As a region rich in cultural diversity yet shaped by a challenging history, it is time for us to address the lingering impacts of our slavery past and forge a new path forward together. As we stand at the crossroads of history, our objective is clear: to elevate self-worth as a catalyst for profound cultural transformation and collective progress. Rooted in the legacy of our past, shaped by the resilience of our people, this conference serves as a beacon of hope and empowerment.
This edition of the conference is dedicated to raising awareness within our communities, empowering individuals to recognize their intrinsic value, and catalyzing a mindset shift that transcends generations.
Key Topics to Cover:
Understanding and Honoring Our Legacy: Acknowledging, exploring, and reflecting on the historical context and legacy of slavery and its enduring impact on Caribbean culture, identity and societal norms and structures.
Cultivating and Empowering Self-Worth: Strategies for individuals and communities to enhance self-esteem, reclaim personal narratives, and foster resilience in the face of historical adversity.
Pathways to Unity in Diversity: Promoting collaboration across cultures, sectors, organizations and generations to build a cohesive vision for the future of the Caribbean.
Collaboration to Building Resilient Communities: Perspectives on fostering partnerships for sustainable development and cultural exchange. Strategies for creating supportive environments that nurture mental health, well-being, and collective prosperity
Leadership for Change: The transformative power of deep democracy to empower organizations and communities and drive meaningful personal and societal change.Empowering corporations and leaders to advocate for policies that promote social justice, inclusivity, and sustainable development in their organizations and across the Caribbean region.
This conference aims to ignite conversations, inspire action, and lay the foundation for a renewed sense of pride, unity, and progress across the Caribbean. Together, let us embrace our history, empower our communities, and embark on a journey towards a brighter future for all.
OUR DISTINGUISHED SPEAKERS
Main Key-note speaker: MYRNA LEWIS from Lewis Deep Democracy Myrna Lewis is the CEO and Co-founder of Lewis Deep Democracy. "Myrna Lewis' Deep Democracy is a leadership and decision-making approach that values all voices within a group, including those traditionally marginalized or overlooked. It fosters a culture where diverse perspectives are actively listened to and integrated, leading to more inclusive and sustainable outcomes.
Myrna is a thought leader and experienced practitioner in transformative leadership. She is internationally known and respected for making critical soft skills accessible to individuals, teams, corporations, public sector organisations, and educational institutions, enabling them to work more effectively.
Over the past 30 years, Myrna has often facilitated complex issues locally and internationally and consulted with large organisations to find innovative solutions to corporate and social issues. She has a B.A. degree in Social Science and a B.A. Honour’s degree in Psychology and an M.A. degree in Clinical Psychology. She currently resides in Sydney, Australia.
DIEUDONNÉ (NEETJE) VAN DER VEEN Neetje is the Fouder and Managing Partnemer at Corporate Oversight Group N.V. He is a firm believer in Good Corporate Governance and is committed to further implementation of these values in our companies and society.
His current work is very diverse in the field of Financial Management and Accounting, however he specializes in reorganizing and structuring financial planning, processes and structures. His client portfolio mainly consists of Hospitality industry, Manufacturing Industry, Healthcare providers, Pharmaceutical Industry, Banking and the Energy Sector. He holds four business degrees of which three have certifications; a Master’s degree in Business Economics (Drs), a Certified Public Accountant (RA) and he is both a Certified Fraud Examiner (CFE) as a Certified Internal Control Auditor (CICA).
His job knowledge and skills set comprises advisory services on Business Improvement, Accounting & Control, Financial Reporting (including IFRS), Auditing, Management, Controlling and Corporate Finance. Specialties: Interim Management, Financial Accounting, Management Accounting, Treasury, Risk Management, Audit
NANCY NORISCA RODRIGUES-PEREIRA Nancy is a certified Happiness Coach and Neuro-Emotional Psychologist, transforming lives through her coaching, workshops, and speaking engagements.
As visionary entrepreneur, Nancy has developed a groundbreaking character-building model, guiding individuals to align with their true selves and achieve lasting success. She also pioneers corporate wellnessprograms, transforming workplaces into thriving hubs ofproductivity and happiness.
Her Life Motto: Dare to be different, live gratefully, give lifeabundant love, and change the world one smile at a time.
NELLY SCHOTBORGH-VAN DE VEN
Dr. Nelly Schotborgh-van de Ven is a Criminologist and a Cultural Antropologist and later she became a Certified Fraud Examiner. She has over 25 years of experience conducting investigations and providing training in the area of fraud, corruption, integrity and compliance in the Caribbean.
Nelly lives and works in the Dutch Caribbean since 1999. From 2000 to 2010 she carried out financial forensic investigations and provided training on behalf of Ernst & Young Netherlands Antilles & Aruba and Forensic Services Caribbean.
In 2010 she started with SRA Caribbean & Partners. This organisation supports private companies and public organisations in setting up and implementing integrity and compliance policies. Since 2019 Nelly has a Phd in Social Science, with the subject ‘The roots of public fraud and corruption in the Dutch Caribbean’.
EDSON HATO
Edson Hato is a distinguished executive renowned for his expertise in transforming multi-billion-dollar global enterprises, start-ups, and scale-ups through a philosophy he refers to as rehumanization.
As a trusted advisor to CEOs, boards, executives, and public service leaders, Edson is a highly sought-after executive, advisor, speaker, coach, and moderator. In his recent past he served on the advisory board of the Cultural Diversity Council at the VU University Law faculty and currently chairs the Advisory Board of Corporate Queer, a start-up that advocates for LGBTQI+ professionals while challenging prevailing heteronormative norms in both private and public realms.
Edson holds a Bachelor of Arts in International Marketing and Commercial Studies from HEAO Limburg in Sittard, The Netherlands. He has also achieved dual master's degrees: a Master of Arts in International Economics from Radboud University in Nijmegen, The Netherlands, and a Master of Business Administration in International Business and Marketing from Hofstra University in New York, USA. He is currently in the process of restarting his Ph.D. at the VU Amsterdam Business Research Institute, focusing on intergroup leadership.
Edson began his career at PricewaterhouseCoopers and went on to hold senior roles as Executive Vice President at AstraZeneca Plc, UBS AG, Philip Morris International SA, ABN AMRO Bank NV, and ING Group NV. Most recently, he acted as the Representative of the Dutch government in Aruba, Curacao, and Sint Maarten.
GIULLITTA ANTHONY Giullitta Anthony is an experienced GZ psychologist who has been back in the Caribbean since 2019. She first worked in Aruba at Respaldo, then in Curaçao at Capriles, and now she guides Caribbean people to (re)discover themselves through their emotions from her own practice Kuratherapy. She also makes a weekly radio show on Radio Hoyer called "Dokter, Ta Loko Mi Ta?".
Her passion lies in understanding how and why we are the way we are as people with a Caribbean background, how our relationships form and why we so often get stuck together. When she is not working, she enjoys the sun on the beach or hiking.
FOUNDER AND ORGANIZER OF CARIBBEAN HAPPINESS CONFERENCE
CARLA BALENTINA-MARTINA, Founder & Organizer CHC Carla, a dedicated Corporate Trainer and Life and Business Coach with a passion for guiding upcoming entrepreneurs, executives, professionals, teams, and organizations towards realizing their full potential. Her mission is to help individuals and individuals in organizations overcome their hidden fears and weaknesses that hinder their success in various aspects of life, business, and career.
As the visionary behind the Caribbean Happiness Conference, she leads an annual event held on Curaçao and other Caribbean islands. This unique conference aims to foster awareness within these vibrant communities about the profound impact of embracing happiness across all life dimensions.
Welcome to the Caribbean Happiness Conference 2025, where we embark on a transformative journey towards embracing our collective legacy and shaping a future rooted in self-worth and unity. As a region rich in cultural diversity yet shaped by a challenging history, it is time for us to address the lingering impacts of our slavery past and forge a new path forward together.
As we stand at the crossroads of history, our objective is clear: to elevate self-worth as a catalyst for profound cultural transformation and collective progress. Rooted in the legacy of our past, shaped by the resilience of our people, this conference serves as a beacon of hope and empowerment.
This edition of the conference is dedicated to raising awareness within our communities, empowering individuals to recognize their intrinsic value, and catalyzing a mindset shift that transcends generations.
