On Saturday, November 10th – one of the five finalists for the Young Caymanian Leadership Award will become this year’s recipient.
This year’s finalists are: Kacey Mobley, Kimberley Conolly, Samuel Young, Staci Scott, and Wilbur Welcome.
KACEY MOBLEY
Inspired by her Christian faith, Kacey Mobley is committed to cultivating a lifestyle of leadership, service, and mobilization with others to affect transformational change centered on social justice.
Equipped with a Master’s degree in Sociology and Bachelor’s degrees in Sociology and Political Science, Kacey is dedicated to using her knowledge and experience to make a difference in our social problems. She believes that priority should be given to objective research projects that inform policy and multi-agency strategic intervention. Her commitment to excellence and evidenced-based work was reflected in the numerous academic accolades she received throughout her tertiary studies.
Kacey’s professional career has mainly been in the criminal justice and educational sectors. She has been employed as a proud civil servant for the past 5 years and is currently a Senior Probation Officer at the Department of Community Rehabilitation. In this capacity, she leads a large team of Probation Officers in delivering rehabilitative and intervention services to Grand Cayman and the Sister Islands. Envisioning a safer and healthier Caymanian community, the organization aims to reduce crime by working alongside justice-involved individuals, empowering them to make positive cognitive and behavioral Changes.
In addition to her professional service, Kacey is known for her active role in the community. She has served in strategic leadership roles with nonprofit organizations such as Let Me Live and Generation 4:12 which exist to empower youth and young adults. She also volunteered in various organizations focusing on child welfare and development. Her efforts have also extended to supporting numerous persons through crises locally; and providing international relief by traveling abroad in at least 16 mission trips.
KIMBERLEY CONOLLY
Kimberley Antonette Conolly, 32, is an author, entrepreneur and works full-time in the Tourism/Hospitality sector at The Renaissance as an Assistant Manager. Kimberley was the 2016 Cayman Islands Tourism Association Rising Star in Tourism, a 2016 Governor’s Conservation Award finalist and honored as an Emerging Pioneer in Tourism on Heroes Day 2017. She was also the recipient of The Sinclair’s Group Young Entrepreneur of the Year Runner-Up Award 2016 for the business idea for The Wick Candles & Scents. She prides herself that the Company is about more than candles and generously gives back to the community with Stuff the Bus school supply drive and community cleanups. The Company has donated to The Breast Cancer Foundation, National Trust for the Cayman Islands as well as the Clifton Hunter High School 2018 Leisure and Tourism Award package which included a scholarship.
Kimberley is very involved and has volunteered for the National Drug Council, The Breast Cancer Foundation, Cayman Islands Tourism Association, CayFilm, Taste of Cayman and Chicago Cares to name a few. Annually, she invites students to the Stingray Awards and other tourism-related events to expose them to the benefits of being a part of the Tourism industry as a way of encouraging students to make the sector their preferred career choice. She is also Chairwoman for the KAC Foundation, a Community Enrichment Non-profit Organization aimed to tackle social issues such as Child Abuse, Domestic Violence, and unemployment through awareness.
Lastly, she is an avid Toastmaster and currently serves as Area Director for clubs in Grand Cayman and Turks and Caicos. Through the Program, she has conducted Youth Leadership Programs and partnered with the National Workforce Development Agency to provide public speaking and leadership training.
She is a Certified Revenue Management Executive with a Master Certificate in Revenue Management from Cornell University. Her first short novel, The Harmonizing Truth, was published earlier this year.
SAMUEL YOUNG
By way of background, Samuel Young graduated from John Gray High School (where he won the Governor’s’ Achievement Award) and obtained a Bachelor of Science in Accounting from UCCI. Samuel now owns and operates the leading gym in the Cayman Islands, World Gym, which in 2018 had its most successful year in the last 30 years. Samuel seeks to consistently add value to the lives of his clients and his staff members by running a successful business that empowers the community through health and fitness.
In this spirit, this year Samuel donated over CI$14,000 in the form of sponsored gym memberships for local charitable organizations together with providing gym equipment to a local prison for the betterment of the lives of inmates. Samuel constantly seeks to improve and grow himself and those around him. He refuses to live a life of complacency or stagnancy and believes in using all his abilities in the service of others. Samuel has various athletic accomplishments including winning the Pirates’ Week Mud Run on three occasions and he is the first trained triathlon coach in the Cayman Islands.
STACI SCOTT
Staci Scott is a young Caymanian professional with a passion for lifelong learning and a fierce belief in the great potential of Caymanian youth. A native of Cayman Brac, Staci graduated summa cum laude from Elon University with a bachelor’s degree in accounting in May 2013, where she received an award in recognition of having attained the highest grades within her major.
Staci is a Certified Public Accountant (North Carolina, USA) and is currently an audit manager at KPMG within the asset management practice. In 2016, she also completed a secondment at KPMG’s New York City office, which enabled her to gain international experience. At KPMG, Staci has served as an active member of both the Scholarship and Corporate Citizenship Committees since 2014. As a member of the Scholarship Committee, she acts as a mentor and resource for young Caymanians within the firm, guiding them as they progress through the scholarship program and as new employees. As a part of the Corporate Citizenship Committee, Staci has organized Christmas donation drives and various other projects within the Cayman community and is a part of the Committee subgroup focused on lifelong learning.
Since returning home from university 5 years ago, Staci has seized every opportunity to make a difference in the learning and lives of students within Cayman. She has volunteered with KPMG and Literacy is for Everyone’s Paired Reading program at Red Bay Primary School, is a mentor to A-level and university students through Cayman Finance, and has taught high school students money management and career skills through Junior Achievement’s Economics for Success program. She has also taught local bachelor’s and master’s degree students analytical and presentation skills through KPMG’s Ace the Case business skills course and is also a “big sister” or lifelong mentor with Big Brothers Big Sisters in Cayman,
In September 2017, Staci was honored to receive the Cayman Islands Institute of Professional Accountants’ first Rising Star Award in recognition of her career achievements to date as well as her community impact. She looks forward to continuing to build a successful career in Cayman while also playing an active role in the lives of local youth.
WILBUR WELCOME
Wilbur Welcome is a Senior Policy Analyst in the Ministry of Financial Services and is happily married to Shari Welcome. Prior to joining the Ministry Wilbur held the position of Senior Analyst at the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority. Wilbur is originally from Bodden Town, and now resides in the peaceful district of East End and is an active member of the William Pouchie Memorial United Church, in North Side. He is an Elder and Treasurer of the William Pouchie Memorial United Church; he also serves as the Sunday school superintendent, co-founder and program coordinator of the Anchors Christian Boys Club, member of New Direction Male Choir, and an executive on the Men’s Fellowship of the William Pouchie Memorial United Church. He is also an alumnus of the Chamber of Commerce Leadership Cayman program.
Throughout his life Wilbur has demonstrated strong community spirit, assisting with Vacation Bible School and sports days under the United Church, and participated in national and local club football. His interests include farming, fishing, travel, sports, art and history. Wilbur holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting with a concentration in Finance from North Carolina State University and earned his MBA at Campbell University.
EVENT DETAILS
Tickets for the YCLA 2018 Gala Event are now available. The cost is $250 per person. Corporate tables of ten are also available for $2,500. The event is November 10, 2018, at the Kimpton Seafire Resort and Spa. The theme is “It Takes a Village”, and the speaker is soon to be announced. Doors open for the reception at 6 pm. At 6:45, doors are closed to accommodate the live telecast. Doors re-open after the broadcast for the remainder of the evening to celebrate. Those who wish to attend are encouraged to secure their reservations by emailing brianna@ycla.ky.
ABOUT YCLA
Celebrating its 18th Anniversary this year, the Young Caymanian Leadership Awards programme has as its mission to identify, celebrate and honour outstanding young leaders in the community who, through their actions, behaviour and leadership, serve as role models for the youth of Cayman.
Candidates are nominated each year by members of the public. The programme is open to any Caymanian between the ages of 20 and 35.