Island Offsets about us – Island Offsets

about us

Island Offsets is a non-profit NGO created to mitigate climate change by supporting projects that benefit the Cayman Islands

To preserve the natural environment of the Cayman Islands, we must address climate change head-on. By offering local businesses the ability to offset their carbon emissions right here at home, we are providing a key mitigation and adaptation measure that increases the resilience of our country.

our board

Catherine Childs

Catherine Childs is the founder and director of Island Offsets, as well as the Environmental Programmes Manager for the National Trust for the Cayman Islands (NTCI). She holds a master’s degree in Environmental Science with a post-graduate Certificate in Climate Change, is a registered Climate Change Professional (CC-P) and holds an IUCN professional certificate in Nature-based Solutions to the climate crisis. Cathy created this carbon offset initiative to benefit local communities through the protection of mangrove forests and the funding of solar energy installations on schools. She is passionate about the conservation of Cayman’s natural heritage for the benefit of future generations, stating that “we must protect and preserve nature in our fight to stop climate change because the climate and biodiversity crises are interconnected. Let’s do it for us, for the next generation, and for the colourful tapestry of nature itself.”

Lisa Hurlstone-McKenzie

Lisa is an experienced sustainability and climate professional with 25 years advancing sustainable development in Caribbean small islands. Skilled in climate change research and strategic policy development and adaptation implementation for resiliency, Environmental Impact Assessments preparation and review, sustainable design and green building practices, corporate sustainability, GHG management and accounting, and public education and stakeholder engagement. Experience in LEED certifications for New Construction and Homes, and Environmental Management Systems design, auditing and certification for tourism facilities and corporate administration.

Dr. Lisa Bowyer

Lisa has over 25 years of experience in the fields of law, regulation and compliance specialising in the purpose and risks of regulation, international legal and regulatory requirements and the drivers and strategies of financial markets and products including self-regulation.

Starting her career as an academic for 9 years in the UK, Lisa moved to the Cayman Islands to be Deputy/Acting Head of the Policy and Development Division of the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority, for 5 years. She was a consultant to the Insurance Firms Division of the Financial Services Authority in the UK and a Manager, Regulatory and Compliance Services with KPMG in the UK.

In 2008 she founded Liberty Consulting and advised and acted for a number of firms, associations, statutory bodies and government agencies in the Cayman Islands and elsewhere. This includes the Cayman Islands Institute of Professional Accountants and her role at CIIPA expanded each year until in 2020 she was appointed as its Director of Regulation and Standards. She is currently the Cayman Islands’ Head of Regulatory Consulting at Ogier

Lisa was the financial services representative for the Enhancing Capacity for Adaptation to Climate Change in the Caribbean UK Overseas Territories (ECACC) Project that resulted in the Climate Change adaption strategy white paper. She was also a member of the green corporate network whose work resulted in, amongst other things, the Cayman BECOME program.

Lisa has written and published articles in various media including legal journals in the field of law and regulation. She was a member of the editorial board of the Cayman Financial Review between 2012-2016. She is currently engaged in an M.Phil researching the link between environmental and financial crime at Aberystwyth University in Wales, UK.

Winston Connolly

Mr Connolly is a professional independent, non-executive director, licensed by the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority. He acts as a trusted ﬁduciary on a wide range of alternative investment vehicles, including private equity funds, hedge funds and crypto- currency funds. Mr. Connolly is the former Managing Director of Connolly Inc Ltd a ﬁduciary and ﬁnancial services ﬁrm in the Cayman Islands and the former Managing Partner of Lainston International Management (Cayman) Limited. He has previously served as a Member of Parliament of the Cayman Islands and is a former equity partner at HighWater Ltd. Mr Connolly is also a former associate at two major Cayman Islands law ﬁrms: Maples and Calder and Walkers, where he specialized in investment funds. He remains called to the Bar in the Cayman Islands. During his over 25+ years in the ﬁnancial services industry in the Cayman Islands he has worked as a Banking Analyst for the Financial Services Supervision Department (now the Cayman Islands Monetary Authority) and as a Mutual Fund Administrator with Citco Fund Services (Cayman) Ltd.

Mr Connolly is a Notary Public, Member of Island Offsets, past Chairman of the Cayman Islands Financial Services Council, past Secretary and Executive Board Member of the Caymanian Bar Association, past Deputy Chairman of the Cayman Islands Immigration Business Staffing Plan Board and past President of Rotary Sunrise. With community service as his passion, he has also served in various roles in Cayman Islands philanthropic and service associations including the Cayman Islands Angel Investors Network, the Cayman Islands Amateur Swimming association and the Cayman Islands Cancer Society. Mr Connolly is a member of the Board of Rotary Sunrise, Grand Cayman.

Marc Postle

Marc has worked as a professional environmental economist between 2012 and 2019 and as a Business Analyst at a Cayman Islands law firm from 2019 until today.

He’s worked in carbon emission measurement and management since 2012, with clients such as the UK Government, Heathrow Airport, Coca Cola, and across broad range of infrastructure.

Most recently, he’s co-authored a number of reports on the changing viability of UK airport expansion schemes in light of updated carbon emission appraisal techniques. Marc believes that carbon offsets and land conservation are vital tools in the world’s kit to reduce, mitigate, and reverse the negative impacts of climate change.

Dan L. Peterson

Dan L. Peterson is a Senior Advisor within the Investment Advisory (IA) group of CIBC First Caribbean Bank. He is responsible for investment advice to Ultra High-Net-Worth Individuals and Family Offices located in the Cayman Islands, Bermuda and the Anglo Caribbean. Before joining CIBC First Caribbean, Dan was a Director and Caribbean Team Head with Deutsche Bank (Cayman) Limited. In his role, he was responsible for Key Client relationships with Pension Plans, Family Offices, Foundations and Ultra High Net Worth Individuals located throughout the Americas and the Caribbean. Prior to that, Dan was based in Florida and was the Market Manager for the Captive Insurance Banking & Asset Management division of the Royal Bank of Canada (RBC), with responsibility for the United States and Bermuda.

Dan has previously served as a Board Member on the executive committee for the Cayman Islands Bankers Association (CIBA) and is the current Chairman of the CIBA Membership Committee. He also serves on the Executive Counsel of the National Trust for the Cayman Islands as Treasurer. In 2022 Dan was elected to the Board of Directors for the Cayman Heart Fund and serves as the Chair of the Fundraising Committee.

Island Offsets is committed to the preservation of what makes Cayman special. You can feel confident that your investment will have a positive direct impact at both the local and global levels

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Island Offsets is a non-profit NGO created to mitigate climate change by supporting projects that benefit the Cayman Islands.