I’ve been pining to come home

WESTERN BUREAU:

After serving as Jamaica’s ambassador to the United States for nearly a decade, across three US presidencies and a global pandemic, Senator Audrey Marks has come home.

But her return is more than a professional transition. It is deeply personal.

“I’ve been pining,” she confessed. “I had planned to return in 2020, but COVID changed everything. I stayed because duty demanded it, but my heart has always been in Jamaica,” she told The Sunday Gleaner during an interview last weekend.

Now, as minister without portfolio in the Office of the Prime Minister, responsible for efficiency, innovation and digital transformation, Marks brings not only global experience, but also a grounded sense of purpose. Beneath the titles and high-level policy work is a woman rooted in faith, family, and a desire to uplift others, especially women and children.

“I never thought I would end up in public service,” she admitted. “I’m an entrepreneur at heart. I see opportunities everywhere. But I came to realise that you can either battle the system from the outside or be at the table helping to shape it.”

Raised in the rural farming district of Dressikie in western St Mary, “or Gale, if you need a landmark,” she joked, Marks credits her mother for instilling the values that propelled her forward. “She would move mountains for our education. We had land, and she farmed it, but when times were hard, she sold goods. She hustled – whatever it took to make sure we went to school.”

That sacrifice has shaped how Marks now pours into her own daughters, and how she views the importance of family in national development. “We don’t talk enough about the family unit in Jamaica,” she said. “It’s the foundation of any strong society. We are in a crisis with 70 per cent of households led by single mothers. We must invest more in our families, and that starts with women.”

Her message to women is unapologetically empowering. “We have to become financially independent. Too many women rely on men for survival. That has to change. We need to choose our partners wisely, nurture our boys, and stop the cycle where having a child becomes a means to stability.”

Marks speaks passionately about co-parenting, revealing that although her relationship with her children’s father ended, they remain united in parenting. “He was always involved, and I made sure of that. Sometimes emotions get in the way and women separate fathers from their children, but wherever possible, we must allow fathers to play their role. The child’s well-being must come first.”

Her leadership philosophy is a reflection of her values: inclusive, goal-oriented, and rooted in mutual respect. “I don’t micromanage. I believe in building consensus and holding people accountable. Everyone should know their role and feel valued. But we must work smart, with specific, measurable, accountable, realistic, and time-bound [SMART] goals. That’s the only way to drive results.”

A PLAN

A woman who blends warmth with strategic rigour, Marks revealed that she even developed a business plan before assuming the ambassadorial post. “It sounds unusual, I know,” she said, laughing. “But I needed a plan to reach four key stakeholder groups: the US government, the American people, the diaspora, and the private sector. Strategy works. We can’t afford to do things ad hoc.”

When asked how she unwinds, her answer is simple: nature and nostalgia.“Jamaica is the most beautiful place in the world. We have the mountains, the beaches. One of my favourite places is Portland. I went to 14 different attractions there in one year. We have more natural attractions in Portland than probably all the other Caribbean countries combined,” she said.

Marks places high value on wellness and leisure. She shared how swimming, yoga, and, more recently, weight training, have become essential parts of her self-care routine.

“I grew up swimming in rivers and at beaches. There were five miles of water near us, so I’ve always loved it. I also love yoga and attend yoga retreats. During COVID, I took up weight training, and it’s one of the best things women can do for themselves. It keeps the muscles strong and is great for stress relief,” she stated.

Golf, another passion she once pursued avidly, is something she looks forward to resuming.

“When I was heading to Washington, I packed my clubs, thinking I’d play often. But, in 10 years, I played only three times. It was back-to-back work. As soon as I settle into this next chapter, I hope to return to it. Golf is such a wonderful way to unwind: you walk, you think, you connect with nature. It gives you space to breathe,” she added.

Despite the intensity of her career, Marks treasures the grounding role of faith and family. “I live by the three Fs: faith, family, and financial inclusion,” she said. “We must learn about money, build wealth, and pass that knowledge on. That’s part of nation-building, too.

She has also grown more reflective and patient over the years, a result, she says, of diplomacy. “I used to be more reactive. But in diplomacy, you learn to think carefully before speaking. You learn to listen. That’s made me a better mother, a better leader, a better person.”

To young women eyeing a future in public service or diplomacy, her advice is clear and candid. “Develop yourself first. Prove yourself in your field. Then if the opportunity comes, serve. Not everyone needs to enter representational politics, but everyone can contribute to national development.”

Marks’ return may have begun as a homecoming, but it is quickly becoming a mission not just to transform systems, but to shift mindsets and restore values.

“I’ve come back with urgency,” she said. “There is so much work to do and so much to protect. I want Jamaica to work for everyone. That’s what drives me now.”

janet.silvera@gleanerjm.com