This young professional has been a part of the BVI Tourist Board since 2006, and held positions both within the field and the home office that led to her appointment as Acting Director of Tourism in August 2008. In August 2010, she was confirmed as Director of Tourism.

Coming from a writing background, and having considered careers in journalism and law, Ward preferred to search elsewhere for her calling.

Over the course of her career, her communications skills have been honed and fed into her current job.

Ward comes from what she calls a warm loving and hardworking background, born to Dr. Job Ward of St. Kitts/Nevis and Mirner Christopher Ward of the Virgin Islands.

With her father being a Christian minister, Ward shared her early life in several countries where her father’s ministerial duties took him. She lived in both the Virgin Islands and St. Kitts, and had also lived in the United Kingdom, Barbados and the United States before returning here in April 2001.

She received her secondary schooling from the Basseterre High School in St. Kitts and her Associates Degree in English, History and Sociology from the Barbados Community College.

Her professional career has also been an exciting one, as Ward has always been head-hunted for jobs and has only applied for two jobs in her life.

Her first application was when she first left university¸ after graduating with her Bachelors of Science in Economics in 1998 from the Indiana Wesleyan University; she worked as a Project Administrator and then Senior Copywriter with Conseco Inc. And when she moved back home in April 2001 where she applied for her first job here as Administrative Officer in the Deputy Governor’s Office.

“I basically throw everything into it, even when I was cleaning toilets to get through university. I worked harder and harder and always did more than was on my job description; my work ethic is to give more than is expected. You will not enjoy every job you have. But the harder you work at this job, the faster your promotion will be to the next job. It’s not all jobs that you will enjoy, but at anytime you should do your utmost,” the young professional explained how she managed to be offered jobs rather than have to search out promotions and new opportunities.

"People will always look for individuals who bring a positive attitude, who will go above and beyond, who bring new ideas and solutions and who will get the job done."

In the Virgin Islands, Ward moved up the ladder from being the Administrative Officer to the Senior Administrative Office and then to being the Personal Assistant to the Deputy Governor and managing his private office. 

She was then head hunted to go to the Governor’s Office where she worked as Private Secretary/Clerk to Executive Council and was then again head hunted to go to the BVI London office as the Representative from the Virgin Islands to the UK Government and European Union.

Her work experience there was very intriguing and while she found the diplomatic world brought a high profile, she found the day to day work repetitive: a reflection that Ward uses to explain her love for her current job.

“I have to have a very varied job that is why the job I do now suits me well, no day is like another day, so many different facets to tourism. BVI tourism itself is fascinating and being able to share the splendour and beauty that is our BVI on a worldwide scale enables me to show passion and communicate in so many different ways. That varied aspect of my job is what keeps me coming up with new ideas and solutions,” said the Director of Tourism. “Being solution based, has propelled me forward and kept me focused on a more positive way forward. There is so much negative in the world and finding solutions gives me the power to stay positive"

"I have to say one of the main things that have also kept me is I have a very strong sense of self, I know who I am and what I am about and that never changes,” she explained of the importance of still being oneself regardless of what position they may hold.

“When I was working in the UK one week I was the head of the office and next week I was answering phones at the Tourism

Board, I was the same person. That has earned me a lot of respect. But most of all, I am content with myself,” said Ward.

“I find that very comforting. I don’t feel any great attachment to my position but to what I have to do and the commitment I made to the Premier and my team to leave the Tourist Board and BVI tourism better than I found it and give the BVI a Tourism product that they can be proud of and that’s a journey,” acknowledged the BVITB Director.

"To have this job at one of the toughest economic times in living memory makes me chuckle. I joke with past Directors and ask if they don't want to come back now!" she said.

Asked what she enjoys most about what she does, Ward said with a smile, “I enjoy connecting with people and providing them with solutions. That goes with connecting with my staff helping them with personal and professional lives and with our partners locally and overseas and helping them improve their businesses, widen their networks, and raise their profit margins. This job enables me to do that and I love the variety of ways which I am allowed to connect with people.”

For the Tourist Board head, her most challenging experiences is that people don't appreciate how niche and unique the BVI Tourism product is and that everything that everyone else does won't work for us.

“When you have limited advertising dollars have to think about how much you will get out of each advertisement, who is the target audience, and so much analysis goes into all of this, I don’t think some people respect it or even know it,” said Ward who noted that sometimes after speaking with some of the same persons they tend to understand how the BVITB works.

“The perception of tourism and destination marketing is typically what we see others are doing; some persons see what others are doing and expect us to do the same when this is a different product.

What work for others don’t work for us, we are a niche destination and we specialize in niche marketing and it works for us,” she further stated noting that a lot of what the BVITB does is behind the scenes.

“The BVI is extremely niche, and we don’t have any chains. I love that and but some people don’t feel that way, they would feel safer with bigger things such as chain resorts etc, but this way requires more work but it is also much more sustainable,” she explained, highlighting that in economic crisis, the BVI Tourism product is not as endangered as other international destination products.

Since the BVITB was restructured in January 2009, Ward said “we are seeing the fruit of it now and its really tremendous coming out with branded materials to sell that has been commissioned from its own  creative department and pushed new events coming out of the marine market.”

She explained that the new departments, namely the creative department, marine marketing department and research and development department allow the Board to better do its job.

“We are about to release our new branded marketing materials. They are gorgeous and truly represent the BVI,” said Ward with excitement.

However, her proudest achievements are those to come is the increase in BVI market share in emerging markets, including the expansion of the Latin American market which has markedly increased in 2010 and will certainly improve next year.

"While we seek to increase the number of visitors from every market, we must make sure we are not too dependent on any one market. That would leave us too vulnerable!"

The TB head is also very proud of the entire team at the Tourist Board and how they work together to get things done. She also made particular mention of the Visitor Support Service which helps to keep connections with visitors especially those who may have had bad experiences.

Her advice to young people is to “Define your own success and move in that direction to enable that to happen and be a people person even if you are extremely shy.  Respect others and show that you care for others. Be your neighbours' keeper, I believe if we treat others like we want them to treat us we will live in paradise. Don’t rush to be first, push others ahead and you will find yourself continually being brought along and even going ahead. “

For Ward, her most important job is raising her two daughters Isabelle 7, and Michaela, 2 months, which is enabled by having a strong support system.

She highlighted the support and love she gets from her parents, her partner, Michael, her sister, Simone, and the rest of her family and a number of close friends that she has gained throughout her life.

“I think for human beings love and close friendships are very important. They ground you and keep you grounded during times of difficulties and I don’t know where I would be without them and I would also say to be open to love and be open to friendships,” she remarked.

More importantly, the young professional believes her faith in God is what makes all things possible in her life and has brought her way she is today.

“For those of us who have faith, I think we limit God based on what we think He can do. I don’t plan my life I just know where God needs me to be, I will be. I have never planned where I wanted to be; the opportunities came and at that time everything just fell into place. Even when I fall down, I stand, ask His forgiveness and let Him move me forward.”

“My success has come because of God,” Ward acknowledged.