Jacqueline McKenzie

Jacqueline McKenzie has been the Chief Executive of Hibiscus Initiatives since July 2012, leading a team of professionals who deliver projects around the themes of combating trafficking, community resettlement for ex-offenders, advocacy and support to women prisoners and resettlement and reintegration for migrants wanting to return to their home countries.

Prior to joining Hibiscus Initiatives, Jacqueline was a lawyer, having practiced in the areas of civil liberties, crime and immigration at Birnberg Peirce and Partners and her own asylum and immigration consultancy, MBP, after having spent over a decade in senior local government roles with responsibility for equalities, community development, communications and urban development.

In addition to qualifying as a solicitor in the UK, Jacqueline is also called as a barrister in Grenada and in addition to her legal training, has post graduate degrees in International Relations, Human Rights and Documentary Research. She has lectured in equalities, law and international relations at Queen Mary’s, London University and Schiller International University and is passionate about human rights practice and policy development. She is a board member and trustee of a number of community organisations and policy groups whose aim is committed to defending and promoting human rights and championing the causes of those deemed marginalised. In this latter respect, Jacqueline brings skills and expertise obtained from a career spanning 27 years, to raising the profile of migrant women in the criminal justice sector.