The Jamaica Information Service (JIS) family bade farewell to former Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Enthrose Campbell, who retired on December 31, 2024.

Team members gathered at the agency’s head office on Half-Way Tree Road in Kingston recently, to celebrate the respected journalist and dedicated civil servant, who spent almost 30 years at the Government’s news agency, serving as CEO for the last two years.

Campbell’s illustrious career stands as a testament to dedicated public service and transformative leadership in government communication.

“It was a really good 29 years,” she said, reflecting on her time at the agency.

“It was good for me because I moved from radio to TV to production to deputy CEO and then to CEO. It was a good experience.

“I am really delighted to have worked with all of you. It has been a journey and I am grateful and thankful. Thank you for your support, you made my work so easy… because you all did so well,” she added.

Campbell commenced her tenure at the JIS as a temporary editor in 1995, rising through the ranks and making impactful contributions before being ultimately appointed to head the agency in October 2023.

Among her notable appointments was as senior editor and radio manager, where she played a pivotal role in modernising broadcast operations, and as director of electronic productions, where she oversaw the agency’s multimedia content strategy. As deputy CEO, she was instrumental in driving the agency’s digital transformation.

Campbell’s exceptional leadership was exemplified by herskilful media management of critical national events, including State visits and disaster-response efforts.

Another of Campbell’s key achievements was transforming the agency’s ‘Get the Facts’ television programme into Jamaica’s premier platform for articulating Government policies and programmes, which, at its peak, directly reached more than 300,000 weekly viewers.

Notably, she spearheaded the establishment of the JIS Morant Bay Regional Office in St Thomas in 2023 to enhance community outreach.

Beyond her roles at the JIS, Campbell made significant contributions to public service, particularly through diplomatic translation.Leveraging her master’s degree in Spanish translation, she provided critical interpretation services for numerous international summits, State visits and CARICOM delegations at United Nations assemblies.

Throughout her illustrious career, Campbell pursued specialised training across five continents, honing her skills in media management, disaster communications and digital journalism.

Her impact and excellence were widely recognised through myriad accolades and awards. These include the prestigious 2019 Press Association of Jamaica Veterans Award, the 2013 Civil Servant of the Year Award, and annual commendations for crisis communications leadership from successive Cabinet Secretaries between 2005 and 2016.

Aside from her professional achievements, Campbell dedicated 25 years to volunteering as a Sunday school teacher, positively impacting more than 1,500 children through youth programmes.

Acting Chief Executive Officer of the JIS, Celia Lindsay, commended Campbell for her impactful leadership.

“[You] never faltered in providing strong and visionary leadership through the celebrations as well as the challenges, ensuring that optimum levels of performance would have been maintained,” she shared.

“Ms Campbell, your leadership of the Jamaica InformationService and your many years of dedicated contribution have been sterling and a source of inspiration to many of us. Thank you for being a remarkable leader; your legacy will continue to motivate us.”

Manager for the JIS Radio Department, Vaughn Davis, noted that Campbell was an instrumental part of his entry into radio production.

Davis joined the JIS as a research officer in the Research and Publications Department in 2009 and made the switch to radio three years later.

Despite having no prior experience in radio production, Davis seized the opportunity and, 15 years later, credits Campbell for her unwavering support in shaping his success.

“Throughout my time in Radio, Ms Campbell had always been very supportive and had words of encouragement and advice to help me grow and develop,” he said.

He noted that “she has always been a source of good professional and personal advice, and her cheerful and pleasant disposition has also been much appreciated. I wish her well in her retirement and hope she finds happiness and fulfilment in her second act.”

Managing Editor of the Editorial and Photography Department, Tracey Chin Loy, described Campbell as “both a mentor and a friend”. “I will always treasure our one-on-one sessions. Her support and guidance have made me a stronger and more confident leader,” she shared.

Chin Loy noted that the former CEO’s ability to inspire team collaboration, combined with the positive energy she brought to the workplace, “will be missed”.

“She can feel confident that she has left a legacy of outstanding achievement that will inspire everyone she worked with,” the managing editor added.

Senior audiovisual librarian, Simone Burnside, noted that “Ms Campbell has an impeccable sense of style that is commendable”.

Her legacy lives on through the JIS’s expanded regional presence and the new generation of media professionals shementored, she said.

Campbell’s unwavering dedication, exceptional leadership and profound impact on Jamaica’s communication landscape have left an indelible mark on the nation, its people and the field of public service.

^{Source: Jamaica Gleaner}