Yvonne Grinam-Nicholson on a roll; PhD followed by Canadian award

Determined that 2026 would be the year to finally grab hold of her Doctor of Philosophy (PhD), Yvonne Grinam-Nicholson did not expect a double accolade — that of the Women in Energy Award conceived by the Canadian Government and implemented by the High Commission of Canada in Jamaica.

Along with three other women — Jamaican Winsome Callum of the Jamaica Public Service, Melissa Newman of Jamaica Energy Partners, and Sheree Ebanks of the Caribbean Utilities Company Limited, Cayman Islands — Grinam-Nicholson, director of consumer and public affairs at the Office of Utilities Regulation (OUR), is counting her lucky stars. But she knows that neither of her twin rewards came easily or by favours.

The Woman in Energy Awards “recognise and celebrate the extraordinary achievements of women who have made significant contributions to their country’s energy sector”.