BRIDGETOWN, Barbados — In a historic move for sports governance in the Caribbean, Dr. Karen Pilgrim has been elected chairperson of the Caribbean Regional Anti-Doping Organisation (Caribbean RADO), becoming the first woman to hold the position in the organization’s two-decade history.
Elected unopposed during the organization’s Annual General Meeting held in Barbados on June 8, Dr. Pilgrim, who represents Guyana as a Member Country delegate, takes the helm with a clear vision for the future of clean sport in the region.
A trailblazer steps forward
A retired veterinarian and respected sports administrator, Dr. Pilgrim has previously served as vice-president of the Guyana Olympic Association and was a Director on the Caribbean RADO Executive Committee prior to this elevation. Her election marks a significant moment in the organization’s history, which will celebrate its 20th anniversary in November.
She succeeds Aruba’s Patrick Werleman, who chaired Caribbean RADO from 2019 to 2025 and now steps into the role of vice-chair.
Forging regional unity and capacity
As she begins her three-year term, Dr. Karen Pilgrim underscored the importance of regional collaboration and institutional development.
“Our relationships with our respective governments and National Olympic Committees will be of paramount importance. We need to develop more human resources with respect to anti-doping within our region,” she declared.
“While the Caribbean RADO has done a lot as an organisation, our goal now is to build greater capacity in each of our 18 Member Countries. We would love to see at least one dedicated full-time staffer assigned to anti-doping programmes in each country.”
Funding, she emphasized, will also be critical.
“Increasing funding will also be a priority for our organisation, following the establishment of our marketing committee.”
A new executive committee begins its mission
The new leadership team for Caribbean RADO was also confirmed, with all officers elected unopposed. In addition to Dr. Pilgrim and Vice-Chair Werleman, the Executive Committee includes returning Directors Dr. Adrian Lorde of Barbados and Rheeza Grant of Trinidad and Tobago. Joining them is Bonaire’s Mitchell de Palm, who will also head the newly formed Marketing Committee.
De Palm highlighted financial sustainability as a central objective:
“Revenue generation will be one of the major things on our agenda,” he stated.
“The primary task right now is assessing our previous efforts, building on those efforts, while exploring new approaches to securing funding for future endeavors. These initiatives will then benefit all of our member territories.”
A weekend of reflection and strategic planning
The June 8 AGM capped off a productive weekend of development and planning. On June 7, representatives engaged in an intensive Strategic Planning Workshop as Caribbean RADO prepares for its 2026-2030 cycle. The workshop was facilitated by Jane Rumble, Chief Executive of UK Anti-Doping.
Additionally, a Member Country Capacity Building Training Workshop on the Anti-Doping Administration and Management System (ADAMS) was held, with support from the Canadian Centre for Ethics in Sport (CCES) and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA).
The weekend also featured a celebratory dinner co-hosted with Barbados’ National Anti-Doping Commission (NADC), commemorating major milestones—Caribbean RADO’s 20th anniversary and NADC Barbados’s 25th.
As the organization charts a new strategic path under Dr. Pilgrim’s leadership, the Virgin Islands have been selected to host the 2026 AGM in St. Thomas—an occasion likely to build on the momentum of a milestone year for anti-doping in the Caribbean.
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