The Rose Marie Gibbs Transformational Woman Award, presented by the Rotary Club of New Kingston, is a tribute to the legacy of a pioneer. Past President Rose Marie Gibbs was a trailblazer – the first female member and the first female President of this Club. Her life was a testament to the power of a Transformational Woman: a leader who breaks barriers, mentors the next generation, and uses her professional mastery to drive systemic social change. Today, we honour a woman who mirrors this excellence in every facet of her life: Past Assistant Governor Marie Powell.
Past Assistant Governor Marie has spent over 30 years proving that executive power is a tool for building a more equitable society. A true transformational leader recognizes that corporate success is a hollow victory if it is not used as a vehicle for societal progress.
During her decade as the Executive Director of the Scotiabank Jamaica Foundation, Marie refused to be a passive administrator. Instead, she became a visionary architect of community interventions, personally overseeing complex poverty alleviation projects from the first cent disbursed to the final brick laid. She didn’t just fund programs; she built systems of resilience.
Today, through Advantage Marketing Limited, she consults on the establishment of foundations for other organizations, ensuring that philanthropy is not just an afterthought in Jamaican business, but a permanent, institutionalized engine for change.
Transformation requires the courage to look at the gaps in our social fabric and weave new solutions.
Past Assistant Governor Marie exhibited the same resolve as Past President Rose Marie Gibbs, channelling her efforts toward a demographic too often overlooked by the mainstream, youth transitioning out of state care, through her leadership as Chair of a USAID Steering Committee.
Nowhere is her transformative impact more evident than in the J$6 million facility she spearheaded at the Homestead Place of Safety. Recognizing the extreme vulnerability of teenage girls in transition, Marie didn't just advocate for them; she mobilized the resources to create a sanctuary. This facility provides more than shelter; it restores dignity, offering these young women a stable foundation from which they can architect their own futures.
To transform a nation, one must have the stamina to change public perception. For over 20 years, Marie has been a pillar of the Jamaica Cancer Society. As a four-time Chairperson of Relay For Life, she moved the needle from fear and isolation to community and survivorship. She transformed a fundraising event into a national movement, proving that collective action can reshape the health narrative of a country.
Her presence on over 14 boards is never about the title; it is about bringing a transformational lens to governance, ensuring that every institution she touches evolves to better serve the Jamaican people.
As a Past President of the Rotary Club of St. Andrew and a Past Assistant District Governor for District 7020, her leadership has been instrumental in strengthening the District’s network. She is a leader who leads by doing – a fact recognized by the Government of Jamaica with the Badge of Honour (BH(M)) for her relentless volunteerism.
In Past Assistant Governor Marie Powell, we find a woman who has used her strategic expertise and pioneering spirit to leave an indelible mark on Jamaica. She is a strategist, a mentor, and a dedicated servant-leader who understands that to lead is to transform.
For her decades of executive excellence, her visionary philanthropy, and her tireless devotion to the transformation of lives and institutions, the Rotary Club of New Kingston is profoundly honoured to present her with the Rose Marie GibbsTransformational Woman Award on this the Thirtieth day of January in the year Two Thousand and Twenty-Six.
