Six Trinis among Young Leaders of the Americas fellows

SIX Trinidadians have been announced among the 2025 Cohort of the Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative (YLAI) fellowship programme.

In a news release on January 8, the US embassy said the TT cohort includes Dominick Alexander, Naomi Anderson, Dharnel Duprey, Desirai Johnson-Phillip, Shereesa Khan and Simon Neptune.

The US Department of State’s YLAI is a programme that promotes entrepreneurship and economic prosperity across the Western Hemisphere, connecting entrepreneurs across borders through an annual fellowship programme, it said.

It will benefit 280 entrepreneurs from 37 countries.

The release said 2025 marks ten years of the YLAI programme.

The six from Trinidad and Tobago will join young leaders from countries in Latin America, the Caribbean and Canada for the hybrid fellowship, which was launched on December 9, 2024.

The programme, the release said, starts with a virtual entrepreneurial leadership curriculum this month. Fellows will then travel to cities across the US in May for a four-week professional placement with a host organisation.

The programme concludes in June with all fellows attending a closing forum in Washington, DC.

The embassy said since YLAI’s launch in 2015, more than 1,750 fellows have built connections with over 1,250 US businesses and organisations.

The 2025 cohort, it added, will bring the number of TT fellows to 44.

After completing the programme, fellows use the strategies they learned to attract new resources to their business and improve operations.

YLAI promotes US business models, increases trade, encourages job creation, and builds lasting and sustainable networks of young entrepreneurs and business and social leaders across Latin America, the Caribbean, Canada and the US, the release said.

The 2025 young leaders:

Dominick Alexander, business: Alexander works in the music sector as the CEO of Laudem Music School. The school provides music education for students of all ages and abilities.

Naomi Anderson, business: Anderson works in the food and beverage sector as the owner and head pastry chef of Unicakery. The company creates custom cakes and desserts.

Dharnel Dariel Duprey, environment: Duprey is the founder and operations manager of Growing Essentials Agricultural Supplies and Services. The organisation focuses on sustainable agriculture, including hydroponics and beekeeping.

Desirai Johnson-Phillip, environment: Johnson-Phillip is the founder and CEO of Leading Seedling and Exotic Plants. The company provides seedlings, plants, and agricultural services and is focused on engaging a new generation of agricultural leaders by attracting and empowering youth in the field.

Shereesa Khan, business: Khan works in the beauty business sector as the founder and CEO of Vortex Sensations. The manufacturing company creates organic products for people with skin and hair issues.

Simon Neptune, environment: Neptune works in the energy sector as the founder of Neptune Biosystems. The company is focused on developing biorefineries that convert landfill waste into carbon-neutral diesel fuel.