Yostin Lissette “Justine” Pasek Patiño is a Polish-Panamanian model, philanthropist and beauty queen who was crowned Miss Universe 2002. Originally the first runner-up at the Miss Universe 2002 competition, Pasek became the first ever runner-up to be crowned the winner after the dethronement of original winner Oxana Fedorova.^[1]

Pasek was born in Kharkiv, Ukraine to a Panamanian mother and a Polish father; her mother was a homemaker, while her father was an engineer. Despite her birth name being Yostin, Pasek was raised being affectionately referred to by her Polish name Justyna. She is the eldest of three children and only daughter; her two younger brothers are Edward and Alvaro. The family resided in Ukraine for one year, and later moved to the village of Wożuczyn, near Zamość in southeastern Poland, close to the border with Ukraine. After her mother finished her studies in chemistry, the family left Poland and settled in Panama City, where Pasek was raised.^[2]

Prior to pageantry, Pasek worked as a professional model in Panama City; she appeared in television productions and fashion shows. Pasek had planned to complete a university degree in environmental engineering in New Zealand with her brothers, and later work for the Smithsonian Research Center.

St. Kitts-Nevis born Carol Ottley-Mitchell began her career as the General Manager of the St. Kitts based software development firm, Leyton Microcomputer Series. Now a stay-at-home mom, Carol has turned her attention to her love of literature and promoting literacy and a love of reading among Caribbean children. She is the self-published author of nine children’s books. Eight of the books are based in the Caribbean and children reading these books get an engaging peek into the culture, history, and geography of the Caribbean. Carol’s books have been nominated for the 2014 Astrid Lindgren Memorial Award for Children’s Literature. They are also in use in the primary education system.

Rosie is the founder of Children of the Caribbean and the Americas

Kareen Wynter, a general assignment reporter for Los Angeles based television station KTLA was born on the Caribbean island of Jamaica.^[1] Kareen graduated magna cum laude with a Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Boston College. She also has a Master of Arts in broadcast journalism from the S.I. Newhouse School of Public Communications at Syracuse University. In the 1990s, Kareen Wynter worked for WEWS in Cleveland, Ohio. Wynter has reported on the execution of death row inmate Stanley “Tookie” Williams, quadruple murderer and co-founder of the Crips street gang. She also brings regular updates regarding illegal immigration in California. In July 2013, Wynter began working as a reporter for television station KTLA in Los Angeles.^[2]

She is the mother of two children.^[1]