Eleven Caymanians have been recognised for their outstanding achievements and contributions on the global stage at the fourth annual Cayman Connection Making Waves Awards ceremony, held at the Harquail Theatre on 31 July.
The Caymanian talent was honoured in fields ranging from STEM, environment and sustainability to arts, culture and heritage, with the ceremony well attended by family, friends of awardees, government officials and sponsors. Five of the 11 awardees were on hand to collect their awards while the others had friends, family members and/or colleagues represent them.
2025 Making Waves awardees
Katrina Jurn – environment and sustainability (Canada)
Rita Estevanovich – arts, culture and heritage (UK)
Dr. John ‘JJ’ Gillooly – health and wellness (UK)
Dr. Joel Rose – health and wellness (highly commended) (USA)
Gabriella Hernandez – STEM (Spain)
Jamaal Estwick – tourism, travel and hospitality (Dubai, UAE)
Emma Graham-Taylor – inclusion (USA)
Harvey Stephenson Jr. – legal, financial and professional services (USA)
Paula Jackson – legal, financial and professional services (highly commended) (USA)
Molly Kehoe – sports (Wales, UK)
Suahil Housholder – education (USA)
Proud Caymanian
At the ceremony, Dr. Joel Rose, general and advanced gastrointestinal surgeon, who received the health and wellness award, said, “We live in a time where sometimes it’s not that common to get recognised in the things that you necessarily think you should, but this is something that I believe God had a purpose in my life from the beginning.”
Suahil Housholder, a chief financial officer and PhD candidate, who was given the education (USA) award, noted, “I’m a very proud Caymanian and whenever I present myself, and I say who I am, I always say ‘I’m from the Cayman Islands’, and I know it and I’m proud of it.”
Kate Kandiah, Cayman Connection founder and acting executive director, who led the event, noted the awards are very close to her heart.
“It is year four of the awards, but it also encompasses year 13 of the actualisation and development of a concept of the heart. It’s year seven of a fully fledged, not-for-profit community interest company in the UK, and it’s year five of a registered NPO in the Cayman Islands,” Kandiah said.
Honoured for arts, culture, and heritage, Rita Estevanovich told Compass TV the award is a celebration of Caymanians as a people.
“I don’t see it as something for just myself, I see this as something celebrating all of us overseas.”
Paula Jackson, who received the legal, financial, and professional services (highly commended) award, said she was not expecting that honour.
“I got the email, and it caught me totally off guard,” she said.
Feeling homesick and trying to navigate a new place and new community, Jackson said she needed a way to connect with other Caymanians, so it inspired her to create a ‘Cayman Away from Home’ social page.
“It was a lot for me to navigate, and I know when I previously studied abroad for my undergrad, it was the same thing. I felt having Caymanians who had already been there for a while, we could connect and explain how we did.
“Another thing was, parents sending their kids off, sometimes it’s scary to [be in] a whole new city by themselves, but if everyone is connected, it brings a little more peace and calm to the parents sending their child off,” Jackson said.
The full awards ceremony can be viewed on Cayman Connection’s YouTube channel.
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