Meet Our 2025 Speakers
Ms.Sharda Mohan-Soomai
Ms. Mohan-Soomai a highly skilled negotiator and decision-maker, specializing in minimizing project risks and delivering cost-effective solutions. She is the holder of an MBA in Logistics and Supply Chain Management with the Australian Institute of Business and a Master of Laws in International Business Law with Anglia Ruskin University.
Since 2019, she has worked with major organizations including Peterson Integrated Logistics Guyana Inc and Guyana Shore Base Inc. In addition to her career, Ms. Mohan-Soomai is a senior lecturer and corporate trainer who has trained over 500 young professionals, many of whom now hold key positions in international companies in Guyana.
Social Media Link: LinkedIn
Ms.Josephine Tapp
Ms. Josephine Tapp is currently the President of the Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry Guyana (WCCIG), she leads with a strategic vision focused on capacity building for women entrepreneurs and advocating for inclusive economic growth across Guyana. Ms. Tapp is the holder a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Guyana and has earned certifications in human resource management, project management, accounting, and corporate secretarial practices.
In her role as Assistant Manager and QMS Coordinator at B&J Civil Works—a family-owned business—Josephine has been instrumental in modernizing operations. Since returning to the company, she has championed systems improvement and formalization, successfully leading B&J to achieve ISO certification in 2023. Her efforts have streamlined workflows and reinforced the company’s reputation for quality within Guyana’s infrastructure sector.
Social Media Link: LinkedIn
Ms.Andrea King
Ms. Andrea King currently serves in a leadership role at Brava Solutions, where she manages a portfolio of corporate enterprise-level clients, ensuring strategic alignment and exceptional service delivery. She is also the founder of CEO Solutions, a business consultancy specializing in strategic communications, management consulting, project management, and professional training.
As the founder of Guyana’s first financial literacy nonprofit, Project FLO, Andrea has championed financial education by empowering individuals through workshops on financial literacy and financial inclusion. Her initiatives focus on revolutionizing financial education and empowering youth.
A former Miss World Guyana, Andrea represented her country on the global stage, using her platform to advocate for education, social transformation, and the empowerment of underserved communities. Her presence on national and international platforms has positioned her as a formidable voice for change, sparking important conversations, influencing thought leadership, and driving initiatives that create lasting impact.
Social Media Link: LinkedIn
Dr.Natasha Gaskin-Peters
. Dr. Natasha Gaskin-Peters is an economist by trade with experience in both micro and macroeconomics, and business development. As the Director of Fiscal Frontier Inc. Dr. Gaskin-Peters works with policy makers, private sector and other key stakeholders supporting them with analytics and data to drive better policies in the public and private sector. Previously, Dr. Gaskin-Peters served as the Director of the Centre for Local Business Development, where she led a team that worked with local and international companies in better understanding where they fit into Guyana’s supply chain and how to access opportunities in the Oil and Gas sector.
As a holder of a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Reading, Dr. Gaskin-Peters is the honorary Secretary of the Private Sector Commission. She also serves as a Director on the Board of IPED and is also a Director of MEP Engineering Services Inc. She is a former Chairman of the Bureau of Statistics and a former Director on the Small Business Bureau’s Board, in Guyana, where she played an active role in determining policies to guide these two institutions.
Dr. Gaskin-Peters' extensive knowledge not only reflects her commitment to continuous development but also highlights her leadership in business and within key economic and policy-driven institutions.
Social Media Link: LinkedIn
Ms. Evie Kanhai-Gurchuran
. Evie Kanhai-Gurchuran is a multi-award-winning entrepreneur, brand strategist, and digital marketing expert based in Guyana. As the CEO of EMTEC, she has spearheaded successful digital marketing campaigns, elevating brand awareness and business growth. She also co-founded Java Coffee Bar Inc. and Gurchuran Investments Inc., driving their expansion through innovative branding and strategic partnerships.
Passionate about empowering women and small businesses, Evie mentors entrepreneurs across the Caribbean and Africa, advocating for digital equity and business confidence. She founded Girls+ Tech and served as Managing Director of Girls in Tech – Guyana, fostering technology-driven opportunities for women.
Her leadership has earned her prestigious accolades, including Business Woman of the Year from the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and the Entrepreneur Excellence Award from the Women’s Chamber of Commerce. With expertise in strategic marketing, digital innovation, and business development, Evie continues to shape impactful ventures and mentor the next generation of leaders.
Social Media Link: LinkedIn
Ms.Onecka Newland
Ms. Onecka Newland is a finance and operations professional who holds a BSC in Accounting and over 3 decades of experience in finance and administrative systems and project management . She joined the Centre in July of 2017, as a Business Specialist and dedicated worker, she quickly moved up the rank to Operations and Finance Manager and thereafter to Senior Operations and Manager. Onecka’s work ethics would have seen her worked in many capacities such as Assistant Accountant, Senior Finance Manager (Projects) and Director from various
Onecka gained her experience at the Ministry of Finance, Accountant General’s Department, USAID funded projects managed by Family Health International, Management Sciences for Health and Chemonics International Inc. respectively. A Project Manager by heart and facilitator to the Centre’s Project Management Mentorship Programme to local businesses from various sectors along with her providing leadership in the areas of finance, administration, operations, human resources, procurement and oversight from implementation to closure of projects.
Ms.Sharda Mohan-Soomai
Ms. Mohan-Soomai a highly skilled negotiator and decision-maker, specializing in minimizing project risks and delivering cost-effective solutions. She is the holder of an MBA in Logistics and Supply Chain Management with the Australian Institute of Business and a Master of Laws in International Business Law with Anglia Ruskin University. Since 2019, she has worked with major organizations including Peterson Integrated Logistics Guyana Inc and Guyana Shore Base Inc. In addition to her career, Ms. Mohan-Soomai is a senior lecturer and corporate trainer who has trained over 500 young professionals, many of whom now hold key positions in international companies in Guyana.
Social Media Link: LinkedIn
Ms.Josephine Tapp
Ms. Josephine Tapp is currently the President of the Women’s Chamber of Commerce and Industry Guyana (WCCIG), she leads with a strategic vision focused on capacity building for women entrepreneurs and advocating for inclusive economic growth across Guyana. Ms. Tapp is the holder a Bachelor of Laws from the University of Guyana and has earned certifications in human resource management, project management, accounting, and corporate secretarial practices. In her role as Assistant Manager and QMS Coordinator at B&J Civil Works—a family-owned business—Josephine has been instrumental in modernizing operations. Since returning to the company, she has championed systems improvement and formalization, successfully leading B&J to achieve ISO certification in 2023. Her efforts have streamlined workflows and reinforced the company’s reputation for quality within Guyana’s infrastructure sector.
Social Media Link: LinkedIn
Ms.Andrea King
Ms. Andrea King currently serves in a leadership role at Brava Solutions, where she manages a portfolio of corporate enterprise-level clients, ensuring strategic alignment and exceptional service delivery. She is also the founder of CEO Solutions, a business consultancy specializing in strategic communications, management consulting, project management, and professional training. As the founder of Guyana’s first financial literacy nonprofit, Project FLO, Andrea has championed financial education by empowering individuals through workshops on financial literacy and financial inclusion. Her initiatives focus on revolutionizing financial education and empowering youth. A former Miss World Guyana, Andrea represented her country on the global stage, using her platform to advocate for education, social transformation, and the empowerment of underserved communities. Her presence on national and international platforms has positioned her as a formidable voice for change, sparking important conversations, influencing thought leadership, and driving initiatives that create lasting impact.
Social Media Link: LinkedIn
Dr.Natasha Gaskin-Peters
. Dr. Natasha Gaskin-Peters is an economist by trade with experience in both micro and macroeconomics, and business development. As the Director of Fiscal Frontier Inc. Dr. Gaskin-Peters works with policy makers, private sector and other key stakeholders supporting them with analytics and data to drive better policies in the public and private sector. Previously, Dr. Gaskin-Peters served as the Director of the Centre for Local Business Development, where she led a team that worked with local and international companies in better understanding where they fit into Guyana’s supply chain and how to access opportunities in the Oil and Gas sector. As a holder of a Ph.D. in Economics from the University of Reading, Dr. Gaskin-Peters is the honorary Secretary of the Private Sector Commission. She also serves as a Director on the Board of IPED and is also a Director of MEP Engineering Services Inc. She is a former Chairman of the Bureau of Statistics and a former Director on the Small Business Bureau’s Board, in Guyana, where she played an active role in determining policies to guide these two institutions. Dr. Gaskin-Peters' extensive knowledge not only reflects her commitment to continuous development but also highlights her leadership in business and within key economic and policy-driven institutions.
Social Media Link: LinkedIn
Ms. Evie Kanhai-Gurchuran
. Evie Kanhai-Gurchuran is a multi-award-winning entrepreneur, brand strategist, and digital marketing expert based in Guyana. As the CEO of EMTEC, she has spearheaded successful digital marketing campaigns, elevating brand awareness and business growth. She also co-founded Java Coffee Bar Inc. and Gurchuran Investments Inc., driving their expansion through innovative branding and strategic partnerships. Passionate about empowering women and small businesses, Evie mentors entrepreneurs across the Caribbean and Africa, advocating for digital equity and business confidence. She founded Girls+ Tech and served as Managing Director of Girls in Tech – Guyana, fostering technology-driven opportunities for women. Her leadership has earned her prestigious accolades, including Business Woman of the Year from the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and the Entrepreneur Excellence Award from the Women’s Chamber of Commerce. With expertise in strategic marketing, digital innovation, and business development, Evie continues to shape impactful ventures and mentor the next generation of leaders.
Social Media Link: LinkedIn
Ms.Onecka Newland
Ms. Onecka Newland is a finance and operations professional who holds a BSC in Accounting and over 3 decades of experience in finance and administrative systems and project management . She joined the Centre in July of 2017, as a Business Specialist and dedicated worker, she quickly moved up the rank to Operations and Finance Manager and thereafter to Senior Operations and Manager. Onecka’s work ethics would have seen her worked in many capacities such as Assistant Accountant, Senior Finance Manager (Projects) and Director from various Onecka gained her experience at the Ministry of Finance, Accountant General’s Department, USAID funded projects managed by Family Health International, Management Sciences for Health and Chemonics International Inc. respectively. A Project Manager by heart and facilitator to the Centre’s Project Management Mentorship Programme to local businesses from various sectors along with her providing leadership in the areas of finance, administration, operations, human resources, procurement and oversight from implementation to closure of projects.