EDUCATOR’S MILESTONE BIRTHDAY DRAWS DOZENS OF RELATIVES, FRIENDS, AND COLLEAGUES
RUNAWAY BAY, St Ann; March 6, 2026
It was a truly golden night for the statuesque, beautiful, charming, hardworking and innovative educator, Karlene Joy Segre, who celebrated her 50th birthday with a magnificent jubilee on Saturday, February 21, 2026.
Her actual birthday was February 17.
(Isn’t that just lovely)
The classy celebration took place at Soon Come Villa in Runaway Bay, St. Ann, and brought together family, friends, and professional colleagues for an unforgettable evening of fun and camaraderie.
The magic began with a vibrant pre-show, setting the tone for the gala evening. Guests were welcomed with a signature cocktail, a creative collaboration between Karlene and her daughter, Jewelle. As guests mingled, they were entertained by the soulful sounds of a live band and captivated by the live illustrations of Monique Robb Cameron, a teacher from Wolmer’s Girls School, who brought the evening’s energy to life on canvas. The red carpet was abuzz with flashes from The Keys Photography.
(Karlene Segre, 4th right with, from left Cortland Williams, Tasha Segree, sister, Dwight Wisdom and Dean Johnson, sister)
STYLISH RECEPTION
This stylish cocktail reception seamlessly transitioned into the formal gala dinner.
Ms. Segre, the Regional Director for Region 3 (St. Ann and Trelawny) in the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth and Information, was surrounded by colleagues and well-wishers. The guest list of over 100 people reflected her far-reaching impact, with attendees flying in from Sweden, China, the UK, Hawaii, Florida, Atlanta, New York, and coming from various parishes across Jamaica.
The distinguished guests included: Mayor of St. Ann’s Bay, Councillor Michael Belnavis and Dianne Belnavis; Andre Earle, KC, attorney-at-law and radio host; Andrew Lee, CEO of eLearning Jamaica; Janet Brimm, Deputy Chief Education Officer; Othneil Lawrence, former MP for St. Ann North Western; Fabian Brown, CEO of Value-Added Services and Senior Advisor to the Minister of Education, Skills, Youth and Information; Dwight Wisdom, CEO of Transjam Shipping; Dr. Maurice Smith, Registrar at the University of the West Indies; Dr. Maureen Dwyer, CEO at the National Education Inspectorate; Leslie Harrow, Board Chairman of the Sports Development Foundation; Doctors Kevin Rowe, Camalee Armstrong and Tracey Gibson; Orville Johnson, attorney-at-law
The evening’s formal proceedings began on a high note as the birthday girl made a grand entrance, dancing her way into the gala to Neil Diamond’s ‘Sweet Caroline’. Karlene had the entire audience singing along and rocking to the music.
Following this, her sister, Dean Johnson, offered a heartfelt blessing and prayer, officially opening the dinner.
The dinner was followed by a series of moving toasts that spoke to Ms Segre’s leadership, her boundless energy, genuine friendship, and the professional heights she has scaled.
They included Janet Brimm, Linda Campbell Miller, Mayor Belnavis, Orville Harris, Andre Earle, Dr Maurice Smith, Andrew Lee, and Dr Maureen Dwyer.
THE WESTWOOD POSSE
One of the most notable moments was the toast by Lesley Barnes Bellringer, Karlene’s Westwood High School friend and classmate, who travelled from the UK to share fond memories. A group of other Westwood alumni, led by Kelly Rowe, Acting Principal of Steer Town Academy, spontaneously joined in song in that toast.
(MR NEVINS – You’ve done so much)
A particularly touching toast came from Tasha, Karlene’s sister, who raised her glass on behalf of the family, wishing for another 50 years and highlighting the fact that Karlene is family-oriented and always makes herself available, extending herself for family members
Karlene’s daughter, Jewelle, offered a personal, heartfelt tribute to her mother, celebrating her not just as an educator and leader, but also as a mom.
Ms Segre gave a stirring, authentic response expressing gratitude to everyone for attending. She highlighted the team at Event Solutions, who helped make the gala’s vision a reality.
She also invited Carl Nevins, the gardener at the villa, who has worked there for over 38 years and who is seriously ill, to sit with her, while she honoured him. She also thanked Dwight Wisdom, the owner of the villa, who has been a tower of strength, and Orville Harris, who played a dominant role in ensuring that logistics were expertly managed.
FRIENDS: Alecia Shaw Nickle, left, and Kelly Rowe
She emphasised the importance of celebrating life, treating people well, maintaining friendships, exercising respect, and avoiding judging others. She encouraged guests to extend themselves for those most in need.
The culinary experience, catered by Black’s Delectables, was a feast of fine dining, featuring oven-jerked honey-glazed chicken, coconut shrimp, barbecue pork, grilled lobster, basmati rice, and Greek salad, among other dishes. The authentic Jamaican fruitcake, beautifully decorated in fondant, was a creation of Muffet’s Passions, while the stunning décor was the work of Maureen Hylton.
Throughout the evening, the birthday girl captivated guests with three stunning gown changes—the entrance dress, a white tube mermaid silhouette sequined dress with tulle at the end, matching gloves; a black off-the-shoulder mermaid gown with a train, matching gloves and puffy sleeves; and the night ended with her in a brilliant sleeveless body-hugging, shimmering gold sequined gown. The gowns symbolised the themes of love, resilience, and joy.
Entertainment was provided by a live band featuring Celicia, second-runner-up from the 2019 season of Rising Stars, and an upcoming guest artist, Mr Chyll, who serenaded the celebrant.
The highlight of the night’s entertainment was a breathtaking performance by the Tiamo dance group, whose beautiful fire dancing was accompanied by a spectacular fireworks display that lit up the Runaway Bay night sky. Guests danced into the night to a superb mix of soca, R&B, and reggae curated by DJ Zap.
The evening’s event was expertly emceed by Delroy Williams, Principal of Iona High School, and Nina Dixon, Security & Safety Coordinator at the Ministry of Education, Skills, Youth & Information. A video story is on our TikTok page at north_coast_times_ja
Watch as friends celebrate with this 360-degree dance
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