Leila McWhinney-Dehaney, PhD MPH RN RM

Dr. Leila McWhinney-Dehaney was appointed as the Council’s Chair in April 2016. She brings to the position, as well as to the Council, a wealth of knowledge, excellent organisational skills, team work and a long history of leadership experience which she has acquired in a number of executive and non-executive roles during her distinguished career as a health professional. In addition, to serving as Chair she also serves on the Legislative and Management and Property Committees of Council.

She has served on several boards including the Chain of Hope, Jamaica. She is a member of the Nurses Association of Jamaica as well as Sigma Theta Tau International.

A former Chief Nurse of Jamaica, she is a registered nurse, registered midwife, Family Nurse Practitioner and nurse educator who holds academic and professional accreditations from the University of the West Indies, Mona (BScN & MPH) and Emory University, Atlanta (PhD Nursing).

Her skills include Auditing/Quality Assurance, Research and Policy Development. She has co-authored publications such as “Pillars for the Care of Older Persons in the Caribbean: A Comprehensive Community Based Framework” Public Health Nursing Vol. 29 No.1. and “Volunteer Service and Service Learning: Opportunities, Partnerships, and United Nations Millennium Development Goals”; Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 2016; 48:5, 517–526.

She has received several awards including the Sheth Distinguished International Alumna Award from Emory University, as well as the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee Medal 2012 from the Government of Jamaica for long and dedicated service to the health sector.

A civic-minded individual, Dr. McWhinney-Dehaney is co-founder of the Vida Henry Educational Foundation – A foundation that provides scholarship for high achievers in the GSAT examination for children of the Trinity Ville Primary School in St. Thomas.