Mrs Arliene T. Penn will serve as a communications advisor to the Premier and other government officials including, heads of department and other senior public officers, House of Assembly members, statutory bodies and boards. Photo: GIS

The appointment was made by His Excellency the Governor, Mr Augustus J. U. Jaspert, in accordance with section 92 of the Virgin Islands Constitution, and acting in accordance with the advice of the Public Service Commission.

Mrs Penn will serve as a communications advisor to the Premier and other government officials including, heads of department and other senior public officers, House of Assembly members, statutory bodies and boards.

She will also serve as accounting officer and provide strategic leadership and advice to the Department of Information and Public Relations.

Mrs Penn will provide administrative and policy support to the Permanent Secretary in the Premier’s Office in various areas including financial services, National Risk Assessment, international affairs, and tourism, among other areas.

She will also liaise with the local, regional and international media and answer media enquiries on behalf of the Government of the Virgin Islands following consultation with the relevant top managers and ministries.  

Mrs Penn holds a Master’s degree with honours in Leadership from Capella University, Minneapolis, Minnesota; a Master’s degree with honours in Public Communication and a Bachelor’s degree with honours in Journalism, minor in Sociology with honours respectively from American University, Washington, DC; an Associate’s degree with honours in Business Administration: marketing concentration from the H. Lavity Stoutt Community College; a Certificate in Future Global Leadership Development from the University of the Virgin Islands and a Certificate in Good Practices in Public Sector Management from the Singapore Public Service College.

The Director of Communication is also currently completing a Ph.D. in Public Policy and Public Administration and was inducted into the International Honour Society for Public Affairs and Administration.

Mrs Penn joined the Public Service in February 2004 and served as assistant Information Officer, and subsequently as Information Officer within the Department of Information and Public Relations, providing direct support to all ministries.

In 2011, she was appointed Director of Communications, Government of the Virgin Islands. And in 2018 she was appointed Executive Private Secretary, Office of the Governor.

Before joining the Public Service, Mrs Penn worked as Traffic Director and Station Manager of ZROD FM; Resort Food and Beverage Sales Representative and Marketing Assistant with Road Town Wholesale Trading Limited. She worked with Ricochet Public Relations, Wall Street, New York, and served as Graduate Assistant to the Director of Public Communications of American University’s School of Communications, Washington DC.