Tobagonian Melena Simon-O'Neil leads the way for women executives

MELENA SIMON-O’NEIL is set to create history by becoming the first Tobago-born woman to lead the Association of Female Executives of TT (AFETT).

“That I am the first Tobagonian woman in the organisation’s 20-year history to have this honour is quite significant to me,” Simon-O’Neil, 42, told WMN.

“I am a true Tobago country girl at heart and I see this as a significant step to ensuring the voice of Tobago women are included at the table and that Tobago-based members have equal access to and benefit from the training, support, personal development and professional networking opportunities AFETT so skilfully provides.”

Established in 2002, AFETT is a non-profit organisation which seeks to empower women to become leaders, mentors and change agents in their communities.

The organisation, led by a voluntary and multidisciplinary team of professional women, consistently develops and implements programmes to enrich the lives of its members.

AFETT’s work includes advocating for change in the business environment and representation for policy changes at the government level and via boards and civil-society forums on issues related to gender-based violence, sexual abuse in the workplace, human-rights violations involving girls and women and workplace inequality.

Through its Reach mentorship initiative, the organisation facilitates opportunities for young women entering or advancing in the world of work and girls 13-18 who need life skills training and career coaching as they prepare for transition from the classroom to the boardroom.

AFETT also creates a forum for the exchange of ideas and resources among professional women through projects such as its annual leadership series.

The organisation’s flagship projects include Suit Me Up, an annual charity/fundraising drive that provides executive suits and business wear to young female leaders at affordable prices and the Women of Influence Awards, held annually on International Women’s Day.

AFETT also gives out five national awards for corporate entities in TT which exemplify best practices and working conditions for female employees.

Simon-O’Neil said she considers it a privilege to follow in the footsteps of AFETT’s outstanding leaders, including founding president Lara Quentrall-Thomas, Cavelle Joseph-St Omer and Yolande Agard, all of whom continue to serve with distinction in their respective sectors.

According to AFETT’s constitution, Simon-O’Neil’s installation as president takes place automatically when the new board is elected and installed at the organisation’s AGM in November.

She was installed as president-elect after AFETT’s last AGM in 2020, when the current board’s two-year term in office began.

As president-elect, Simon-O’Neil sat on the board for the last two years under the mentorship of outgoing president Dixie-Ann Dickson. She spent the last year preparing for her new role.

Simon-O’Neil said since being elected she has worked intimately with Dickson to understand AFETT’s strategic objectives, the operation of its various committees and the general management of the board.

This year, she was also called on to serve as co-ordinator of the Reach mentorship programme, AFETT’s leading social outreach project.

Vibrant, driven and goal-oriented, Simon-O’Neil has a professional background that encompasses a range of disciplines, including psychology, social work, human resources and business and event management.

The owner and managing director of Emerald Designs and Event Services and Couture Hats By Melena, she is a graduate of the St Augustine campus of UWI, Arthur Lok Jack Graduate School of Business and Franklin University in the US.

At Franklin, Simon-O’Neil did a master’s in business psychology and received the institution’s leader scholar award for academic excellence and outstanding leadership skills in 2018.

She has lectured at the UWI’s Open Campus and also sits on the board of the Tobago Bridal Association.

Simon-O’Neil said her varied educational training and experience in the business world provided the foundation for her many projects aimed at coaching and mentoring youths to acquire and master job-seeking, job-keeping and entrepreneurial skills.

She has facilitated numerous career workshops for young people and women aimed at developing life skills and promoting empowerment.

The mother of one attributes her professional success and penchant for giving back to her upbringing in a large, close-knit Christian household in Kendal, a small village along the Windward Road in east Tobago.

“The values of discipline, perseverance, resilience, hard work, kindness and ethical conduct were inculcated from early and serve me well to this day.”

She recalled her family’s home was once the sanctuary for many people who needed food and temporary shelter. Her grandmother, she said, had an exceptionally big heart.

“My grandmother was the first humanitarian I knew. Although she did not have much, she never turned anyone away. That spirit of giving, of serving others was developed there.”

Simon-O’Neil believes the hardships experienced in those early days fostered resilience, independence, innovation and creativity.

In fact, she recalled that her entrepreneurial skills were honed from as early as age seven, when she began using local fruit to make preserves and other Tobago sweets to earn money for transport to and from school.

Simon-O’Neil also vividly remembers being raised by the village.

“Neighbours were like family, and I am grateful that so many people from the community and the church family poured into me and nurtured me during my youth. Now that I have the opportunity to give back, I do so with passion and pride in any way I can.”

Simon-O’Neil began volunteering with AFETT in 2016 and became a member two years later. She described her involvement thus far as a humbling and exciting journey.

“When I look at the monumental responsibility entrusted to me, trepidation sometimes steps in.

"However, the mission of AFETT is close to my heart. I fiercely believe in our vision to make all women winners, and each time I ponder on the future projects I grow more and more excited and less anxious about the journey ahead.”

On AFETT’s plan to extend its reach to Tobago, Simon-O’Neil said it was Dickson’s vision to formally launch the organisation on the island before the current board demits office.

“We fully understand that as a national organisation, we must ensure we have a presence in Tobago to ensure women in Tobago are provided with the same opportunities to grow, mentor and network as our Trinidad-based members.”

Saying Tobago has a strong cadre of intelligent, successful female professionals, Simon-O’Neil said the intention is to bring as many of them as possible into the organisation’s fold so they can work to empower, grow and learn from the girls and women who live and work on the island.

She said for the first time in AFETT’s history, its Reach mentorship programme targeted girls living in Tobago. She added last week’s graduation ceremony at the Canaan/Bon Accord Multipurpose Facility was the first of many upcoming initiatives planned for the island.

Simon-O’Neil believes Tobagonians will embrace AFETT.

“No doubt, the election of two Tobago women to the board of AFETT (herself and membership director Afeisha Mc Kain) has indeed stimulated interest among young professionals on the island who now see the value of belonging to such an esteemed organisation.”

Several Tobago women have been AFETT members for many years, but she said: “We hope that as we launch in Tobago that number will increase significantly and their engagement with the organisation will also improve.”

Simon-O’Neil said several of her peers and colleagues living abroad have already pledged to support AFETT’s efforts in Tobago.

When officially installed, Simon-O’Neil said she intends to use her platform to create what she called wide-scale change, building on the legacy of her predecessors.

Her agenda includes continued advocacy for meaningful policies to address gender-based violence, gender inequality and social injustices against women and children.

She is also keen on expanding AFETT’s youth arm, facilitating innovative mentorship programmes at the youth and executive levels and promoting health and wellness for women in leadership.

Creating business, trade and networking opportunities for members is also high on her agenda.

Under her leadership, Simon-O’Neil is hoping to inspire a new generation of young professionals.

Describing AFETT as a life-changing experience, she said the growth and transformation its members have experienced over the years have been phenomenal.

Simon-O’Neil said AFETT allows its members to develop sound leadership skills, especially if they are active in the organisation’s various committees

She added members are often privy to exclusive resources, training and job opportunities from the TT Coalition of Services Industries, NGOs, the UN, government ministries and other organisations.

AFETT members, Simon-O’Neil believes, have the chance to positively influence legislation on issues confronting women.

She said young women thinking about joining the organisation will have direct access to mentorship from C-Suite Female Executives.

Members will also get the opportunity to grow and expand their expertise through business-to-business connection with other members.

Simon-O’Neil said members of the public often come to AFETT to source services that its team can provide, thereby increasing their own networking reach and possibility for business opportunities.