Deanna E.C. Ashley
Member of Literacy and Life’s Board of Directors, is the executive director of the Violence Prevention Alliance, Jamaica chapter and is Honorary Research Fellow in the School for Graduate Studies and Research at the University of the West Indies. Ashley holds a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery (MBBS) and a Doctor of Medicine, with a specialty in pediatrics. She also has a diploma in the area of public health.
Ashley is the former director of health promotion and protection at the Ministry of Health, where she was responsible, at the National level, for policy, programme development and research in the prevention and control of the chronic diseases, injuries, communicable diseases, nutrition, environmental health and health promotion and education. She managed several large public health projects funded by international and local agencies such as USAID, GTZ, UNICEF, the World Bank, and the National Health Fund.
She has also served as medical officer of health; senior medical officer for maternal and child health, and principal medical officer for secondary and tertiary care in the Ministry of Health, all between 1977 and 1998. During this period, Ashley also served as adviser on many international technical working groups and organizations.
Selected Voluntary, Professional and Community Service (current & past)
- Chairman Board of Directors of the St Andrew High School Foundation
- Member of the Community Interventions and Parenting Sub-Committee on the Board of the Early Childhood Commission
- Member of Planning Committee for International Ecumenical Peace Conference 2011, World Council of Churches
- Member of the National Development Plan Advisory Group, Planning Institute of Jamaica
- Member of the Health Sector Technical Steering Committee –Ministry of Finance
- Women’s Leadership Initiative /United Way –member and leadership mentor
- Member, Working/Consultation Group, Physical Activity Component of the WHO Global Strategy on Diet, Physical Activity and Health, WHO/CDC Collaborating Center on Physical Activity
- Chairman, Policy Advisory Group, WHO Special Programmes of Research, Development and Research Training in Human Reproduction
Ashely has received numerous awards including:
- Paediatric Association of Jamaica - Award of Excellence
- Order of Distinction (COMMANDER RANK) for Outstanding Service in the field of Health, Government of Jamaica
- World Health Award for Outstanding Contribution to Safe Motherhood, American Association for World Health