President of HLSCC Dr Richard Georges said he is delighted to welcome Harrigan-Underhill, who has spent more than 27 years in the education sector.

“She is an outstanding choice as the first Director of our new Institute of Education, bringing a wealth of experience from leadership roles at the territory’s largest secondary school, and experience in the sector both locally and internationally,” Dr Georges said.

“In addition to her educational training and experience, her background in law and organisational management, as well as a proven track record of leadership, will support both the college and the teaching service in our work to improve lives through education,” the president added.

In her capacity as Director of the Institute, Harrigan-Underhill will work in conjunction with the Education Ministry to advance their mandates as it relates to the education training needs of the territory.

She will also serve as an ambassador for education training locally, regionally, and internationally. The newly appointed director will have the responsibility for garnering support for the Institute and build strong partnerships in advancing the vision of the Institute. She is also responsible for leading the facilitation of training in education that is research-driven, innovative, and reflect current best practices in education.

“An important part of my role as Director is to ensure that the goals of the Education Institute align with standards established by CARICOM Standards for the Teaching Profession, OECS Educator Sector Strategy, and UNESCO Strategy on Teachers,” Harrigan-Underhill said.

“As we strive to create a world-class education system with the highest qualified educators, the Institute will ensure that regional and global standards are recognised as our benchmark in achieving our vision of excellence,” she continued.

A primary function of the institute itself will be to work closely with the territory’s public and private schools, through the Ministry of Education, to obtain data that will inform decisions about the territory’s education training needs.

Her experience and training

Harrigan-Underhill served as the principal of the Elmore Stoutt High School from 2014 to 2019 before resigning the post to contest the last general election as a candidate under the National Democratic Party banner.

Harrigan-Underhill has experience with Business Change Management Consulting to include policy implementation, human capital, and systems development. She is also highly experienced in curriculum planning and development as well as instruction at various levels including tertiary.

Harrigan-Underhill is currently pursuing a Doctoral Degree in Organizational Leadership and plans to graduate in the summer of 2022 at Nova Southeastern University in Florida.

She holds a Masters of Education in Education Leadership and Administration from Grand Canyon University, a Graduate Diploma in Law from the University of Central England in Birmingham, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Education from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University.