Pathways by Grenadian STEAM

Stephen Frank is a former national track and field athlete who proudly represented Grenada at the 2011 CARIFTA Games in Jamaica. He was also a key member of the Westerhall Secondary School’s inaugural Intercol Games championship-winning team in 2012. Despite his early success in athletics, Stephen’s career was hindered by several season-ending injuries, leading him to seek physiotherapy treatments in Grenada and the United States. His personal experience with injury and rehabilitation sparked a deep passion to help other athletes recover, inspiring him to pursue a career in physiotherapy. 

Stephen began his academic journey in Health and Physical Education at the T.A. Marryshow Community College (TAMCC). He later earned a scholarship to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, where he completed a Bachelor of Science in Physiotherapy. This unique program allowed him to learn both Western and Traditional Chinese rehabilitation techniques, equipping him with a comprehensive approach to evidence-based rehabilitation. 

Today, Stephen works in the Physiotherapy Department at the General Hospital in Grenada, where he is dedicated to improving patients’ recovery through evidence-based rehabilitation methods. In addition, he actively collaborates with local sports clubs and organizations to promote injury prevention and ensure athletes have access to the best rehabilitation protocols.

Outside of his professional endeavors, Stephen is passionate about cooking and works alongside his family at Franko’s Kitchen & Bar, a well-loved family-owned restaurant located in Corinth, St. David’s and True Blue, Grand Anse in Grenada.

Come along for the ride on this Fast Track!

Show Notes:

If at first you don’t succeed… dust yourself off and try again.

Today’s guest’s resilience led her to finding a job in an industry she never expected. And the self-discovery didn’t end there…

Thea Davis hails from the island of Antigua, where she was born and raised. She earned her MAS degree and B.Sci in Chemical Engineering from Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago, Illinois and later joined the Application Engineering team at Aqua-Aerobic Systems in January 2019. Prior to her employment with Aqua-Aerobic, she had the opportunity to be a Water Innovation Research Intern with Current Innovation, Fall 2018. Thea is currently a Project Application Engineer at Aqua-Aerobic Systems, and is responsible for managing and approving wastewater process designs or design modifications.

Outside of work, Thea is a diehard fan of dancehall music and keeps active as a long time member of the Chicago Netball Club.

We hope you enjoy the journey on today's Pathway!

Show Notes:

Connect with Thea:

Sometimes the career you think you want doesn’t quite pan out as expected… but how do you know when to pivot? What can you do to ease the fear of the transition?

Our very own host and producer, Arlene, takes the hot seat on today’s episode, hosted by Pathways friend and former PathTaker, Sydney Robertson, to share her experiences and lessons learned.

Arlene Hayes is a project coordinator and consultant who is tapping into her true nature as a multi-passionate human. With a background in architectural design, she holds a bachelor’s degree in Architecture from the Illinois Institute of Technology.

Arlene has over 6 years of experience working with general contractors in the commercial and residential construction space. In these roles she has had the privilege of working on a wide range of projects - both new builds and renovations - of things like public markets, resorts, private homes, a basketball arena, performing arts center and even a mega data center for Facebook (now Meta).

In 2023, Arlene started consulting on residential build projects for new and aspiring homeowners under her business, AMH Project Solutions, outside of her day job. She is the President and Co-Founder of the non-profit, Grenadian STEAM, Executive Producer and Host of Pathways, the podcast and has been a Company dancer with Conception Dance Theatre since 2010.

Arlene enjoys traveling, exploration and learning new things like languages, playing the piano and how to cook dishes from cultures around the world.

Full of gems and musings from our very own. We hope you enjoy the journey on today's Pathway!

Show Notes:

What happens when you build a business around the business of bud?....

Business Support Services such as Accounting are in constant demand across multiple industries. As today’s guest puts it, “Accounting is the language of business and cash flow is the lifeblood”.

So what does it take to spin green into gold? Let’s get into it on today’s episode.

Alvonn Forsyth is an accountant and entrepreneur, currently running his virtual accounting firm, Higher Level Accounting (HLA), which specializes in the legal cannabis industry in the U.S. Through HLA, he helps business owners navigate the unique challenges of this evolving sector by emphasizing strong client relationships and simplifying complex financial concepts.

In addition to HLA, Alvonn co-founded the Global Ed Recruiting Agency, which connects international students with U.S. universities that offer excellent programs for international learners. Drawing from his own and his team's experiences, they are dedicated to helping others overcome the challenges of studying abroad.

Alvonn is family-oriented, a lover of travel and an avid sports enthusiast who continues to give back to the youth of Gouyave in collaboration with others. His passion for accounting, technology, client relationships, and teaching drives him to continually seek innovative ways to enhance his services, aiming to make a lasting positive impact on his clients and his community.

A timely conversation. We’re eager to hear everyone’s takeaways from this…

We hope you enjoy the journey on today's Pathway!

Show Notes:

Does a “career” really have to be just one thing? Today’s guest flips that narrative on its head as she has worked her way through from not knowing what she wanted to be, to joining one of the most traditional career fields in the Caribbean, to now running a creative business based on her interests, all while thriving in her 8-4.

Is it easy? Probably not. But you’ll learn that it IS possible - once you push past the self doubt.

Rosana John-Mitchell is an Attorney-at-Law with over 10 years of post-qualification experience. She holds a Master of Laws in Environmental Law and Policy from University College London (UCL), achieved through a Chevening Scholarship.

Rosana currently practices with Dentons, a leading global law firm, where she specializes in Real Estate and Corporate Sustainability (ESG), advising clients in Grenada and the wider Caribbean region.

In addition to her legal career, Rosana is deeply committed to community and leadership. She is an active member of the Rotary Club of Grenada and Caribbean Women in Leadership (CIWiL), and serves as a director of the Grenada Sustainable Development Trust Fund Inc., contributing to sustainable initiatives across the island.

Chad Fraser is an entrepreneur at heart. With over 15 years of experience in the Information Technology industry, his profession spans ICT solutions development,  research and advisory, business process reengineering, change management, IT Strategy, governance and quality assurance. He spent his first 4 years in the workforce as Chief Technology Officer at Ameltek, a Technology solutions company. He was also once the lead consultant for the development of a centralised criminal record and law enforcement information system for the Royal Grenada Police Force. 

Shennel Telesford is currently a teaching assistant in the area of algebra at the National University of the South (Universidad Nacional del Sur) in Bahía Blanca, Argentina,  where she also attained her Bachelors degree in Research Mathematics. Her love for mathematics started off as an incentive from her mom in primary school and grew more and more, making it an effortless subject for her during secondary school, before she finally realized a couple years later that it was a passion.  During her studies, she was exposed to many areas of mathematics (yes, math isn't just numbers).  A great part of this exposure was as a result of the annual math congress by the Argentina Mathematical Union (UMA) . Shennel has attended 6 congresses in total and they served as an excellent tool for a future glimpse into many mathematical areas of study. Algebra and statistics have always been her preference. Currently, she is pursuing a formation in the area of economics as a stepping stone into Actuarial Science. 

On this Pathway, we talk about realizing passions and making continuous academic decisions to chart a career. We also talk about learning a new language and the benefits of integrating into a new culture in tandem with pursuit of a formal education. 

We hope you enjoy the journey on today's Pathway! 

Contact Shennel on: 

WhatsApp: 1-549-291-461-5441 

Show Notes: 

• UMA - Unión Matemática Argentina is where Shennel has found a community of mathematicians in Argentina Turns out there is also an international union to promote cooperation in Mathematics. 
• If you're interested, take a look at the upcoming International Congress of Mathematicians, slated to take place in St. Petersburg, Russia in 2022. 
• Shennel was able to access further education for free in Argentina! As a starting point, check out a list of countries that offer free education to international students here. 

Roselle Everill Grant is - human. A person who bears strengths and short-comings.

Her life to date has been stained with adventure on both personal and professional fronts. An avid explorer, she takes advantage of the outdoors but does enjoy her at-home solitude.

Roselle has earned her BSc. (Hons) in Mechanical Engineering from the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago and started her career in the Pulp and Paper industry in Texas. SWE President, Tau Beta Pi initiate and IIT Black Night were only some of her collegiate crowns.

Her current title is Development Engineer at Tesla - a young company that has successfully executed it's mission statement. Her extensive contributions to the brand encompass the Model 3, Semi-Truck, personnel mentorship and other systems development.

In this episode, Roselle and I chat about growth in a profession, finding balance at all stages of life and not giving in to the fear of failing at something new.

We hope you enjoy the journey on today's Pathway!

Reach out to Roselle through:

Tymon Gittens practices as a pharmacy manager with CVS Health in the eastern United States. For 10 years since completing the Doctor of Pharmacy Degree at Howard University in Washington D.C, he has been practicing as a community pharmacist and continues to enjoy assisting the patients he serves, with his team, on their path to better health.

The grandson of the founder of a local household name in the Grenadian pharmaceutical industry, Tymon always had an interest in the sciences through his school years. With the support of his teachers at the Grenada Boys' Secondary School and continued pursuits at the T.A. Marryshow Community College, he was able to lay the foundation for the path that took him full circle to a fulfilling career in Pharmacy today.

In this episode, Tymon and I chat about the steps to becoming a Pharmacist and the importance of slowing down and thinking through your options as a student.

We hope you enjoy the journey on today's Pathway!

Reach out to Tymon through:

Email: gtymon@hotmail.com

Evrod Mitchell is a predominantly self-taught IT professional. His curiosity as a secondary school student, taking apart broken computers to understand how they work, has led him to a well-developed career in the field of technology. Evrod currently works as a Customer Engineer at NRC CORP in New York, where he provides tech support for large retail corporations such as Macy's. He holds an Associate’s degree from the T.A. Marryshow Community College in Information Technology as well as A+, Network +, Cloud + and CCNA certification. On top of that, Evrod is currently pursuing a Bachelor's degree from DeVry University.

Evrod's IT career started off at Renwick & Thompson Co. in Grenada as an IT Administrator. After developing his skills there for a few years, he migrated to the US to pursue other tech opportunities. Over the last 20 years, he has honed his talent for technology and for mentorship in various tech-related positions such as Systems Analyst and IT Technician at major US companies.

In this episode I chat with Evrod about practical self-teaching, continued learning and holistic development. 

We hope you enjoy the journey on today's Pathway!

Reach out to Evrod through: