Historic First: NLA Appoints Female Chairperson, Signals New Era of Governance

An image sent by the National Lotteries Authority of their new board. In the front row, from left to right are Mr. Bryan Alexander, Deputy Chairman of the Board, Chair of the Board Mrs. Luann Hadaway, and General Manager of the NLA Mr. MacGregor Sealey. In the back row are all the other Board members.

By Val Matthias. Updated 5:06 p.m., Saturday, March 8, 2026, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).

The National Lotteries Authority (NLA) has entered a new chapter in its history with the appointment of Mrs. Luann Hadaway as its first female Chairperson since the Authority’s establishment in 1984.

According to a press release issued by the NLA, this milestone was marked at the inaugural board meeting held on March 5, where Mrs Hadaway and her newly appointed team pledged to strengthen governance, transparency, and national development impact.

Mrs Hadaway, a seasoned professional with nearly four decades of experience in banking, finance, and regulatory compliance, emphasized in her opening remarks that the lottery is “more than games and numbers. It is a public trust. It represents hope, opportunity, and national development.” She said that all lottery revenues must be managed responsibly, with 80 percent allocated to sports and culture and 20 percent directed to education, health, and community projects.

Mrs Hadaway also reminded members that public confidence is “earned slowly and lost quickly,” stressing the importance of confidentiality, accountability, and professionalism in all board deliberations. The Board committed to clear rules, strong financial oversight, transparent reporting, and social responsibility as guiding principles.

The new Board includes Deputy Chair Bryan Alexander and directors Olson James, Teressia Bruce, Delisia Charles-Defreitas, Sheena Child, and Esteban Hernandez. Together, they bring expertise spanning accounting, project management, HR, finance, and administration.

The state owned company said its Deputy Chair Mr. Bryan Alexander is a Businessman, Accountant, and Musician.

The company also provided professional descriptions for the Directors of the Board. It said Mr. Olson James is a ACCA Certified Accountant with experience in Financial reporting, Auditing and Budgeting; Mrs. Teressia Bruce is trained in Human Resources – HR, Finance, Marketing, and General Management; Mrs. Delisia Charles – Defreitas is trained in Business & Project Management and Procurement; Ms. Sheena Child – is an Admin Professional, specializing in project coordination and grant administration, and Mr. Esteban Hernandez is trained in Accounting & Finance.

Their collective mandate is to provide oversight, set clear direction, and ensure responsible gaming practices while working alongside long-serving General Manager Mr. Sealey and the dedicated NLA staff.

Mr. Murray Bullock served as Chairman of the National Lotteries Authority up until late 2025.

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