Our Team
Richard C. Demeritte
CHAIRMAN EMERITUS & CO-FOUNDER
Mr. Demeritte co-founded The Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation alongside Dr. Myles Munroe who served as chairman until his untimely death in 2014.
It was then that Mr. Demeritte assumed the position of chairman and he remained in that position until he became chairman emeritus in 2022, marking over two decades of dedicated service to our board.
He’s served as the former auditor general of The Bahamas, the former high commissioner to London, Belgium, Germany and France and the former chairman for The Bank of The Bahamas. He has also held chairmanship roles in the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators and the international Third World Leaders Association.
Mr. Demeritte has dedicated his entire life to nation building via volunteerism and philanthropy and over the years has served as president for The Bahamas Red Cross (Grand Bahama), The YMCA, Toastmasters International, St. Matthews Anglican Church Lads Brigade, The Bahamas bodybuilding and fitness federation and commissioner of The Bahamas Boxing Association.
Prof. Dr. Magnus O. Ekedede
CHAIRMAN
Unanimously selected to succeed Mr. Demeritte, is Prof Dr. Magnus Ekedede - a world-renowned neurosurgeon.
He graduated with Summa Cum Laude and was first in his class in his primary, secondary, high school and university training. He was the valedictorian in his medical school and completed his neurosurgery residency with perfect scores.
Professor Dr. Magnus Ekedede, has been the chief of neurosurgery at PMH for more than 25 years. He performed the first lobectomy in The Bahamas in 2009, was the first neurosurgeon to perform brain and spine surgery in The Turks and Caicos in 2010 and he performed the first conjoined twin separation in the Caribbean and Central America.
He was unanimously selected as the JCN person of the year (2012)
He was appointed a clinical professor in 2017 at Joan C. Edwards school of medicine in West Virginia, USA and he is an appointed member of the Westminster Academy School board in Ft. Lauderdale, USA.
Prof Dr. Ekedede is also an associate lecturer at the University of West Indies, he holds a leadership certification from Cornell university, he’s the co-founder of the Mitchell-Ekedede brain injury foundation and he’s the recipient of numerous other awards and accolades too numerous to mention.
Dr. Kenneth D. Kemp
VICE-CHAIRMAN
Dr. Kemp has some of the most extensive training and accolades of any foot and ankle physician in the entire Caribbean.
He is the recipient of numerous local and international awards including the Ron Bentley memorial award of excellence (Canada), Jay Robert Rappaport Humanitarian award (US), the NPMA excellence in research award (US) and the AAPPM practice management award (US).
During his tenure as chief resident for foot and ankle surgery at Mount Sinai Hospital in New York, he received 3 crystal awards of excellence and returned home to start his incredibly successful practice (Bahamas Foot & Ankle) servicing the island’s western community.
He served as the deputy chairman for The Health Professions Council and is a tenured consultant with that organization, receiving a crystal award from them for his tireless service.
Dr. Kemp has served on The PMH Foundation executive board for over a decade and received the chairman’s award for his contributions for three consecutive years.
Mrs. Ionie Diggiss
VICE-CHAIRMAN
In 2016, Ionie took early retirement from Scotiabank to start her own Human Resources Business, I. Diggiss Executive Consultancy Services.
Ionie joined Scotiatrust in 2003 as Assistant Manager Human Resources. As part of a Shared Services initiative in 2005, she joined the Scotiatrust/Scotiabank Human Resources Team as Manager, Leadership & Succession Planning & Career Development.
Ionie holds a Master’s Degree & Talent Management Specialization from Nova Southeastern University Fort Lauderdale Florida; An Associates & Bachelor’s Degree from Mount Saint Vincent University, Halifax Nova Scotia.
She served as a tutor of Adult Literacy Services with the Bahamas Learning Resources Unit; A Council member of The Bahamas Institute of Financial Services; Past Junior Achievement Advisor; former lecturer of Business Studies at Bahamas Baptist College, past President of COB’s Job Placement Advisory for Scotiabank and past president of Dynamic Persuaders Toastmasters Group.
Ionie is an avid gardener, an avid reader, enjoys Spanish folklore; Spanish language appreciation; Spanish dancing, travelling and staying healthy through Pilates exercises.
Ionie is married to Michael Diggiss, MBA, Architect, Project Manager, Entrepreneur, Motivational Speaker, part time lecturer of Business Studies with Nova Southeastern and UWI, Bahamas campus.
Mrs. Diane Pindling
FINANCE COMMITTEE CHAIR
Originally from Whymms Bight Eleuthera, Mrs. Pindling is a chartered accountant. She graduated from Preston H. Albury high and currently serves as a project manager for The TK Foundation’s Disaster Relief Fund. She is a member of The Bahamas Institute of Chartered Accountants, the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators, The Links Incorporated and an officer of the 23rd Company Boy’s Brigade.
In 2023, she was also appointed to serve as a director of The Public Hospital Authority Foundation and acts as a liaison between our two foundations.
Mr. Julian Smith
TREASURER
Julian Smith is a 1990 graduate of St. John’s College; Julian’s academic foundation was laid by faculty at two other local Anglican schools: St. Matthew’s and St. Anne’s.
The holder of a bachelor’s degree in Management & Information Systems with a minor in Accounting at Oral Roberts University in Tulsa, Oklahoma.
Julian worked for The Ministry of Finance, as Senior Finance and Revenue Officer, for 20 years before exiting public service to create and operate a number of businesses across various industry sectors - all undergirded by his commitment to empower the people of The Bahamas through employment, mentoring and corporate partnerships.
He is espoused to Ana Smith. This union produced four lovely daughters: Juliann, Jayann, Jasmine and Janae.
Mrs. Sharon Wilson
MEMBER, EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Lady Sharon Wilson is the second female President of the Senate of The Commonwealth of The Bahamas. She is the only person to have served two non-consecutive terms in that office, serving from May 2002 until May 2007 and then again from May 2012 until May 2017.
She attended public schools in Nassau until 1961 and then transferred to St. Johns College, graduating in 1966. She then taught for one year at her alma mater, the Southern Junior School (later Columbus Primary).
Lady Wilson received her BA with honors in 1971 from Florida Memorial University and earned her Masters of Science degree in 1979 from the University of Miami.
Lady Wilson was called to The Bahamas Bar in 1983. She has served as a chief Magistrate for The Commonwealth and she established the Sharon Wilson & Co. law firm in 2000, one of the leading law firms in The Bahamas, where she serves as senior partner.
Lady Wilson also serves as a member of the Board of Trustees of Florida Memorial University, the Board of The Princess Margaret Hospital Foundation, and the Nassau Chapter of the Links Inc. through which she serves as chairperson of the Board of The Links Safe House for Females in Crisis, the first Safe House for females in The Bahamas.
Mrs. Inga Bowleg
MEMBER, EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Biography pending
Director of business development at The John Bull Group of Companies.
Mrs. Tina Cambridge
MEMBER, EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Venentia “Tina” Cambridge currently serves as the Chief Operating Officer to the Templeton World Charity Foundation. She has responsibility for all business and operations including contract and grant negotiation with international grantees including universities and philanthropic organizations around the world including National Geographic and the OECD, finance, human resources, and corporate matters.
She formerly served as the Regional Director of Generali Worldwide, a wholly owned subsidiary of Assicurazioni Generali Group; one of the world’s largest insurers and fortune 500 top 30 companies, headquartered in Trieste, Italy. She was directly responsible for Generali’s operations in the Caribbean region. Whilst serving Generali, she concurrently served as a Director of Care Management Network Inc., a separate Generali owned entity which specializes in international emergency assistance programs, provides medical assistance, cost containment initiatives and coordinates access to medical services worldwide.
Previous to her affiliations with these international companies, Ms. Cambridge served as Compliance and Risk Manager to the Bahamas First Group of Companies.
During the course of her career, she has also worked for the former London based, Royal and Sun Alliance (in both claims and operational capacities), and Canadian Insurer, Canada Life. Ms. Cambridge is one of the few Bahamian Insurance industry participants, with experience at the Executive level in both Property & Casualty and Life and Health Insurance Sectors.
She holds an Honors Law Degree from the University of Wolverhampton, England and Certification in Alternative Dispute Resolution from the University of Windsor and has been designated a Certified Manager by the Institute of Certified Professional Managers.
She is a founding member of the Bahamas Chapter of CIArb and is also a Chartered Director and a member of the Caribbean Institute of Directors.
She was appointed a Justice of the Peace for the Commonwealth of the Bahamas under the Magistrate’s Act by order of the Governor General in 2017. A further appointment was made in 2017, and she became a member of the Insurance Advisory Committee (under Section 239 of the Insurance Act) for a three year period. She was subsequently elected to Chair the Committee.
She has served in the past as Chairman of the Bahamas Insurance Association, and has served the Association in various other capacities. She also served as the Deputy Chairperson for Life & Health Insurance and as a member of the BIA’s NHI Committee has represented the BIA on the regulatory working group lending expertise to the formation of the Regulations to accompany the newly enacted National Health Insurance Act. She subsequently represented the BIA, serving as a Director on the NHI Board, contributing to the development of this National initiative.
Mr. Stephen Hunt
MEMBER, EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Stephen Hunt is the managing editor for The Tribune newspaper.
He’s been a journalist for nearly 30 years.
He also jointly founded and oversees operations at Inklings Press, a fiction small press publishing house, which has been running since 2015
Ms. Leslie Isaacs
MEMBER, EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
Ms. Isaacs is an alumnus of the College of The Bahamas, the University of Miami, the Norman Manley School of Law and the University of the West Indies Mona Institute of Business.
Ms. Isaacs is an attorney and was called to the Jamaican and Bahamas Bar in 1995. She holds an executive Masters in Business Administration, a Certificate of Legal Education, a Master of Science in Education, a Bachelor of Science in Social Administration, a Certificate in Public Administration and an LLB from the University of Buckingham.
She was the former first Assistant Secretary in the Ministry of Public Personnel, the Attorney General’s Office and the Learning Resources Unit. She also served as legal advisor and secretary to the Board of the Public Hospitals Authority.
In 2006 Ms. Isaacs was appointed by Prime Minster Perry Christie and the Minister of Financial Services and Investments Allyson Maynard-Gibson, to serve as the director of Financial Services.
Mrs. Emily Osadebay
MEMBER, EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
A nurse by profession following training that began at Princess Margaret Hospital, continued in the United Kingdom graduating with honors from the first hospital in Surrey England. Following general training several specialty courses followed.
Advanced management certificate was obtained from the Royal College of Nursing London.
Served as officer in charge of several areas and units in PMH, the longest period in charge of the operating theatres, acted as Director on several occasions.
Chairman of the Nursing appeals Tribunal
Consultant to PHA on the Compensation Study for Nurses
Following a course in at Templeton theological institute obtained certificates in New Testament Greek Grammar and Philosophy of Religion
Other general pursuits:
• B.A Management
• Msc: Human Resource
• Phd: Philosophy, Leadership
• Religion: Anglican. Senior choir member, heads the health team
• Member of the Nurses Association of the Bahamas, Past Secretary
• Extra curricula include past secretary for the PTA, St. John’s College
• Authored two books
• Retired Principal Nursing Officer, PMH
• Hobbies: reading, writing, travelling, gardening, sewing
General Members
Former Members
