to building futures rooted in equity, accountability, and care. Their work reminds us that impact is not always loud, but it is always intentional—and that the most enduring change is often led by those closest to the communities they serve.
Over the next two weeks, About Her Culture will explore each of these women’s journeys in depth, tracing the ideas, experiences, and convictions that shape their leadership. As the Women Impact Awards approach, this series serves as both recognition and record—an opportunity to witness how women across the Caribbean and its global networks are shaping the present, while laying the groundwork for what comes next.
