Alumna Spotlight: Yvette deLaubanque

As we continue our series shining a spotlight on our Alumni, a recurring theme continues to emerge. The familial environment fostered at UVI, engrains in Bucs care and responsibility for our communities. Whether residing in the territory or abroad, Bucs all over the globe play vital roles in ensuring their communities are thriving, progressing, and taken care of.

Perhaps one of the most notable examples of this in the VI community is found in this month’s featured alumna. Ever the community crusader, this proud Buc continues to champion critical causes from access to early childhood educational programmes to entrepreneurial opportunities. With St. Thomas Carnival right around the corner, we celebrate someone whose work at WTJX has allowed alumni near and far to share in the Carnival festivities over the airwaves, the dynamic, daring, and dedicated, Yvette deLaubanque.

Who is Yvette deLaubanque:

Yvette thinks of herself as a Caribbean woman, born in St. Kitts and adopting the USVI, specifically St. Croix, as home, for over half a century. She’s a mother, a daughter, a sister, a friend and now a retiree; who believes that “It is not the length of your life that is important, but rather, how you use the time allocated to impact the lives of others.” With a wide range of professional and personal experiences, I have tried to use my time to inspire, motivate and impact the lives of others positively.

As a proud graduate of CVI, (College of the Virgin Islands), now UVI (University of the Virgin Islands),I am so humbled to have been chosen for this spotlight, for simply realizing that the power we wield or the fortunes we amass is not , as important as those persons whose lives we have been privileged to touch. The opportunity to touch individual lives while serving the greater good and enjoying the journey immensely is unbelievably satisfying.

What inspired you to pursue a career in event planning/fundraising?

Outside of an extremely supportive family, there are a few persons responsible for the trajectory of my professional life, beginning with the late Jane E. Tuitt, Dean of Students at CVI, who saw something in me that I did not know was there. I took a multi-hyphenated route to get here, often requiring stepping back, restructuring, retooling and reshaping life’s plans to get here. As a teacher, as a provider of affordable housing, as the director of the Virgin Islands Women’s Business Center, and finally as Development Director at WTJX, I’ve had opportunities over the years to see just how what I did affected individuals, positively.

On the Entrepreneurial side I owned and operated The Skin Shop, Curves, and of course Events in Paradise. I was also a partner in a Construction/Development company, Abamar.

My desire to plan and execute fundraising events began in my teaching years.  I began planning my entrepreneurial venture of an event planning business way back then. In my dreams “Events in Paradise” was going to be the premiere event planning business throughout the region. Although that did not go as planned, I was able to utilize the training, tools and professional memberships, developed during that phase, in other aspects of my career.

But life, and the varied paths I chose intervened. Each path providing an opportunity for lessons to be learned and experiences to be had. The planning of activities brought excitement and a sense of accomplishment for me. During my days of providing affordable housing, watching the light in the eyes of new homeowners, when I handed them their key to their first house, is truly indescribable.

I co-wrote a grant to found and fund the Virgin Islands Women’s Business Center and I subsequently became its first Director. The WBC proved to be of paramount importance, to women of the Territory, providing much needed resources and training to women who sought to be entrepreneurs. One of the requirements of the grant was to raise the matching dollars to ensure continued funding from the US Small Business Administration, SBA. To accomplish both objectives, utilizing my event planning passion, I organized conferences and networking events, which provided me with much personal satisfaction and joy, while raising the required financial match. It is at WBC that my passion for events and fundraising was fully realized. These events proved to be very successful, and as a result, I was asked to be the UVI alumni luncheon speaker in 2000.

In 2000 you were the guest speaker at the Alumni luncheon. What did that mean to you as a forever Buc?

Being asked to speak at the UVI alumni luncheon was one of the highlights of my life as an alum of CVI/UVI. Along with an opportunity to express my gratitude for the tremendous foundation that I received at CVI, It gave me an opportunity to highlight the huge successes of so many of my classmates and other UVI Graduates, who were now the movers and shakers in so many fields in the VI and the rest of the region.

Added to that, in 2002, on the fortieth anniversary of UVI I was, once again, recognized along with nine other alumni at an event at Government House.

The Journey to WTJX

In 2004, Osbert Potter, (who later became Lt. Governor), another UVI graduate, took over the reins at WTJX, the PBS Television station in the VI. The vision and mission that Mr. Potter wanted to realize for WTJX, required a Development Officer who could hit the ground running. I was ecstatic when he hired me to help build the division from scratch. This opportunity allowed me to truly expand my fundraising expertise as a part of the WTJX/PBS family. PBS stations do not sell advertising and are therefore required to raise funds for survival. Being Development Director at WTJX allowed me to raise significant funding, while helping to expose the entire community to the meaningful and valuable work that is done by Public Broadcasting throughout the country.

Yvette on Entrepreneurship

Marching to a different drummer with passion is what creates entrepreneurs. I have always heard that different drummer. Sometimes the beats or ideas are ahead of their time, or out of rhythm, or the idea is not profitable enough to make it work, but the satisfaction from making the effort is always worth it. The music I heard was about the impact on the lives of others.

To choose my most satisfying business venture is a difficult choice. Providing the training and opportunities for so many women in the Virgin Islands has definitely been one of the more satisfying career choices of my life, seeing some of those women operating their businesses or doing amazing things is how I measure my success.  However, providing affordable housing to the people of St. Croix was an intentional endeavor which proved to be also extremely satisfying. A house is oftentimes the biggest investment in one’s life, especially for first-time homeowners. This is huge because it not only benefits the buyer but their families, starting a legacy for the next generation. I am grateful and proud to be a part of that.

What does Success mean to you?

The definition of success evolves as you move through life. At this juncture, true success for me, is found in peace, in the knowledge that you have done your best and that you have been a positive impact on the lives of others. It is in being an inspiration to another. It is when you use your voice, your skills, and your passion to effect positive change. It is in finally finding the reason for your existence.

How does what you do matter?

When I retired from WTJX the CEO, Tanya-Marie Singh asked if I would serve on the Board. I did not hesitate to say yes. I was fortunate to be nominated by the President of the Legislature and have been even more fortunate to be continuously renominated. Once a WTJX/PBS member, you become a part of this huge family of individual local television stations and now NPR, (National Public Radio), providing educational, cultural and information to the public at no cost, and so even if one can’t afford cable or dish, Public television is always available. It is because of this that I continue to do what I can to keep WTJX alive and well.