RG Podcast

The Power of Genetic Testing: Insights from CariGenetics

Join us on the Best Health podcast as host Carrie Lee Astwood interviews Dr. Carika Weldon, founder of CariGenetics. Discover the transformative power of genetic testing and its impact on personalized healthcare. Dr. Weldon shares insights on her DNA kits, the importance of genetic testing, and how understanding our genetics can enhance mental and physicalperformance.

 

Dr Carika Weldon, PhD, MRSB, FIBMS (Founder, CEO, and Director of Research) is a Bermudian biochemist and the first sole black female founder of a genomics company in the world. She received her Bachelor of Science honours degree in Medical Biochemistry from the University of Leicester, then went on to complete her Doctor of Philosophy in Biochemistry at the same university. In 2015, Dr Weldon became the youngest full-time Lecturer in Biomedical and Medical Sciences at De Montfort University in the UK. In 2016, Dr Weldon founded the Bermuda Principles Foundation (BPF), to make a worthwhile contribution to Bermudian society in both the education and science tourism sectors. In November 2018, Dr Weldon returned to full-time research, working as a Research Scientist within the Oxford Genomics Centre at the University of Oxford. In April 2020, called by the Bermuda Government, Dr Weldon returned to Bermuda to expand testing capacity for COVID-19 and was appointed as Science Advisor to the Premier for COVID-19 and Laboratory Director of the government’s Molecular Diagnostic Laboratory, which she created. Dr Weldon was granted a Queen’s Certificate & Badge of Honour in November 2020. Currently, Dr Weldon is an adjunct lecturer at the Bermuda College, teaching Molecular Medicine, along with her current role at CariGenetics. She is focused on ensuring the research culture the pandemic fostered amongst healthcare professionals and the general public is harnessed for a healthier future for Bermuda. 

 

Sponsor: Lindo's

BBA Series – Part 5: Borrowing Money

Listen in to Part 5 of the series with the Bermuda Bankers Association and special guest Simon Van de Weg from Clarien: Borrowing Money – mortgages, credit cards and debt management

 

Simon Van de Weg – Chief Banking Officer

 

Simon leads Clarien’s Lending, Retail and Corporate Banking business and is responsible for managing high value customers and special project initiatives.

Prior to joining Clarien in 2015, Simon was Finance & Credit Director with Intelsat, Luxembourg. In this role he customised credit policy and solutions to mitigate customer, transaction and financial risks. From 2004 to 2008, he held the post of Vice-President, Structured Finance and Letters of Credit with Butterfield Bank, Bermuda after a previously progressing through various banking roles in investments and product management.

Simon is a CMA/CPA, holds an Associate in Reinsurance designation and graduated from Dalhousie University in Canada

 

Sponsored by Bermuda Bankers Association

www.bermudabankers.org

Healthcare Access: A Right, Not a Privilege - A Conversation with Bermuda is Love

Tune in as we sit down with William Campbell and Aaron Crichlow of Bermuda is Love to discuss healthcare as a basic human right, barriers to access, and what we can do to create a healthier Bermuda for all.

 

Bermuda Is Love is a community-driven charity founded in August 2020 to create a more just and compassionate Bermuda. Their mission is to ensure access to food, housing, clothing, healthcare, education, justice, and a healthy environment for all. Through initiatives like trash cleanups, blooddrives, free clothing giveaways, school breakfasts, health clinics, legal advice clinics, and scholarship programs, they work to support those in need. The organization also advocates for systemic change, striving to build a society where everyone can flourish and achieve their dreams.

 

Instagram: @bdaislove

Website: www.bermudaislove.com

 

Sponsor: Lindo's

Bermuda Bankers Association – Part 4

Listen in to Part 4 of this podcast series with Bermuda Bankers Association: Saving and Investing

 

Geoff Scott has over 30 years’ experience in the financial services industry, including leadership roles in risk management, business development and client relationship management. He assumed progressively senior positions as a commercial banker with leading Canadian banks and transitioned to Barbados in 2012 as the Chief Risk Officer at a leading Caribbean commercial bank, where he successfully led several change initiatives which strengthened the risk culture and alignment with business strategies. Subsequently, Geoff was Chief Executive Officer at Barbados’ leading composite insurance company.

 

Geoff is currently the Chief Executive Officer of the Bermuda Bankers Association, where he represents the banking industry with advocacy, education and communications aimed at a range of stakeholders.

 

Geoff is Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of the Turks and Caicos Islands Financial Services Commission, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of National Commercial Bank of Anguilla. Geoff is a Chartered Director accredited by the Caribbean Governance Training Institute.

 

Sharmaine La has been with Butterfield for 17+ years, starting out as a Management Trainee and currently working in the Retail Banking area. She has had the opportunity of collaborating on various retail product projects and system upgrades over the years and created and maintains a thriving employee recognition program for customer facing employees under the Retail banking umbrella. Her favourite aspect of the job however, involves actively serving on Butterfield’s employee engagement team and educating students and young adults on financial literacy.

 

Kevin Grant is a Senior Portfolio Manager with over 35 years of experience in investment services, business development, investor relations, financial consulting and securities-transaction-related activities. Joining Butterfield in 2013, Kevin has worked extensively in Bermuda, the United States, Europe, Asia and the Middle East, providing these services to high-net-worth individuals and institutional clients. Mr. Grant has extensive knowledge of the alternative investments industry, covering various capital structure arbitrage and credit-related strategies, including structured products. Kevin has a B.B.A. in Finance from Hofstra University in Long Island, New York. He has completed the C.F.A. Level I and the Series 7 General Securities Representative examinations, as well as extensive investment product and client service training programmes at both Smith Barney (Citigroup) and Edward Jones Investments.

 

Sponsored by Bermuda Bankers Association

www.bermudabankers.org

Fostering Wellness and Belonging: Inside Treehouse Bermuda

Meet Caitlin Conyers & Tiffany Paynter, the visionaries behind Treehouse Bermuda, as they share their journey, their mission for inclusive wellness, and how they are reshaping the yoga landscape in Bermuda.

 

Tiffany and Caitlin founded Treehouse in 2024 to help present and future generations feel better in their mind, body and heart by awakening their innate capacity for self-healing and personal transformation through yoga. After years teaching and/or practicing yoga both founders noticed a lack of diversity in local yoga classes and felt that was a problem worth solving given the numerous benefits of yoga for the mind and bod. 

 

Through Treehouse Caitlin and Tiffany have intentionally cultivated a community of diverse and genuine yoga and pilates teachers who are not only skilled in guiding others but are also committed to their own daily practices. Currently, Tiffany is CEO of Treehouse and teaches several classes a week and manages day to day operations at Treehouse, while Caitlin is CFO and manages Treehouse finances. 

 

www.treehousebda.com

 

Sponsor: Lindo's

BBA Series – Part 3: Budgeting and Cash Flow

Tanya Bule was appointed as Head of Wealth and Personal Banking, HSBC on 1 May 2020. Before her promotion to Interim Head of Wealth & Personal Banking (previously known as Retail Banking Wealth Management (RBWM)) in September 2019, Mrs. Bule joined the Bank in 2015 as Chief Operating Officer of the RBWM HSBC global line of business. Prior to that Mrs. Bule worked as an independent financial services consultant in the Middle East and before that she held a variety of management consultancy positions in financial services, banking (with Bank of Bermuda), the technology sector, as well as sales & leasing within the telecoms industry.

Sponsor:  Sponsored by Bermuda Bankers Association www.bermudabankers.org

 

Transforming Pain into Purpose: Salintae Tuzo-Smith on Living with Sickle Cell

Salintae is one of the most optimistic individuals you could meet despite the chronic illness she has lived with since birth. Doctors said she wouldn't live past thirty years old, but that did not stop her from travelling the world, earning a Master's degree in Christian Counselling, becoming a Trauma Informed Certified Coach or spending ten years in the corporate world as a business continuity professional earning a Certified Business Continuity Professional designation. Resiliency has always been Salintae's forte, in all areas of her life, and her goal is to reach those that believe they cannot or have a hard time bouncing back. Salintae helps her clients transform into people that are more than their illness. If her story resonates, you would like support or would like to see what she’s up to, you can find Salintae at @Salintae on IG, www.metanoiapower.com or info@metanoiapower.

 

Sponsor: Lindo's

Bermuda Bankers Association - Part 2

Geoff has over 30 years’ experience in the financial services industry, including leadership roles in risk management, business development and client relationship management. He assumed progressively senior positions as a commercial banker with leading Canadian banks and transitioned to Barbados in 2012 as the Chief Risk Officer at a leading Caribbean commercial bank, where he successfully led several change initiatives which strengthened the risk culture and alignment with business strategies. Subsequently, Geoff was Chief Executive Officer at Barbados’ leading composite insurance company.

Geoff is currently the Chief Executive Officer of the Bermuda Bankers Association, where he represents the banking industry with advocacy, education and communications aimed at a range of stakeholders.

Geoff is Chairman of the Board of Commissioners of the Turks and Caicos Islands Financial Services Commission, and Chairman of the Board of Directors of National Commercial Bank of Anguilla. Geoff is a Chartered Director accredited by the Caribbean Governance Training Institute.

Sowing Seeds for Change: Bermuda Lunchbox’s Fight for Food Security

In this episode, we explore how Bermuda Lunchbox is bridging gaps in food security, supporting local food justice efforts, and promoting sustainable practices to ensure Bermudians can access vital food resources and grow their own food.

 

Bermuda Lunchbox was inspired by the U.N. 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Social Justice Bermuda’s local food resources initiative. Founded by Ms. Outerbridge and her students, who dedicated over 40 hours of research and web development, Bermuda Lunchbox launched in 2022 as an easy-to-use online platform connecting Bermudians with food and gardening resources, classes, and community events. Through their website and Instagram, Bermuda Lunchbox educates on food security, promotes home gardening, and supports local food justice efforts, with a mission to help underprivileged people access essential resources and grow their own food. 

 

(Special acknowledgment goes to Ira Thompson, S4, for his creative design and direction, as she pursues a future in graphic design.)

 

Sponsor: Lindo's

Bermuda 2024/5 Economic Review and Outlook

Nathan Kowalski

Nathan is the Chief Financial Officer and Senior Portfolio Manager at Anchor Investment Management Ltd. He sits on the firm’s investment, compliance, and finance committees and has been with the company since 2003. Nathan holds a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA), Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), and Chartered Investment Manager (CIM) designation and is a Fellow of CSI (FCSI). He is also the author of the column “Financial Ramblings from the Rock” featured in Bemuda’s Royal Gazette.

Jonathan Kent, Business Writer

Jonathan is a corporate writer for clients in the international business sector, producing content including white papers, web copy, press releases and thought-leadership articles. Before starting his own business in 2021, he was Business Editor and Deputy Editor of The Royal Gazette. During his journalistic career, he also covered news and sports for UK national and regional newspapers and magazines, including the Daily Mail, The Independent on Sunday and the Grimsby Telegraph. Jonathan has an MSc in International Management from the University of Liverpool.