Jacqui Quinn-Leandro was born on 20 November 1965 in the village of
New Winthropes,
St. George Parish,
Antigua. She attended the Holy Trinity School, Golden Grove Primary,
Five Islands Primary School, Ottos Comprehensive and the Antigua Girls' High School. She graduated with a bachelor's degree with honours from the
University of the West Indies and went on to earn a master's degree in Latin American and Caribbean Studies from the
University of Cambridge in
England. Quinn-Leandro completed her
Doctorate of Philosophy in Communications at
McGill University in
Montreal, Quebec, Canada. After completing her education, Quinn-Leandro returned to Antigua, working as the news anchor of
Antigua & Barbuda Broadcasting Service (ABS) Television and head of news and current affairs from 1986 to 1997. She then served as the Human Resource and Marketing Officer of the Antigua & Barbuda Investment Bank (ABIA). Later, Quinn-Leandro began working as a communications consultant for such organizations as the Caribbean Family Planning Affiliation, the Antigua Commercial Bank and the Hadeed Corporate Group. In 2004, she represented the
United Progressive Party and won the seat as a
Member of Parliament for the
St. George Constituency She was appointed as Minister of Information and Public Administration. In 2005, she served as the first female acting prime minister of Antigua and Barbuda during a temporary absence of Prime Minister
Baldwin Spencer. Between 2006 and 2008, she served as president of the
Inter-American Commission of Women (CIM), a Pan-American organization which focuses on gender equality and the rights of women. In
2009, she was re-elected as MP, carrying over 57% of the vote in her district Though she lost her
2014 re-election bid, Quinn-Leandro was appointed to serve the 2014 term in the Upper House of Parliament as a
Senator. She is the mother of two children. == References ==