2025 Speakers
Lesley-Gail Atkinson Swaby
Dr. Lesley-Gail Atkinson Swaby has over 20 years’ experience as an archaeologist, cultural resource manager, researcher, and educator. She has incorporated her passion for archaeology, history, heritage, and art history into a diversified and engaging career. Dr. Atkinson Swaby is particularly interested in the promotion, preservation and protection of Indigenous Peoples of the Caribbean, and the region’s natural and cultural heritage resources. In addition, she has contributed to the strengthening of disaster and climate change resilience and recovery in the Caribbean culture sectors and the development of appreciation of culture and heritage in younger generations. She was the 2023 director of the Kulcha Konnection Camp.
As an educator she has taught at both the postgraduate and undergraduate levels in archaeology, heritage, art history and research methodology. Dr. Atkinson Swaby has written and edited several publications on Caribbean archaeology and rock art. This includes: The Earliest Inhabitants: The Dynamics of the Jamaican Taíno (2006), and the co-editor of Rock Art of the Caribbean with Michele H. Hayward and Michael A. Cinquino (2009). She has also published her first children’s book Boianani: A Taíno Girl’s First Adventure (2019). Her most recent publication is a special edited volume – “Yamaye: Jamaican Prehistory and Contact Period - Current Research and Challenges” Journal of Caribbean Archaeology, Volume 22 (2022).
Dr. Lesley-Gail Atkinson Swaby is a graduate of the University of the West Indies (Jamaica), the University of Glasgow (Scotland), and the University of Florida (USA) where she obtained a BA in History & Archaeology, M.Phil. in Archaeological Studies, and PhD in Anthropology (Archaeology) respectively.
Evelyn Thompson
Evelyn Thompson is the leading authority in Conservation in Jamaica and has represented the Government of Jamaica overseas on various occasions as a conservator. She was the head of Conservation Department at the Jamaica National Heritage Trust for over 30 years. She served as adjunct professor at the Mico University College where she wrote and taught various courses, including Artifact Preservation and Conservation of Material Culture. Ms. Thompson served on the Board of the Archaeological Society of Jamaica including 5 years as its President.
Ms. Thompson is the Jamaican representative to the International National Heritage Trust Organisation (INTO) and a facilitator in their Heritage Leaders’ course. Ms. Thompson also serves as a management consultant for small and medium sized companies, with a focus on strategic planning and change management.
Ms. Thompson holds a Bachelor of Science (B.Sc.) in Physics and Chemistry, a Master of Business Administration (MBA) in Banking, Finance, and International Business as well as a Master of Science (M.Sc.) in Educational Leadership, Management and Emerging Technologies. She also holds a Diploma in Spanish (Conversational) and is trained in Conservation and Cultural Resource Management at the graduate level.
Archeological Field Trip to Seville Heritage Park
Both speakers will guide a conference field trip to Seville Heritage Park, a significant site featuring remnants of the Taino village of Maima, Spanish colonial structures, and a British sugar plantation.
