10 Black Caribbean-Born Executives In Top U.S. Posts

Facebook Global Director of Diversity Maxine Williams (L), was born in Trinidad. (Photo Credit: Robert A Tobiansky)

By NAN Staff Writer

News Americas, LOS ANGELES, CA, Fri. Feb. 26, 2016: There is no denying that the Caribbean-born black population in the United States accounts for a significant number of the black population across the nation, including native-born African-Americans, and they dominate major positions in corporate America as well as in academia and health care. As we wrap up Black History Month, here are 10 Caribbean-born executives in top posts across the U.S.:

1: Maxine Williams, Facebook

The Global Head of Diversity at social media giant Facebook was born in Trinidad & Tobago. Maxine Williams, a Rhodes Scholar and graduate of Yale University, is a former attorney and journalist who now develops strategies to harness the unlimited potential of Facebook’s talent while managing a high performing team of diversity program managers from the company’s headquarters in Menlo Park, CA. Prior to Facebook, she served as the Director of Diversity for a global law firm and has represented clients in criminal, civil and industrial courts in both her native Trinidad and in the U.K. at the Privy Council.

“For Facebook, diversity is imperative to our future growth,” she told USA Today recently. “If we don’t get it right, we risk losing relevance in an incredibly diverse world.”

Technology companies are mainly staffed by men. African-Americans and Hispanics make up 5 percent of the companies’ workforces compared with 14 percent nationally.

Williams joined Facebook in 2013 with buy-in from the top. Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg and Chief Operating Officer Sheryl Sandberg are both publicly supportive of her diversity efforts and they have handed her significant responsibility.

​2: Ann-Marie Campbell, Home Depot

Ann-Marie Campbell of Home Depot was born in Jamaica.

Home Depot US Stores’ Executive Vice President is from Jamaica. Ann-Marie Campbell began her career with The Home Depot in 1985 as a cashier in South Florida and managed to work her way up to the top post. In this role, she leads the company’s three U.S. operating divisions comprised of nearly 2,000 U.S. stores and the bulk of the company’s nearly 400,000 associates.

Campbell learned her first lessons in retail from her grandmother in Jamaica, a successful retailer in her own right. And after more than 30 years with the company, Campbell brings a deep understanding of The Home Depot’s operations, culture and customers. During her career at the company, she has served in a variety of positions, including store manager, district manager and regional vice president. She has also served as vice president of operations, vice president of merchandising and special orders, vice president of retail marketing and sales for Home Depot Direct, vice president of vendor services and, most recently, president of the Southern Division of The Home Depot. Campbell  is a graduate of Georgia State University, where she earned a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and a master’s degree in business administration. She is a member of Beta Gamma Sigma, an international business honor society, and the National Scholars Honor Society and currently serves on the boards for Georgia State University’s Robinson College of Business, Barnes & Noble and Potbelly Corporation. In 2014, Fortune Magazine listed her among the top 50 most powerful women in business.

3: Debra Sandler, Mars, Inc.

Debra Sandler of Mars Inc. grew up in Trinidad and was born in Venezuela.

Venezuela–born, Trinidad & Tobago-raised Debra A. Sandler is the Chief Health and Wellbeing Officer for Mars, Incorporated. The newly created position hands Sandler the reins to focus on nutrition in the face of increasing scrutiny by consumers and health activists. At Mars Chocolate North America, Sandler helped lead the launch of Goodnessknows, a regional brand containing slow-roasted whole almonds, fruits and toasted oats that “have no artificial colors, flavors or preservatives.” In this role, Sandler oversees wellness initiatives for Mars Inc., whose products include M&M’s and Snickers candy, Orbit gum and food brands like Uncle Ben’s. Sandler joined Mars in 2009 as chief consumer officer for Mars Chocolate North America and was promoted to president of Mars Chocolate North America in 2012. Prior to joining Mars, she was worldwide president of Johnson & Johnson’s McNeil’s Nutritionals LLC. Sandler holds an undergraduate degree in International Business from Hofstra University, an MBA from NYU, Stern School of Business and an Honorary PhD from Long Island University.  She is a Trustee of Hofstra University and a Board member of the Ad Council.

4: Kaye Foster-Cheek, Onyx Pharmaceuticals

Kaye Foster-Cheek of Onyx Pharmaceuticals was born in Barbados.

Bridgetown, Barbados-born Kaye Foster-Cheek is the senior vice-president of Global Human Resources for Onyx Pharmaceuticals.  In her role, Foster-Cheek leads all aspects of the human resources function at Onyx for both U.S. and global operations, including  talent acquisition and development, Total Rewards strategy and design, performance management, organizational learning and development, organizational structure and design, and employee relations.

She joined Onyx from Johnson & Johnson where she served as Vice President of Human  Resources and a member of the Executive Committee. Prior to joining Johnson & Johnson, she held several senior Human Resources executive  positions with Pfizer Inc. supporting its pharmaceutical businessesin Japan, Asia, Africa, Middle East and Latin America, and she led the integration of both the Warner-Lambert and Pharmacia mergers for these countries. She currently sits on the Board of GFC – Girls For Change, a national organization which empowers girls from low income neighborhoods to develop and lead social change initiatives in their communities. She earned her undergraduate degree at Baruch College of the City University of New York and received her  MBA from Columbia University, Graduate School of Business. She is married and the mother of two children.

5: Lance Lyttle, Sea-Tac International Airport

Lance Lyttle of the Sea-Tac International Airport was born in Jamaica.

Kingston, Jamaica-born Lance Lyttle is now managing director of the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport. The University of the West Indies alumni succeeded Mark Reis in the post after serving as Chief Operating Officer at Houston Airport System, which is made up of George Bush Intercontinental, William P. Hobby and Ellington airports that together  serve more than 50 million passengers annually and ship more than 400 thousand metric tons of air cargo.

The 50-year-old has a bachelor’s degree in physics and computer science and a master’s degree in management information systems — from the University of the West Indies in Jamaica and started his airport career in the U.S. at the Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson International Airport, in 1999.

While in Atlanta, he was also involved in opening a new international terminal. Lyttle went to Houston after 11 years in Atlanta. Lyttle says he’s accepted the position at Sea-Tac because it is the next logical step in his career.

“[Sea-Tac] is one of the fastest-growing airports in the United States, in one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States … need I say more,” he said.

6: Dr. Michelle Johnson, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre

Dr. Michelle Johnson of Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre was born in Jamaica.

Jamaican-born Dr. Michelle Johnson is associate chief of cardiology at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Centre in New York. Dr. Johnson is one of only doctors at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center who specialize in Cardiovascular Disease. Dr. Johnson is a cardiologist in New York, New York and is affiliated with Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. She received her medical degree from Weill Cornell Medical College of Cornell University and has been in practice for 23 years. She is a graduate of Kingston’s Immaculate Conception High School.

7: Dr. Wayne A. I. Frederick, Howard University

Dr. Wayne A. I. Frederick of Howard University was born in Trinidad.

Trinidad & Tobago-born Dr. Wayne A. I. Frederick  is the 17th President of Howard University. As a triple alumnus, Dr. Frederick’s dedication to Howard University spans more than two decades, beginning with his enrolling as a student. He was admitted to Howard University at the age of 16 with a dream of becoming a physician. His passion to serve and to heal was driven by the personal impact of sickle cell anemia, a hereditary disease he has lived with since birth. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree, a Doctor of Medicine, and completed his surgical residency training at Howard University Hospital. After fulfilling his post-doctoral research and surgical oncology fellowships at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, Dr. Frederick began his academic career as Associate Director of the Cancer Center at University of Connecticut, where he also served on the Department of Surgery faculty.

Since returning to Howard University in 2006, Dr. Frederick has served as Interim President, Provost & Chief Academic Officer, Associate Dean in the College of Medicine, Division Chief in the Department of Surgery, Director of the Cancer Center, and Deputy Provost for Health Sciences and he also earned a Master of Business Administration. As a distinguished researcher and surgeon, Dr. Frederick is the author of numerous peer- reviewed articles, book chapters, abstracts, and editorials. He has also received numerous awards honoring his outstanding scholarship and service. In June 2014, Congress recognized him for his contributions in addressing health disparities among African-Americans and historically underrepresented groups by awarding him the Congressional Citation for Distinguished Service.

8: Dr. Tashni Dubroy, Shaw University

Dr. Tashni Dubroy of Shaw University was born in Jamaica.

Jamaican-born Dr. Tashni Dubroy last August was named President at Shaw University at age 34. Her appointment makes her the second Jamaican and also the third female to serve as the school’s president. Dubroy started her career as a research scientist at BASF, the world’s leading chemical company. She quickly moved up the ranks, earning two promotions within a two year period.

Following her tenure at BASF, Dubroy was hired by her alma mater in 2011, where she served as an associate professor of chemistry and later the department chair of Shaw’s department of natural sciences and mathematics.

Dubroy is the daughter of Emerson and Greta Coote and is one of six siblings. She moved to the United States at age 18 before graduating from Shaw in 2002. Later she attained a doctorate in Chemistry from North Carolina State University.

9: Dr. Carole Berotte Joseph, Massachusetts Bay Community College

Carole Berotte Joseph of Massachusetts Bay Community College was born in Haiti.

Dr. Carole Berotte Joseph is the US’ first Haitian-born US College President. She is also the first woman president of the Massachusetts Bay Community College. Berotte Joseph previously served as the college’s chief executive for almost a year already, before becoming president. She is the eldest daughter of a teacher and a nurse, knew growing up in Brooklyn that she wanted to teach. Born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Dr. Berotte Joseph immigrated to the United States as a young girl in 1957 with her family during the years of Haiti’s Duvalier dictatorship. She earned her Bachelor Degree (cum laude) in Spanish and Education from the York College of the City University of New York (CUNY), and a Masters degree (magna cum laude) in curriculum and teaching and in bilingual education from Fordham University. She received her Ph.D. in bilingual education and sociolinguistics from New York University in 1992. Berotte Joseph speaks four languages: Creole, French, Spanish and English.

10: Dr. Sidney A. McPhee, Middle Tennessee State University

Dr. Sidney A. McPhee of the Middle Tennessee State University was born in The Bahamas.

Bahamas-born Dr. Sidney A. McPhee is the President of Middle Tennessee State University (MTSU). McPhee became MTSU’s tenth president in 2001 and during McPhee’s presidency, MTSU became the largest undergraduate university in Tennessee and the No. 1 producer of graduates in the Tennessee Board of Regents system.

MTSU is also the top destination for transfer students in Tennessee, the state’s veterans and boasts the state’s largest summer session enrollment.  McPhee  earned his B.A. degree from Prairie View A&M University in 1976, a master’s degree in 1979 from the University of Miami, Coral Gables, Florida, and a Doctorate in Applied Behavioral Studies in Education from Oklahoma State University.

His previous service includes a number of positions at the Tennessee Board of Regents: Executive Vice Chancellor; Chief Academic Officer; and—in the spring of 2000—Interim Chancellor. McPhee has also served in the administration of the University of Louisville and the University of Memphis. McPhee is married to Elizabeth McPhee, and they have two adult children, Seneca and Sidney-Anthony.