The Tribune

By CARA HUNT

Tribune Features Writer

cbrennen@tribunemedia.net

After a career spanning more than three decades in the public service, Judy Lucinda Simmons can now add PhD to her impressive list of accomplishments.

The Grand Bahama native was recently given an honorary Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in ITC, Leadership and Organisation Development by the International American University (IAU), in Los Angeles, California.

The degree is a formal acknowledgment of Judy’s professional excellence, and the real-world impact she has made over the years.

She also received the IFEA Award (Iconic Felicitation of Exemplary Achievements) 2026.

The award falls under the title of Excellence in ITC, Leadership and Organisation Development and was presented by the Association for Awareness of Applied Research (AAAR) during the Global Excellence Summit (GES) in San Francisco.

Only ten exceptional leaders worldwide receive this honour each year

Judy has worked in the public service for more than 30 years, including roles in BAIC, Cooperative Development, the Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources, the Ministry of Social Services (leading digitisation and modernisation efforts), and the Ministry of the Public Service.

She is considered a pioneer of the internet revolution in The Bahamas – the first female Internet Technical Executive for Systems Resource Group (now Rev/Cable Bahamas). She is also the founder and CEO of Simmons Investments and Management Company Limited (SIMCo).

“As a female technology pioneer in The Bahamas, I was the first woman to serve as an Internet Technical Executive for Systems Resource Group (now Rev/Cable Bahamas) in 1995, helping to introduce the internet, website development, and e-commerce to our nation. This aspect of my journey is particularly close to my heart, as I hope it encourages more Bahamian women to enter STEM and digital leadership fields,” she said.

Her civic accomplishments include being a distinguished Toastmaster - she has served as a former Area Governor, Division Director, and Club President with Toastmasters International

Judy was the researcher and developer of the Country Paper supporting Bahamian beekeepers and sustainable agriculture presented at The Association of Caribbean Beekeepers' Organisation's (ACBO) 8th Caribbean Beekeeping Congress (Trinidad and Tobago) September 2016 and she was the researcher and developer of The Bahamas Student Loan Scheme (enacted 2000).

It is quite the journey for Judy who hopes that her journey can be an inspiration for other woman.

"From a small house on Saint James Road to an international stage in San Francisco – this journey has been guided by faith, hard work, and the belief that with God, all things are possible. I stand on the shoulders of my Bahamian family, my mentors, and every person who believed in me. To every young Bahamian woman reading this: your voice matters, your dreams are valid, and you belong in every room where decisions are made. Let this moment remind our beautiful Bahamas that greatness lives in every island, every home, and every humble beginning."

The convocation ceremony took place on Saturday, June 6, at the Crowne Plaza, San Francisco Airport, California.