George Town, 6 September 2017 – The Young Caymanian Leaders Foundation today announces the names of the five finalists for YCLA 2017. The YCLA Selection Committee revealed the names after a careful, in-depth review of the nominations put forward this year by the community.

Jonathan Tibbetts, Chairman of the Selection Committee says the committee is pleased at just how difficult it has become to select the finalists.  “We are delighted at the nominations we received this year and seeing so many deserving young leaders hard at work in the community is extremely uplifting.”

Each nominee’s candidacy must be vetted from a number of different perspectives to meet several key criteria, all of which combined describe a well-rounded young person who demonstrates strong leadership skills and the ability to serve as a role model to Cayman’s youth. Among the qualities sought are outstanding moral character, personal and professional achievement, volunteerism and community involvement, and a strong overall commitment to mentoring young people.

The five finalists for YCLA 2017 are below:

• Matt Brown

• Faith Gealey

• Yentel McGaw

• Alice Ramos

• Stacie Sybersma

The recipient of the prestigious award is asked to give generously of their time and talents to meet and speak to young people all over the islands. Our 2016 YCLA recipient, Brianna Wilkerson has spoken to thousands of young people during her year with her message of perseverance and pursuing one’s passion with focus and determination.

YCLA 2017

The YCLA gala celebration will be held on Saturday, 4 November at the Kimpton Seafire and the recipient of the award will be revealed during a live broadcast online and on television.

Director of the Young Cayman Leaders Foundation, Chris Duggan says attendees are in for a memorable evening as we celebrate the achievements, hard work and dedication of these five finalists.

“This long standing programme wouldn’t be possible without the support of our sponsors who provide an opportunity to show the country the fantastic young leadership in our midst.   We are indebted to our loyal sponsors, who have made this a reality year after year.”

YCLA Sponsors

Support for the YCLA includes loyal sponsors who have been with the programme for years.  Our current major sponsors are DART and KPMG.  Supporting Patrons include Price Waterhouse Coopers, Progressive Distributors and Walkers.

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IMAGE: 2016 YCLA winner Brianna Wilkerson