PHILIPSBURG--Young St. Maarteners Jennai Marlin and Makhicia Brooks are the newest additions to the staff of St. Maarten Development Fund (SMDF). Marlin is the Foundation’s Financial Administrator and Brooks is Programme and Development Manager.
Marlin conducts reviews of clients’ financial reports and ensures sound financial management and accountability for all clients.
A graduate of Milton Peters College, Marlin obtained a Bachelor’s degree in International Finance Management from the Hogeschool van Amsterdam University of Applied Sciences in 2015. Since attaining her degree, Marlin has completed assignments for a number of large entities on St. Maarten such as GEBE, KPMG St. Maarten and the General Pension Fund APS.
Marlin has dedicated herself to organizations such as Soualiga Foundation, St. Maarten Student Support Services, and Youth Alive, amongst others.
After graduating from St. Dominic’s High School, Brooks furthered her studies to graduate summa cum laude from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University with a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science and a Master’s degree in International Development from American University in Washington DC. Immediately after completing her studies, she took a position as an Economic Policy Advisor at the Department of Economy, Transportation and Telecommunications of Government St. Maarten. She has also served as a lecturer in Project Management of the University of St. Martin’s School of Continuing Education and Lifelong Learning.
Brooks is charged with taking SMDF to its next level of development. In her role, she will maintain communication with SMDF’s clients, evaluate grant applications, monitor funded programmes and projects, and develop new sources of donor contributions.
Both young professionals have returned to St. Maarten after studies and committed to the advancement of social development of the country, Director Keith Franca said.
SMDF has 24 non-profit foundations as clients.
Throughout 2016, SMDF supported a number of foundations in the areas of youth development, social care, senior care, gender support and poverty alleviation. In supporting these organizations such as New Start for Children Foundation, Helping Hands Foundation, Ujima Foundation, Belvedere Community Foundation, Maximizing Pupils Chances Foundation, Home Away From Home Foundation, I Too Can Learn Foundation, St. Maarten AIDS Foundation, No Kidding With Our Kids Foundation, Voice of the Youth Foundation, Dr. J. Foundation and the Bishop Ellis Foundation amongst others, SMDF was able to provide financial and non-financial support to directly improve St. Maarten’s social development.
For 2017, SMDF hopes to expand its funding and development abilities.
