GOVERNANCE
governance statement
JBSF is a limited liability company incorporated under the laws of Jamaica and is recognized by the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation as the governing body for the sport of bobsleigh and skeleton in Jamaica.
board of directors
Nelson ‘Chris’ Stokes
CHAIRMAN
Dave Smith
DEPUTY CHAIRMAN
Shanwayne Stephens
Athlete Representative
Kathleen Pulito
MEMBER
Belinda Williams
MEMBER
Neil Fortier
MEMBER
Neil Fortier
MEMBER
Neil is CEO/Founder of The Diff Agency, a sports consulting firm based out of Cleveland, OH that works with sports not-for profits, Olympic national governing bodies and professional sports team. Prior to starting his company he held top level executive positions in professional and minor league sports including the NBA, NFL, AFL, AHL and MiLB.
Shanwayne Stephens
MEMBER
Shanwayne Stephens, a distinguished Jamaican bobsled pilot, exemplifies resilience and dedication through his remarkable athletic journey. Born in Port Antonio, Portland, Jamaica, and raised in Morant Bay, St. Thomas, Stephens attended Morant Bay Preparatory School. His family’s move to England in 2002 marked the beginning of a new chapter in his life.
In 2011, Stephens enlisted in the Royal Air Force as a Regiment Gunner, where he undertook a variety of global operations and performed ceremonial duties at prestigious palaces. It was during his time with the military that he discovered his passion for bobsleigh in 2016. The sport immediately captured his interest, prompting him to pursue it with fervor.
Stephens joined the Jamaican bobsleigh team in 2017, starting as a brakeman. His performance in trials in Calgary was impressive, though he narrowly missed out on the 2018 PyeongChang Winter Olympics. Undeterred, Stephens channeled his setback into motivation, transitioning to the role of pilot and competing on both the North American and European circuits over the following years.
His relentless dedication culminated in a significant achievement when he and his team qualified for the Beijing 2022 Winter Olympics. This remarkable feat marked Jamaica’s return to the 4-man bobsleigh event for the first time in 24 years and secured a place in the 2-man event as well. Stephens’ journey from a small town in Jamaica to the Olympic stage is a powerful testament to perseverance, passion, and the pursuit of excellence.
Dave Smith
DEPUTY CHAIRMAN
Dave is currently the commercial sales director for MSCANCO and Container Development Limited. Prior to MSCANCO and CDL, Dave was hired in 2001 by The Coca-Cola Company with
global responsibilities to develop “should cost” models for all aluminum beverage can suppliers.
Dave held positions to procure and negotiate aluminum can and sheet contracts for the Coca-Cola Bottling System in Asia, Africa, and Europe and became a director for Closures and Labels packaging category for the Coca-Cola Company.
Early in his career, Dave was a Plant Superintendent for the Reynolds Metals Company can plant in Hayward, California and Production Manager at the Boeing Company over the aluminum component factory in the state of Washington.
Dave graduated from the City University in Seattle with an MBA and a degree in business administration/human resources from the University of Idaho and was a track and field athlete.
Dave currently holds the Big Sky Conference and the University of Idaho school record for the 200 meters. Dave represented Jamaica at Central American and Caribbean Games in 1985 Nassau, Bahamas and the University Games in 1985 Kobe, Japan.
Carrie Russell
MEMBER ASSOCIATION REPRESENTATIVE
In addition to her athletics career, Russell has competed as a bobsleigh brakeman for Jamaica since the 2016-17 season. In January 2018 she was part of the Jamaican bobsleigh crew that secured qualification for the 2018 Winter Olympics in PyeongChang, South Korea, the first time that a Jamaican women’s team competed at the Winter Olympics.
Kathleen Pulito
MEMBER
As a key leader, she advises JBSF on all matters of public relations and social media. She served as Olympic Media Liaison for the 2018 Winter Olympics and became a board member in 2019.
In addition to her work with the Federation, Pulito consults with a variety of companies and enterprises, providing expert analysis on public relations and social media trends, as well as customizing cutting edge solutions for brand recognition.
She is a graduate of Syracuse University.
Belinda Williams
MEMBER
At NCB Financial Group; Jamaica largest financial services institution, she was instrumental and was a part of the team in the acquisition and rebranding of the company’s Trinidad based business – NCB Global Finance; as well as the general insurance acquisition of Advantage General Insurance. A part of her legacy there, includes the development and implementation of the Company’s Corporate Governance Charter as well as the Business Continuity Plan and having won numerous awards for the production of the company’s Annual Report.
After a distinguished career at the NCB Group, Belinda joined PROVEN Wealth in May 2017 to lead Marketing and Communications. The company implemented a framework for marketing metrics and initiated innovations for Sales, CRM and dashboard, revamped website encrypted and enabled with an App for client interface and recorded significant improvements in its survey ratings for Employee Engagement as she was also assigned temporary role for HR and Culture. During her time overseeing HR, Belinda placed an expanded focus on Culture and engagement and initiated the organisation’s first Culture Assessment, which supported the Engage and Grow Program for the Executives within PROVEN Wealth Limited and PROVEN Fund Managers Limited. The program has exposed executives to advanced leadership competencies, executive mentoring and targeted on-the-job training.
A former CPS facilitator/tutor, Belinda is an ex-Director of the CHASE Funds Board where she chaired the Communications Committee, and was a member of the Health, Culture and also Finance Committees. She was a member on the JBA Advisory & Marketing Committees and was also co-Chair on the JSE eCampus Marketing Committee. She is currently a board member of the South East Regional Health Authority (SERHA) as well as a member of Board of Commissioners of The Jamaica Cultural Development Commission where she is the Chair of the Audit Committee.
Belinda is a graduate of the Chapman School of Business Studies where she received from Florida International University an Academic Certificate of Excellence for the Executive MBA Programme and was later inducted in the Betta Gamma Sigma Society based on her high GPA. She also holds an Honors Bachelor Degree in Administration from the University of Technology (formerly CAST)
Todd Hays
MEMBER
Todd Hays is a former American bobsledder who competed from 1994 to 2006. Hays is a three time Olympian and won the Olympic Silver medal in the four-man event at Salt Lake City Utah breaking a 46-year medal drought for the US national bobsleigh team. He also won two medals in the four-man event at the FIBT World Championships with a Silver in 2003 and a Bronze in 2004. He finished third four times in the Bobsleigh World Cup, earning them twice in combined men’s (2003-4, 2005-6) and once each in the two-man (2005–06) and four-man events (2003–04).
Hays was raised in Del Rio, Texas. Prior to his bobsleigh career, Hays also was involved in American football and kickboxing. This included playing linebacker for the University of Tulsa in Oklahoma for which he was part of the team that defeated San Diego State University in the Freedom Bowl in 1991.
Todd has been coaching Bobsled since his retirement as an athlete in 2009. Todd has coached for the countries of Jamaica, Netherlands, Russia, USA, and currently is the Head Coach for Team Canada. In these last ten seasons Todd has coached his teams to 7 World Championship medals and 6 Olympic medals including the Olympic Gold Medal in Pyeongchang 2018.
Nelson ‘Chris’ Stokes
CHAIRMAN
Dr. Nelson Christian Stokes OD, OLY is the Founder and Executive Chairman of NCS Enterprises, a group of companies focusing on financial services, thought leadership and sports administration.
Under the NCS Financial Services Group, he offers fintech-powered alternative banking services to the unbanked and underbanked, with the goal of financial empowerment, capital formation and economic mobility. The Group, which consists of two money services companies, a loan company and an operating company, is among the leading fintech businesses in the Nothern Caribbean.
Dr. Stokes is an adjunct consultant with the University of the West Indies, Mona School of Business Professional Services Unit and does team building, change management and leadership training for corporations worldwide. He has acted as an economic policy advisor to governments and public sector bodies in the Caribbean and has delivered high-impact keynote speeches to a wide variety of corporate audiences worldwide. A public intellectual, Dr Stokes writes about and comments on social and economic issues for leading news outlets in the Caribbean.
Dr Stokes was awarded the Order of Distinction, Officer Class (OD), Jamaica’s sixth highest national honour, by the Government of Jamaica for his contribution to the Development of Sport. He is Chair of the World Olympians Association’s Awards Commission, Chair of the Caribbean Association of National Olympic Committees’ Marketing Commission, a member of the International Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation’s Audit Committee. He serves as Director of the following Caribbean regional institutions: The GC Foster College of Physical Education and Sport, the region’s leading sports colege, Munro College Board of Governors, and the Mount Pleasant Football Academy .
He is a 4-Time Olympian as a member of the Jamaica Bobsleigh Team and has played a key role as both athlete and administrator in establishing Jamaica Bobsleigh as a leading though unlikely competitor in the sport, with multiple Olympic qualifications, and medal placements at international competitions. He is currently Chairman and CEO, of the Jamaica Bobsleigh and Skeleton Federation. His book, ‘Cool Runnings and Beyond – the Story of the Jamaican Bobsleigh Team’ is the definitive history of this renowned Jamaican brand.
Immediately before starting his own group of companies, Dr Stokes held the position of General Manager – International Business Division at National Commercial Bank, Jamaica Limited (NCB). Prior to joining NCB he held the post of Senior Vice-President – Business Development at the Victoria Mutual Building Society.
He holds a PhD in Economic Development Policy from the University of the West Indies, an MBA in Finance from Washington State University, a BSc. Finance from the University of Idaho, and a postgraduate diploma in banking from the Stonier Graduate School of Banking. Dr Stokes is fluent is Spanish and is certified at the advanced level in Spanish by the Instituto Cervantes, Madrid, Spain.
Executive Leadership
Nelson ‘Chris’ Stokes
Chairman
Darcy Parkins
Vice President – Finance and Administration
NaTalia Stokes
Vice President - Legal and IP Affairs
Walter-J Davis
Vice President - Corporate Relations & Sponsorship
technical leadership
Todd Hays
High-Performance Director
Pat Brown
Development Director
Wayne Thomas
Strength and Conditioning Coach
commissions
AUDIT & FINANCE COMMISSION
Darcy Parkins – Chair
Kayon Stokes
Lascelles McKenzie
CENTRAL COMMISSION
Dave Smith – Chair
Darcy Parkins
NaTalia Stokes
Nelson Stokes
Waye Thomas
Athlete Representative (Rotating)
ATHLETES' COMMISSION
Carrie Russell – Chair
Membership Association
Articles of incorporation
policies
AUDITED FINANCIAL STATEMENTS
The JBSF is committed to transparency and accountability in the management of its finances and as such, shares its accounts publicly, annually. Our audited statements for the 2018–2019 financial year will be published in September 2020.