The Speakers

Meet the Visionaries Driving Caribbean Franchise Excellence

World-Class Expertise. Regional Impact. Transformational Insights.

The Caribbean Franchise Summit brings together an exceptional lineup of international franchise authorities, regional business leaders, and successful entrepreneurs who have built, scaled, and transformed franchise operations across global markets.

These aren't just speakers—they're practitioners who have navigated the complexities of franchise development, overcome the challenges you're facing, and achieved the success you're pursuing. From the boardrooms of multinational franchise systems to the grassroots of Caribbean entrepreneurship, our speakers bring decades of combined experience, proven frameworks, and actionable strategies that you can implement immediately.

Shawna Rollins

Shawna Rollins is a Caribbean entrepreneur, social innovator, and franchise advocate. She serves as Director of FMS Franchise Marketing Systems Caribbean and Vice President of the African Caribbean Franchise Alliance. Shawna became the first female entrepreneur in Barbados to franchise her café concept after being inspired by an international franchise expo in New York. An award-winning social entrepreneur, she continues to champion franchise education, entrepreneurship, and regional business development.

Glenifer George

Glenifer is an Enterprise Sales Executive with over four years of experience at Digicel Business Saint Lucia, specializing in understanding and addressing the unique needs of organizations. She is known for delivering innovative telecommunications solutions that enhance operational efficiency and support business growth. With a strong focus on driving revenue and building lasting client relationships, Glenifer excels at identifying opportunities, developing compelling proposals, and delivering exceptional customer service. Her results-driven approach and commitment to client success enable her to foster long-term partnerships and consistently exceed expectations.

Christopher Conner

Christopher Conner is a franchise development expert with more than 20 years of experience helping businesses scale through franchising. He is the founder of Franchise Marketing Systems, where he leads franchise strategy, legal structuring, training systems, and franchise sales support. Over his career he has worked with major franchise brands including Jimmy John's, European Wax Center, and Smashburger.

Michelle N. Samuel

Michelle N. Samuel is a YLAI Alumna, global nominated entrepreneur, ecosystem builder, and global entrepreneurship advocate. She is CEO of SLUDTERA Inc. and Manager of MNS Consultancy. A mentor with the Global Entrepreneurship Network, Michelle has helped expand Startup Huddle across the OECS and works to connect Caribbean entrepreneurs with global opportunities and resources.

Stephen Lashley

Mr. Lashley is a Senior Counsel at the Barbados Bar with extensive experience in corporate law, governance, and public policy. He holds degrees in Public Administration and Law and a Bachelor of Laws from the University of the West Indies and completed his legal training at the Hugh Wooding Law School. He served as a member of the Cabinet of Barbados from 2010 to 2018 and has advised regional and international companies on complex commercial agreements, including franchise contracts.

Giselle Gonzalez

Giselle holds a Master of Arts in Latin American Hemispheric Studies from George Washington University and a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science, International Studies, and Spanish from McDaniel College. She works at IREX in Washington, D.C., supporting the Young Leaders of the Americas Initiative through logistics and financial coordination. Her interests focus on international relations, Latin American studies, and comparative development.

Sharine Joseph

Founder of Blu Media Marketing, Sharine established the company in 2017 to help startups and growing businesses build a strong digital presence. She specializes in social media strategy, content creation, and digital marketing training, helping brands increase visibility and engagement online. Her services include social media management, audits, consultancy, website management, and digital training in platforms such as Instagram, Canva, and mobile videography.

Dr. Marcia Brandon

Dr. Marcia Brandon is a social and economic development expert and founder of COESL in Barbados, with 23+ years of experience empowering over 4,000 women and youth entrepreneurs across the Caribbean and African diaspora. A specialist in entrepreneurship development, she works with businesses, NGOs, governments, and international organizations to build sustainable systems, design impactful programmes, and strengthen entrepreneurship ecosystems. From agriculture to the green, blue, and orange economies, Dr. Brandon's work is rooted in one conviction: that every entrepreneur deserves the tools, skills, and connections to thrive.

Shafield St. Brice

Shafield St. Brice is a banking professional with a practical and well-rounded understanding of the small business sector. He began his career as an Agricultural Officer, working closely with agri-businesses and gaining valuable insight into the challenges and opportunities faced by small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs). This experience provided a strong foundation for his transition into mainstream banking, where he has focused extensively on SME lending.

With a strong background in SME finance, Shafield has contributed to several process improvement initiatives within the bank and has shared his expertise through in-house training for colleagues. He also played a key role as a member of the pilot team that supported the rollout of the Eastern Caribbean Partial Credit Guarantee Corporation (ECPCGC) loans programme at Bank of Saint Lucia.

Shafield holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Banking and Finance and an Associate’s Degree in Agriculture. He currently serves as Branch Manager of the Soufriere Branch, where he continues to champion the growth and development of local small businesses.

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