The Members of the NIHERST Board of Governors were appointed by the President of the Republic of Trinidad & Tobago and will serve for a period of three (3) years. Instruments of Appointment were issued by Dr. the Honourable Nyan Gadsby-Dolly, Minister of Education.

Dr. Andrew Hunte (Chairman)

Dr. Andrew Hunte heads the School of Humanities and Education and is a Lecturer of Mathematics and Mathematics Education at the Five Island Campus – U.W.I. He is also a former Assistant Professor of Mathematics and Programme Leader for Foundations and Prior Learning at the University of Trinidad and Tobago. He holds a BSc and MPhil in Mathematics from the University of the West Indies (UWI); a MSc. in Mathematics and PhD in Curriculum and Instruction of Mathematics from the University of Illinois Urbana Champaign (UIUC).

Dr. Hunte is a Fulbright scholar and serves as an Assistant Chief Examiner of Additional Mathematics (CSEC) at the Caribbean Examination Council. Currently, he also serves as an Associate Editor of the Caribbean Educational Research Journal (CERJ) based at UWI, Cave Hill Campus.

Dr. Hunte has over twenty (20) years’ experience teaching at the tertiary level in the US and Trinidad and Tobago and has presented his research at several international mathematics education conferences such as the Psychology of Mathematics Education North American Chapter (PMENA), International Congress of Mathematics Education (ICME) and the American Education Researchers Association (AERA). He has received several international awards for his research and excellence in teaching.

Mrs. Natasha Skinner-Rocke (Deputy Chairman)

Mrs. Natasha Skinner-Rocke FCCA, is a Chartered Accountant with over twenty-five years of post-qualification experience as a Finance Professional. She has been involved in a range of projects in both the private and public sector across a range of establishments. As a change agent, she has led teams through organizational transformations, among many other transitions. She has for many years exercised her support of the development of our young women and girls through continued engagements with her alma mater, Bishop Anstey High School, among other similar ventures.

She currently serves on the NIHERST Board and on three sub-committees in support of the development of the Institute, namely as the Chair of the Finance and Investment Committee and a member of both the Human Resource and Audit Committees.

Mr. Barry Parasram (Member)

Barry Parasram is a Senior Lecturer and Head of Department Occupational Safety, Health and the Environment at Cipriani College of Labour and Co-operative Studies where he is responsible for the development of academic programmes in the department and the monitoring and evaluation of teaching staff. He has extensive experience in the field of Occupational Safety and Health both in the private and public sector.

He holds a BSc in Occupational Safety, Health and the Environment from Cipriani College of Labour and Co-operative Studies, a MSc (Distinction) in Occupational and Environmental Safety and Health from the University of the West Indies and a MBA with an HR Specialization from the University of Bedfordshire. Mr. Parasram is also a Graduate member of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH).

He currently chairs the Operations Committee and is a member of the Finance and Investment Committee of the NIHERST Board.

Mr. Ian Haywood Jr. (Member)

Ian Haywood Jr. is a young Trinbagonian Philanthropist and Entrepreneur. Mr. Haywood is a former member of The National Youth Parliament of Trinidad and Tobago and he was appointed as the first Chairman of the National Youth Council of Trinidad and Tobago from 2010 to 2014. During his career he has been the recipient of two National Youth Awards for Excellence in Sports Management and Entrepreneurship.

Through his NGO - Celian Group – Mr. Haywood has served the community for over sixteen (16) years developing youth through sport, cultural and spiritual activities; spearheading the launch of The Gospel Music Awards of Trinidad and Tobago (GMATT) and the longstanding Community Football Tournament ‘Haywood Cup’.

Although Mr. Haywood is very altruistic in nature, he also has an outstanding corporate profile for a young person. At present, he serves as the Operations Manager at Ansa Motors Limited. He is currently pursuing a PhD in Strategic Leadership at The University of Trinidad and Tobago and is the holder of a Master’s Degree with distinction in Business Administration with an emphasis in Leadership, Entrepreneurship and Innovation. His combination of achievements and accolades has positioned Mr. Ian Haywood Jr. as a great asset in today’s society and a well-placed member of both the Operations and Finance and Investment Committees of the NIHERST Board.

Mr. Kheston Walkins (Member)

Kheston Walkins is a Neuro-innovator based in Trinidad and Tobago with a background in neurophysiology, experimental and practical neuroscience. He is the CEO and Chief Neuro-innovator at Allegori which engineers innovations in education, art, mental health, and industry using neuroscience and data. Mr. Walkins currently is a member of both the Operations and the Human Resource Committees of the NIHERST Board. He believes that the mind is a beautiful thing and with technological advances, it can be measured and mastered for the advancement, resilience and peak performance of the people of Trinidad and Tobago

Ms. Sharon Baboolal (Member)

Graduate of the University of the West Indies with a Degree in Psychology, Ms. Sharon Baboolal is a performance-driven professional. Serving in managerial capacities for the past eight (8) years, Ms. Baboolal is currently a Counselor and has opted to further her studies in Psychology at the University of Southern Caribbean at the Masters level. Possessing exceptional critical thinking and analytical skills, Ms. Baboolal presently serves as a member of both the Operations and Audit Committees of the NIHERST Board.

Mr. Tafara Hove Masaisai (Member)

Tafara Hove Masaisai is an Attorney-at-Law with twelve (12) years’ service practicing in the public and private sectors. Originally a prosecutor and defense counsel criminal advocate, Mr. Masaisai is currently focused on Civil Litigation. In this capacity he has delved into inter-alia, Employment and Industrial Relations Law, Company Law, Civil fraud and Land matters. Mr. Masaisai, with a passion for self-improvement, brings his wealth of experience and knowledge to the NIHERST team; currently serving as the Chair of both the Human Resource Committee and Audit Committee of the NIHERST Board.

Mrs. Marleen Lord–Lewis (President, ex-officio)

The NIHERST President, Mrs. Marleen Lord-Lewis, appointed by the President of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago on the advice of the Minister, received her Instrument of Appointment from then Minister of Education (11 September, 2015 - 9 August, 2020), Honourable Anthony Garcia, during a brief ceremony at the Education Towers on Monday 5th August, 2019. >>>