As the Program Manager of the Jamaica Technology & Digital Alliance (JTDA) formerly the Jamaica Computer Society, Alexia Beckford plays a crucial and multifaceted role in driving the organization’s mission and initiatives forward.
With her exceptional leadership skills and strategic vision, Alexia oversees the planning, execution, and coordination of various tech-based programs and projects undertaken by the alliance. She acts as a dynamic liaison between different stakeholders, fostering relationships with government bodies, industry partners, investors, and startups to create a collaborative ecosystem for technological advancement in Jamaica. She has harnessed her expertise to drive transformative initiatives within Jamaica’s dynamic tech landscape namely BizTech Conference, USF ICT Club initiative and most recently becoming a Fortinet Education Program Partner.
Alexia’s responsibilities extend to identifying emerging tech trends, market opportunities, and challenges, allowing the JTDA to stay agile and relevant in an ever-changing landscape. By curating and organizing events, workshops, and seminars, she ensures that the alliance’s members have access to cutting-edge insights and knowledge sharing, further empowering them to innovate and thrive in their respective fields. Alexia also plays a pivotal role in developing and implementing funding strategies, seeking grants and investments to support the growth and expansion of tech startups and digital initiatives across the nation.
1. What do you consider as the key factors for achieving a healthy work-life integration?
Well, today, I am a Flats girl because I had a couple of site visits to do but my footwear is depending on what I have to do that day. So if it’s a corporate mingle or an executive meeting, it will be Stilettos but normally, Flats.
2. Flats or stilettos? How do you set the footwear mood for the day?
What I use to ensure that I have a healthy work-life integration is setting CLEAR BOUNDRIES. Sometimes, I get all encompassed in work but I realise, it’s shutting off at a certain time, focusing on things that I love to do like going out to eat, watching crime documentaries and reading a good book really sets the tone.
3. What strategies do you use to continuously learn and upskill in your field?
How I consistently grow and learn is setting goals that are time bound to ensure that my career is always excelling. So, I set quarterly goals with what I’m trying to achieve and I ensure that they are bound by a certain time. Creating a vision board that reminds me of how some certifications will help me grow within my space also works. You
4. Share a morning mantra that boosts your confidence and sets the tone.
The mantra that gets me through the day and sets the tone is Philippians 4:13, ‘I can do all things through Christ that strengthens me’. If I need an extra oomph for the day, ‘I bend but never break’. I bend to accommodate the challenges that life poses but I never break.
5. How do you handle unexpected setbacks or failures in your career path?
When I have setbacks in my career, I always remind myself that there is a lesson in failure and of the concept of failing forward where there’s always something to learn. It’s never about failing but about having the experience to learn and grow.
