ABOUT US |
Meet Our Team
Meet Our Team
When an organization exists for the purpose of helping others, the managers of the organization must be focused on the mission without losing sight of the people they are helping. Therefore, we must be selective in the people we welcome into the Farm Up Jamaica family. As farmers look to us for guidance, we look to each other.
Neil Curtis
FOUNDER
Neil Curtis is the Air Rights Specialist at Douglas Ellman's Curtis Group which is making high-rise development possible in New York City. Although he is dedicated to the development of NYC's architectural landscape, he has decided to pursue a long-time heart-felt objective to tackle the current economic crisis in Jamaica through the revitalization of agriculture with climate smart organic farming. With a strong family history in Jamaican farming, Neil understands the value and tradition of farming to live.
In 2013, during the Jamaica Diaspora Conference, Neil met Diaspora from the US, UK and Canada who shared a common, heart-felt concern regarding the underutilized agricultural sector. In contrast to Tourism, which represents 60% of the Jamaican Gross Domestic Product (GDP), Agriculture only represents 6% of the economy. Together, the Diaspora organized to form Farm Up Jamaica Ltd. which would work to help safeguard job & food security in addition to reducing crime through large-scale cultivation of organic produce.
Harold Franco
DIRECTOR OF INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS
Daihana Martinez
SECRETARY | RESEARCH DIRECTOR
Harold has extensive international non-profit experience and knows how to work under pressure. With an in-depth knowledge of social interaction as a pastor and Non-Governmental Organizational management, Harold is also our Director of International Relations.
Harold experience includes a mission trip to Africa, Equatorial Guinea. In 2005, he organized a 2 week social interaction retreat. He has also served as Executive Director of the Board of Aid Santiago Fire Department from 1995 to 2000 which consisted of development & execution of a fundraising plan, training, and modernization of the Fire Department of Santiago, Dominican Republic. His worked impacted more than 600 people for over 5 years. Converting the Santiago Fire Department to the most modern and well-equipped in the Fire Department in the Caribbean.
In 2009, Daihana made history as the first Hispanic woman to be appointed Research & Development Director at the Incorporated Village of Freeport, NY. During her employ as a government official, she strategically identified key ways to increase revenues and implemented routine check points to safeguard assets.
Daihana is currently the family estate Director and heirloom Manager in the Dominican Republic for her parents. Her agricultural interest and involvement developed through her continual participation in agricultural projects abroad. Daihana’s involvement in Farm Up Jamaica can be much attributed to her global interest in economic revitalization. As the former President of the Environmental Club in Nassau County, Long Island, she is an advocate and believer of the increasing demand for organic food across the globe. She has projected that through consistent and honest efforts, organic agriculture can help employ and feed many of the people in Jamaica. As Secretary and Research Director for Farm Up Jamaica, Daihana tracks important trends, agricultural technologies and develops strategies to help keep Farm Up Jamaica on track to meeting its goals to feed a nation sustainably.
Naala Royale
DIRECTOR OF MARKETING
Robert Clarke
DIRECTOR OF MEDIA & COMMUNICATIONS
While employed at Aramark, Naala pursued her dream to develop a restaurant reflective of her Jamaican roots. In 2004, she opened a Caribben restaurant, Dunns River Lounge. Though intended to be a hobby, with Naala’s marketing & branding expertise, the restaurant quickly became a successful full-time business which has now been in operation for over ten years.
Today, Naala serves on the Board of Farm Up Jamaica where she is able to leverage her marketing & branding expertise to help build awareness and raise funds for her home country.
Founder and CEO or Irie Jam Media Group, New York, Robert has spearheaded the company to becoming the most listened to Caribbean radio Station and organizer of some of Tri-State’s largest events. Robert brings his experience in Media to effectively carry out the message of Farm Up Jamaica
Dr. Julius Garvey
Strategic Research & Development Director
In 2016, son of Jamaica’s first national hero- Marcus Garvey and board certified cardiothoracic and vascular surgeon, Dr. Julius Garvey, was welcomed onto the Farm Up Jamaica Ltd. Executive Board. Similar to his father, Dr. Garvey wishes to help unite Jamaican Diaspora across the globe in order to create a more economically, self-sufficient Jamaica.The new board member was named Strategic Research and Development Director, as he brings forward unique credentials, resourceful insights and a dynamic vision very much in alignment with that of Farm Up Jamaica’s.
Dr. Julius Garvey has been on several educational and medical missions to Ghana, Senegal, Uganda, Mali, Sierra Leone, Jamaica, Haiti, South Sudan and Ethiopia. The new board member was named Strategic Research and Development Director, as he brings forward unique credentials, resourceful insights and a dynamic vision very much in alignment with that of Farm Up Jamaica’s.
Dr. Julius Garvey has been on several educational and medical missions to Ghana, Senegal, Uganda, Mali, Sierra Leone, Jamaica, Haiti, South Sudan and Ethiopia. For years, he has been a major donor of breadfruit trees throughout the Caribbean because of their ability to combat global warming, the profound nutritional value of the breadfruit and the many ways this wonder fruit can substitute unhealthy food. Dr. Garvey has generously contributed breadfruit trees to multiple Farm Up Jamaica projects, in an on-going effort to raise awareness on how these trees can offer significant environmental protection, food security and economic growth for the agricultural sector.
As Farm Up Jamaica continues to expand, Dr. Garvey will play a vital role in helping to ensure that the latest, climate-smart and sustainable methods are being utilized by the Farm Up Jamaica team. He has also stated that he will work diligently to strategically help develop more opportunities that can help Jamaicans become self-reliant. Following in his father’s footsteps, Dr. Julius Garvey is committed to a vision of socioeconomic progress. In the words of the late and great Marcus Garvey, “One God, One Aim, One Destiny.”
SPREAD THE WORD!
In 2016, son of Jamaica’s first national hero- Marcus Garvey and board certified cardiothoracic and vascular surgeon, Dr. Julius Garvey, was welcomed onto the Farm Up Jamaica Ltd. Executive Board. Similar to his father, Dr. Garvey wishes to help unite Jamaican Diaspora across the globe in order to create a more economically, self-sufficient Jamaica. The new board member was named Strategic Research and Development Director, as he brings forward unique credentials, resourceful insights and a dynamic vision very much in alignment with that of Farm Up Jamaica’s.
Dr. Julius Garvey has been on several educational and medical missions to Ghana, Senegal, Uganda, Mali, Sierra Leone, Jamaica, Haiti, South Sudan and Ethiopia. For years, he has been a major donor of breadfruit trees throughout the Caribbean because of their ability to combat global warming, the profound nutritional value of the breadfruit and the many ways this wonder fruit can substitute unhealthy food. Dr. Garvey has generously contributed breadfruit trees to multiple Farm Up Jamaica projects, in an on-going effort to raise awareness on how these trees can offer significant environmental protection, food security and economic growth for the agricultural sector.
As Farm Up Jamaica continues to expand, Dr. Garvey will play a vital role in helping to ensure that the latest, climate-smart and sustainable methods are being utilized by the Farm Up Jamaica team. He has also stated that he will work diligently to strategically help develop more opportunities that can help Jamaicans become self-reliant. Following in his father’s footsteps, Dr. Julius Garvey is committed to a vision of socioeconomic progress. In the words of the late and great Marcus Garvey, “One God, One Aim, One Destiny.”