Senior Management

Mr. Ainsley A. Henry’s career in environmental research and management extends more than 20 years and has mostly been in Jamaica. He holds a Master of Philosophy (M.Phil.) degree in Environmental Management and a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) degree in Botany/Zoology (Double Major) from the University of the West Indies (Mona campus) along with multiple certifications in related fields.

Prior to joining the Forestry Department, he served as Programme Manager for the highly successful, Climate Investment Fund/Inter-American Development Bank funded “Investment Plan for the Caribbean Regional Track of the Pilot Programme for Climate Resilience (PPCR)” being implemented through the Mona Office for Research and Innovation at the UWI, Mona Campus. This programme is being executed across six Caribbean countries, namely Dominica, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Lucia and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

Earlier in his career, he worked with both the Natural Resources Conservation Authority and the National Environment and Planning Agency (Government of Jamaica), in a variety of posts including as an Environmental Officer, a Manager and a Director.

His interest and training in forestry dates to his undergraduate studies where he not only did forestry courses, but he also focused heavily on wetlands, including mangrove forests and this continued into his graduate studies on the St Thomas Great Morass. He’s also published a number of papers on the subject matter including An Assessment of the Mangrove Forest in the Great Morass of St. Thomas and co-authored Heritage Protection, Ecological Sustainability and Economic Development... An unsustainable Trio?: A Brief Study of the Development of Falmouth Within the Context of the Cruise Ship Pier”.

Mr. Henry has held several board appointments, both internationally, including Vice-chair of the Ad-Hoc Working Group on Administrative Reform of the Ramsar Convention; Co-coordinator of the Caribbean (Ramsar) Regional Initiative on Wetlands (CaRIWet) and locally, including Council Member of the Jamaica Institute of Environmental Professionals (JIEP) and multiple boards and committees of the GOJ.

He is a Scientific Diver/Trainer with the Jamaica Coral Reef Monitoring Network (JCRMN), a member of the Sea Turtle Recovery Network (STRN Jamaica), a member of the University of the West Indies Sub-Aqua Club (US-AC) and a Justice of the Peace and member of the St Andrew Justices of the Peace and Lay Magistrates Association.

Mr. Henry is an avid hiker, amateur cyclist and photographer and a certified scuba diver.

Donna Lowe joined the Forestry Department in October 2000 and is the Principal Director of the Corporate Services Division.

She has a wealth of experience which spans several positions within the Forestry Department. She has held positions such as Soil and Water Conservation Officer, Project Coordinator for the Lift Up Jamaica Project, Nursery Programme Manager, and Director of Forest Operation (Eastern Zone).

Miss Lowe is a graduate of the University of the West Indies (UWI) with a Bachelor of Science degree in Environmental Science. In 2005 Miss Lowe was awarded the Fulbright Organisation of American States Ecology Scholarship where she pursued her Masters in Forest and Natural Resource Management. Miss Lowe is a Director in the Pathfinder Ministry at her church.

Stephanie Cameron is the Principal Director of Forest Operations. Prior to this appointment, she served the Agency for five (5) years as Senior Director, Zonal Operations (Western).

She holds a Master of Science degree in International Public Development & Management from the University of the West Indies and an undergraduate degree in Urban and Regional Planning from the University of Technology, Jamaica. Before coming to the Forestry Department, Miss Cameron worked at the St. Catherine Parish Council as the Project Manager for the St. Catherine Local Sustainable Development Plan and also Local Economic Development Officer under the Cariled Project.

She has also served as Merchandise Manager, Acting Human Resources Administration Manager, and Customer Relations Manager for Geddes Refrigeration Limited.

Miss Cameron is certified in Strategic Corporate Planning, Supervisory Management, Project Management, Quality Management Systems, and Customer Service. She is a certified trainer by the Heart Trust NTA and has done the professional development certificate course Finance for Non-Financial Managers at the Management Institute for National Development.

She is a member of the Jamaica Customer Service Association as well as two non-governmental organizations- BirdLife Jamaica and Jamaica Nature.

She enjoys doing sign language, going to the gym, and participating in outdoor activities. Her philosophy is, life is tough but I am tougher- resilient to the core.

Mr. Jerome Smith currently serves the Agency as the Principal Director of Forest Science and Technology Services. Before coming to the Forestry Department, Mr. Smith served as Director of Natural Resources in the Environmental Risk Management Division of the Ministry of Water, Land, Environment and Climate Change.

He holds a Bachelor of Science Degree in Marine Ecology with a minor in Botany from the University of the West Indies-UWI- and a Master of Philosophy in Zoology also from UWI.

His noted achievements include Chair of the National Ramsar Committee, 2009-2013 and Jamaica’s Focal Point for the Convention on Biological Diversity, 2007- 2015

Mr. Smith is a member of the Jamaica Coral Reef Monitoring Network and the University Sub-Aqua Club. In his spare time, he enjoys diving, hiking and camping.