Anguilla’s own, Fedalia Richardson, recently interviewed and was offered the role of Public Health Principal for Warwickshire County Council in the United Kingdom. This accomplishment came following months of preparation, after deciding to move to the United Kingdom to be with her family. “It was a difficult decision, yet very easy one at the same time. I wanted to be with my mom, whom I’ve lived apart from for almost a decade.” Fedalia graduated in 2015 from Georgia Southern University with a Bachelor of Science Degree in Public Health with an emphasis on Health Education and Promotion. Prior to attending university, she was already known to Anguillians as a star singer and avid debater. She represented Anguilla in St. Kitts and St. Maarten at the Leeward Island Debating Competition and walked away with the Best Speaker title after her very first debate at the regional level. In 2008, Fedalia graduated from the Albena Lake Hodge Comprehensive School as Most Outstanding Student, attributed to her showing promise as an intellect, athlete, singer and debater throughout her 5 years in high school. In 2014, she was crowned Miss Anguilla to add to several Calypso Monarch titles under her belt.
Fedalia credits the completion of her Bachelor of Science Degree in 2015 to the Government of Anguilla. Since then, she has worked as Programme Officer, Non-Communicable Diseases within the newly established National Chronic Disease Unit (NCDU). Through her work in the unit, she sought to help to reduce the non-communicable disease burden on Anguilla. Notable projects and programmes she was a part of include The WHO STEPS Non-Communicable Diseases Risk Factor Survey, The Move Ya Body Campaign, The Chronic Disease Self-Management Programme (CDSMP) and the recently launched, HEARTS Programme. She also represented Anguilla at meetings and conferences in Mexico City, Washington D.C., Antigua and Tortola. In May of this year, Fedalia was assigned to the Anguilla Repatriation Team. She coordinated a total of 11 repatriation flights and the safe return of many Anguillians amid the COVID-19 Pandemic.
Now as Public Health Principal in the UK, she aims to use and build on the knowledge gained in Anguilla. She expresses many thanks to The Government of Anguilla for their contribution to her development. She also expresses sincere gratitude to her mother, Claudette Richardson, her aunt and uncle, Kathryne Connor and Kelvin Richardson, Aunika Webster-Lake, Nashara Webster-Wilkes of Intentionally Written, Rudy Webster, Valerie Beache-Horne of the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO), Melisha Maccow-Niles, and Shayne Hodge for their assistance, support and guidance at every step.
Her hope is that she will continue to make her family, friends and all Anguillians proud.
