Her Excellency the Most Honourable Lady Allen Print E-mail

Her Excellency the Most Honourable Lady Allen has been involved in Education and Nursing for over 30 years. During her professional life, she taught at various institutions in St Catherine, St Mary and Manchester specializing in Home Economics and Nursing Education.

In 1972, armed with a Teaching Diploma from the Moneague Teachers’ College, Denise Patricia Allen taught Home Economics at High Schools in St Catherine and St Mary.  However, she always loved Nursing and began nursing training at the Northern Caribbean University’s Nursing Department while serving as the institution’s Dean of Women.

She migrated to the United States with her family in the mid 1990’s and completed the Bachelor of Science Degree at the Andrews University, Berrien Spring, Michigan in 1995.  In the same year, she was inducted into the International Nurse’s Honours Society Sigma Theta Tau.  In 1997, she commenced advanced studies at Andrews University and completed the Masters of Science Degree, graduating as an Adult Nurse Practitioner.

This career in Nursing took her from Staff Nurse at the Berrien General Hospital in Michigan, USA to Manager of the Hospital’s Dialysis Unit, and later Director of Health Care Nurses at Westwood Long Term Care Facility, also in Michigan, USA.    She also completed specialist training in Cardiac and Geriatric Nursing, and received certifications in both Basic Life Support and Advanced Cardiac Life Support.

On her return to Jamaica in 2002, Lady Allen joined the faculty at the Northern Caribbean University as a Lecturer in the Department of Nursing, and later served as the Human Resource Director until December 2007.   In January 2008 she became the Shepherdess Coordinator at the West Indies Union Conference of Seventh-day Adventists.  In this position she headed chapters in Jamaica, The Cayman Islands, The Bahamas and The Turks and Caicos Islands where she mentored and supported the wives of pastors.

Lady Allen confesses that when news came that her husband had been asked to serve as Governor-General, her surprised response was, ‘Why us?’  However, she has taken the appointment in stride, and has definite ideas on what she wishes to accomplish during her tenure.

An advocate for children and the elderly, Lady Allen has visited juvenile care facilities, children’s homes, hospitals, penal institutions, Golden Age Homes, and other facilities across the Island, and serves as Patron for several of them.  

Lady Allen is an avid gardener.  Already, she has planted an organic vegetable garden, supervised the resuscitation of the King’s House Green House, created an orchid garden and plans to plant a rose garden.  Long-term projects will include the renovation and refurbishing of King’s House, which she describes as ‘the People’s House,’ installation of a gazebo and ornamental fish pond with boardwalk, an aviary and a theme park.

Sir Patrick and Lady Allen have been married for almost 30 years.  They have three children, Curt, Candace and David, and three grandchildren.
 
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