URISA Caribbean GIS

Hear from URISA Caribbean Chapter leaders and Conference Planning Committee members about the agenda and other important items concerning GIS in the region.

We are so honored to welcome Ambassador, Dr. June Soomer, Secretary General of the Association of Caribbean States (ACS), as our keynote speaker. Dr. Soomer will discuss how geospatial technology can help us to minimize the impact of human activity on the environment and that small developing countries must maximize their use of geospatial technology to ensure sustainable development.

Dr. June Soomer received her Ph.D. in History from the University of the West Indies in 1994. She was the first female to graduate with a doctorate in History from the Cave Hill Campus of the University of the West Indies. Her thesis entitled “An Assessment of the Factors Affecting the Structure and Functioning of The British West Indies Federal Civil Service, 1947-1962”, commenced her deep passion for regional integration and has directed her career path. She served as Saint Lucia’s Ambassador to OECS and CARICOM with responsibility for Diaspora Affairs. A position she has held from 2008-2016.

Since completing her doctorate, she has pursued academic programmes in Human Resources Management, Organisation Development and Strategic Planning. She lectured at the University of the West Indies as well as other Universities in the United States. She also worked for ten (10) years at the Eastern Caribbean Central Bank in the Human Resources Department, the Research Department and the Strategic Policy Unit.

Since 2010 she has served on many national and regional committees including OECS Commissioner for Saint Lucia, Head of the Maritime Boundaries Delimitation Team for Saint Lucia’s with Barbados and St Vincent and the Grenadines and Member of the National Working Group on Free Circulation of Goods in the OECS.

She has received numerous awards and in July 2018 was awarded with the University of the West Indies Alumni Association Pelican Award for excellence in diplomacy, public service and the promotion of regionalism representing the 1989-1998 decade of the university with distinction. While in October that year was recognised for outstanding leadership on the 70th Anniversary of the University of the West Indies, Cave Hill Campus.

Dr. Soomer has diverse experiences through her work in the diplomatic, financial and education sectors obtained through over thirty (30) years of academic and professional experience functioning at the managerial, operational and technical levels. She has a sound understanding of contemporary development issues and continues to advocate for equality and equity in sustainable development. She currently serves as the Secretary General of the Association of Caribbean States. In 2018 she was appointed Chair of the Open Campus Council of the UWI. The first female to serve in both capacities.