Genevieve Whitaker, the proud mother to 16-year-old Yiore Moorhead, stands as a champion of human rights. She is a trained legal professional, educator, entrepreneur, and author.  As President and Co-Founder of the Virgin Islands Youth Advocacy Coalition (VIYAC), Genevieve leads efforts to empower youth through education, civic engagement, and policy advocacy. As CEO of The Whitaker Consultant Group (WCG), she has led the firm for over 16 years, offering strategic planning, grant writing, financial management, political consulting, and wellness services to clients across the Virgin Islands and beyond.

 

She is also a Certified Mindfulness Life Coach, wellness advocate through WCG Health, and supporter of small business development through the VI Business Grower. She collaborates with Lendreams, a nonprofit offering microloans to small businesses in the Virgin Islands.

 

With over 26 years of public service, Genevieve previously served as a Senator in the 34th Legislature of the Virgin Islands, where she was appointed Legislative Secretary and Liaison to the U.S. Department of the Interior. She is a Certified Public Manager, former Deputy Supervisor of Elections, Assistant Professor, and International Elections Observer with the Organization of American States.

 

A 2016 Fellow of the United Nations International Decade for People of African Descent, Genevieve holds executive education certificates from Oxford University and Harvard Kennedy School. In her free time, she enjoys yoga, reading, gardening, cooking, traveling, and supporting the arts and culture of the Virgin Islands.

Julisa Alvarez is a committed community advocate and emerging project management professional with a strong foundation in strategic communications, program coordination, and civic engagement. As Vice President of Media & Communications for the Virgin Islands Youth Advocacy Coalition, Inc., she leads initiatives that promote digital literacy and youth empowerment across the territory and she co-leads impactful youth forums alongside UVI CELL, such as VIYAC's 2024 Inaugural Candidate Forums for the 2024 elections cycle, engaging public officials and local candidates.

 

Julisa also serves as an Assistant Consultant with The Whitaker Consultant Group and in the Office of Former Senator Genevieve Whitaker, supporting legislative and agricultural outreach efforts that connect policymakers with farmers to advance sustainable development. As a former journalist for VI Source, she spotlighted educational inequities, including underfunded Career and Technical Education (CTEC) programs and unpaid teachers. Her advocacy extends to her previous work with the Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Council, where she coordinated territory-wide awareness events during  Sexual Assault Awareness Month and Domestic Violence Awareness Month. Julisa’s work reflects a deep commitment to public service and strengthening the social fabric of the Virgin Islands.

Hope Samuel serves as the Secretary of the Virgin Islands Youth Advocacy Coalition. She is a student at Penn State World Campus, majoring in Criminal Justice with a double minor in Crime, Law, & Psychology and Homeland Security, while also pursuing a certificate in Diversity Studies. Her dream is to become an attorney working in the international and criminal law sector, with a mission to promote human rights, peace, and public safety—both in the Virgin Islands and across the globe.

 

Hope is a passionate researcher—currently working on her first publication—an advocate, and a child of God. She enjoys creating art, doing photography, reading, and collecting treasures like shells and crystals that remind her of life’s quiet beauty. Deeply involved in multiple organizations, she has led and supported initiatives that center youth empowerment, research, and racial equity.

 

Hope brings positivity, soul, and structure to every space she enters. Whether planning, collaborating, or researching, she leaves her signature with compassion and grace.