International Women’s Day (IWD), officially recognised by the United Nations since 1977, is celebrated on Wednesday, 8 March and honours women’s achievements and highlights important conversations around gender equality. March is also recognised in several countries as Women's History Month. Here at home, we wanted to catch up with women in Camana Bay to talk about their achievements and the significance of this global celebration.
Bianca Hunt, senior designer at Design Studio
Bianca Hunt has been crafting meticulously curated interiors for 13 years.
With a degree in architectural design and interior drafting, Hunt executes drawings and selections for new builds and renovations, working closely with clients to actualise shared creative visions.
Fostering positive client relationships built on trust is a core part of her work.
“When you align yourself with the right clients, your projects are way more successful. In the end, we want the same level of design detail, quality and finishes and we’re going to get there together as a team.
“My goal is always having a good referral base. Things will go wrong on projects, but we mitigate it by creating opportunities for improvement. I want to make sure that relationships are handled at the highest level so they know Bianca’s there, and she’s going to come up with a solution," Hunt said.
As a new mother, Hunt says her son has changed the way she thinks about projects.
“He makes me think more about what kids need and how they grow and develop. It’s been a new thought process while I’m designing. I think women in general have so many roles to play. There’s a misconception that you can’t be a working mom and do it successfully. Moms and women in general are go-getters and we won’t stop. You can do it all."
Janelle Milburn, human resources manager at Scotiabank
Janelle Milburn launched her human resources career in 2013 as a financial services recruitment coordinator before exploring various branches of the field, including focused agency recruitment and enforcement.
About a previous role at the Department of Labour and Pensions, she says: “I got to have a view of labour and employment rights directly in the space where the law is being administered. From a personal perspective, I have a deep interest in social justice and ensuring we as a society look towards having regulations and laws that protect the most vulnerable people in our communities.”
At Scotiabank, Milburn does 360-degree HR for the bank’s Cayman Islands branches.
“I see my role as an opportunity to advocate for a better employee experience,” she says. “Research shows that more and more people expect wellness to be a part of their work life. Safeguarding employees’ well-being and health is really important to me.”
The company recently introduced a global parental leave policy that is now being increased from four to eight paid weeks for the non-birthing parent, and 16 paid weeks for the birthing parent. Milburn continues to champion employee experience by striving to improve development programmes that allow employees to excel both personally and professionally.
On the value of IWD, she says, “I would like to think that it’s an opportunity to advocate for women’s rights. It should be about initiating — and having an openness to — really challenging conversations without defensiveness or judgment. It should remind us all to actually look at how we, personally, have opportunities to impact the overall experience of people who are in a disadvantaged position, and create more equality.”
Jennifer Ebanks, senior manager, leasing, at Dart
“Solutions-based sales are where my skill set is, where I generally see the most success, and have the most fun,” says Jennifer Ebanks.
With an aptitude for business development since the beginnings of her career, Ebanks is passionate about working with clients to see a project develop from start to finish. Being part of something bigger than herself, she says, is a source of pride.
“There’s nothing more tangible than bricks and mortar – you just get so excited that you’re a part of something that is such a legacy, and will continue to develop and be part of the future of Cayman.”
On professional and personal goals, she says: “My focus is moving more towards sustainability and what that means for me personally, for us as a company and for us as a country, because it’s going to become more and more important. Innovation is in the DNA of Dart. Sustainability and innovation go hand in hand, because you have to continue to innovate in order to become more sustainable.”
IWD, she says, is an opportunity to reflect and celebrate.
“I get to work with such an incredible international population of women," she said, "whether that’s in real estate or my clients. There’s obviously still a long way to go, but it’s important to take the time to celebrate the achievements you’ve made so far and the amazing women that you get to work with on a daily basis, and continue to raise each other up.”
This article was originally featured in the March 2023 print edition of Camana Bay Times.