Executive Director Public Health
Resume:
FLORENCE KAHUGU
PO Box ****** St Thomas, USVI ***03
*******@*****.***
Competent litigator, advocate, and internationally accredited certified mediator with proven record of success in civil and criminal litigation, mediation/dispute resolution, arbitration, and negotiation. Strong diverse global multicultural and gender-inclusive experience. Accomplished in trial practice from preparation through investigation, legal research, and discovery, motion practice, statute, and case law analysis, interpretation and application of Court decisions, Territorial, State, and Federal regulations, and laws. Experienced in providing support to governmental agencies in succeful disaster transitions and through legislative reviews, policy implementations, administrative reviews, and rule/bill drafting, mediation, and negotiations, in public health, and environmental sectors. Management with results from logical and objective applications of law. Strong ethical legal background with the ability to complete projects while adhering to rigid deadlines. Concise and persuasive both in oral and written communication. Supportive in ensuring success with senior management, stakeholders, clients, and other staff members. Active membership in the Virgin Islands Bar and Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands in the Pacific. PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
2022-Present: Virgin Islands Waste Management Authority St Thomas, USVI Chief Legal Officer
Leads, directs, and oversees all legal matters involving the Virgin Islands Waste Management Authority. Provides legal advice and prepares legal dispositions for the Authority. Defends the Authority in lawsuits, labor relations cases, legal and agency proceedings. Under the directive of the Executive Director, retains and manages outside legal counsel as needed and serves as the principal legal advisor for the Authority in areas as follows:
• Legal management and overview of a $30 million Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Prudent Replacement Grant for modernizing the wastewater infrastructure throughout the US Virgin Islands Territory.
• Collaborates with Authority directors/managers to streamline the legal processes and increase organizational structure and efficiency.
• Provides legal advice to the Authorities in solid waste and waste water divisions, environment, compliance, health, and safety programs and enforcement.
• Contract transactions through the Authority’s Procurement Division through negotiations, research, drafting, reviewing legal sufficiency on all contracts, policies, and standards of operating procedures.
• Leads in bill drafting evaluating new laws, regulations and requirements and establishing response strategies as needed.
• Participates in the investigation of all accidents and environmental spills, releases or violations and review all reports to provide Authority with legal opinion.
• Protecting the organization's legal interest and supporting its operations within the scope established by the Federal and US Virgin Islands law
• Supports the divisions of Solid Waste and Wastewater through interaction with all Authority’s staff members in providing general legal support and advice in collection, disposal, recycling, and related field operations as follows: Local and federal government regulatory affairs, Environmental operations, Regulatory matter, Enforcement and compliance, Health and safety, Facility development, Permitting.
• Leads in defending the Authority in labor disputes, employee relations and management and representation employee negotiations.
• Management of Authority’s budget for the legal division and oversee the Enforcement division’s operations, functional strategies and collaborates in creation of specific objectives.
• Drafting and reviewing policies/procedures to support the functional Authority’s infrastructure.
• Conducts research and risk assessment in connection with customer claims, vendors, and operations, and recommends management on most proper response or action.
• Provides hands-on counsel to all the management team in identification and analysis of legal issues, drafting of key documents and making of clear legal recommendations to management, and assures legal compliance.
• Develops and maintains a sound working relationship with government authorities and the legal community.
• Represent Authority in Court trials and appeals. 2021 to 2022: Micronesian Legal Services Corporation Saipan, CNMI Legal Counsel, Disaster Program
• Providing the Commonwealth of Northern Mariana Islands (CNMI) community with access to justice through comprehensive civil legal services, from advice to representation in court; community education; and collaboration with other community agencies.
• Overseeing civil litigation aspects in Probate, Immigration, and Family law matters.
• Consultation with Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), Small Business Administration (SBA), Citizenship, Immigration and Naturalization Services in helping and continued relief to the victims of the 2018 typhoons Mangkhut and Utu.
2021 to 2022: Government of American Samoa Pango Pango, AS Legal Counsel, Office of the Governor
• Legal strategists, adviser, and advocate to the governor
• Served as a liaison with the Territorial attorney general, cabinet members and government agencies.
• Developed Territorial policies and procedures strategies.
• Developed, drafted Legislative Bills, and approved for legal sufficiency.
• Prepare the state’s legal response to emergency and crisis situations.
• Drafted of emergency and crisis Covid 19 Quarantine process and procedure
• Coordinated and reviewed the governor’s executive orders.
• Interpreted Territorial, States and Federal laws, rules, and regulations.
• Communal Land Title review, verification, and approval.
• Government land lease verification and approvals.
• Vehicle import requests verification and approvals.
• Review and advise clemency applications for prison inmates.
• Review and recommendations of Territorial ethics standards the governor.
• Monitor litigation that influences the governor and the administration.
• Developing policy and legislative strategies.
2020 to 2021: Virgin Islands, Department of Justice St Thomas, USVI Assistant Attorney General, Paternity & Child Support Division
• Responsible in overseeing civil litigation aspects of paternity and/or support actions relative to best interest of the child in the US Virgin Islands Department of Justice Paternity and Child Support Division.
• Establishment and enforcement of financial and medical child support of child support cases.
• Advised the staff, custodial and non-custodial parents, and witnesses regarding legal issues involved in prospective civil paternity and/or support actions.
• Initiates and enforces legal notices of debt of the non-custodial parent.
• Negotiated and/or managed interviews for custodial and noncustodial parents, attorneys, and employers regarding accounts and verification of the accuracy of financial and personal data.
• Researching and locating income information.
• Calculating arrears balances as required and negotiating settlements as appropriate.
• Analysis, interpretation, and application of Territorial, State, Federal and International laws pertaining to the legal determination of paternity/maternity.
• Preparation and establishment of legal petitions, hearing requests and modification motions, orders, and judgments required for child support pre-hearing and hearings and legal proceedings.
• Calculation of complex financial and medical child support obligations and arrangements while applying the laws of other jurisdictions, tribal treaties, and federal and state laws.
• Ensure debtors are given proper service and due process of law in legal proceedings regarding the establishment of liens, certification of licenses, and issuance of wage garnishments.
• Litigation of enforcement hearings cases in civil court trials and at family law and motion hearings.
• Drafts and prepares related reports and correspondence.
• Maintains accurate case records in the federal paternity and child support C- Star and On Base systems.
2017 to 2019: Virgin Islands, Department of Health St Thomas, USVI Chief Legal Counsel
• Legal consultant and advisor to Virgin Islands Commissioner of Health
• Represented the VI Department of Health (DOH) an agency with 450+ employees, 30+ public health programs, 60+grants and contracts, and a budget of almost 60 million dollars for a population of over 100,000 people, 12 cruise ship passengers, and over 400,000 airplane visitors across four different Islands.
• Assisted the DOH and the VI community through the 2017 category 5 Hurricanes Irma and Maria recovery process in the US Virgin Islands The work included coordination with the Federal Emergency Management Agency
(FEMA), CDC and other federal government medical response teams, and nongovernmental agencies in organizing the medical evacuations of over more than 800 patients to medical facilities in the mainland United States and Puerto Rico to access life-saving healthcare services Collaborated with the various pharmaceutical organizations to provide medicine and medical equipment to the Territory Processed the transition and licensing of various volunteer health care workers including the Arkansas Pafford EMS Special Response team and New Jersey EMS task force team during the 10-month deployment in which the teams provided surge 911 ambulance services, a mobile integrated healthcare program that saved the lives of the islands most fragile patients Collaborated with the Department of Labor to provide SNAP assistance for employees and patients Collaborated with VI Procurement office for fueling and running of generators in all the health care facilities in the Territory Liaised with a team of local pro bono group of attorneys who assisted hurricane victims in accessing and securing the SBA and FEMA assistance programs Coordinated with private donors’ in-flight delivery of needed goods and necessities Additionally, participated in a Federal Government Hotwash and immediate "after-action" discussions and evaluations of an agency's (or multiple agencies') performance following the 2017 category 5 Hurricanes in the US Virgin Islands.
• Contract Transactions: Led a team of 21 program directors through the contract and procurement processing of Departments contracts with private agencies, CDC, and its partners.
• Collective Bargaining: attendance and participation in the Department’s union negotiations and conflict resolutions.
• Grievance Hearings and Dispute Resolution: Provided legal guidance in employee grievance hearings.
• Lead in workplace mediations, arbitration and negotiations.
• Certificate of Need Committee reviews, Legal consultation, review, and approval of all applications for health facilities in the Territory.
• Medical Malpractice Proposed Complaints review: Led a team of Medical Malpractice Review.
• Committee per VI Code Title §166 in quarterly reviews of all proposed medical malpractice complaints against all health providers in the territory
• Processed medical malpractice insurance for all health providers in the Territory.
• Managed the Medical Malpractice Risk Management office.
• Liaising with the VI Department of Justice in Medical Malpractice litigation and mediations.
• Legislative reviews: Legal lead in analysis and interpretation of Health legislative bills and drafted recommendations.
• Drafted health legislative amendments for implementation in the Virgin Islands Code.
• Virgin Islands Public Health regulatory policy compliance and procedure creation, review, and implementation.
2016 – 2017: Virgin Islands, Department of Justice St Thomas, USVI Assistant Attorney General
Medical Malpractice & Risk Unit
• Medical Malpractice Defense.
• Medical Malpractice Defense for Virgin Islands Department of Health.
• Response to verified complaints.
• Review of Medical Records.
• Conducting Discovery.
• Experts report reviews.
• Research in case law and statutes.
• Motion drafting.
• Mediations/settlements negotiations.
• Collaboration with Virgin Islands Department of Health Office of Risk Management.
2013 – 2016: Virgin Islands, Office of Public Defender St Thomas, USVI Territorial Public Defender
• Criminal Litigation
• Legal defense representation of indigents in criminal misdemeanors and felony matters
• Arraignments/advice of rights.
• Bail hearing
• Investigation of the alleged crimes or offenses
• Research on case law
• Preparation of pretrial motions
• Jury selection and Trial
• Notice of appeal and providing the necessary materials to the appellate division
• Collaboration with the Virgin Islands Department of Justice in the rehabilitation of offenders.
• Maintaining contact with the other Government agencies such, probation services, family services, and mental health agencies regarding referrals of clients for drug treatment/rehabilitation, family counseling, anger management, and other assistance as needed.
2008 – 2013: Law Office of James Hymes PC St Thomas, USVI Associate Legal Counsel
• Civil Litigation.
• Medical Malpractice Defense for Virgin Islands Department of Health.
• Response to verified complaints.
• Medical Record review.
• Expert Report review and analysis.
• Conduction Discovery.
• Research in case law and statutes.
• Motion practice.
• Mediations and settlement negotiations and arbitration. 2008 – 2013: Superior Court of the Virgin Islands St Thomas, USVI Court Appointed Counsel
• Ward Guardian ad Litem in juvenile matters.
• Legal Counsel in Juveniles Delinquent matters.
2003 – 2005: Apache Tribe of Oklahoma
Anadarko, OK
Director of Grants to Encourage Arrest
• Domestic Violence Program Project Director
• Managed $630,000 US Department of Justice federal grant funding to prosecute domestic violence offenders and provide aid for victims of domestic violence.
• Collaborated with the Court of Federal Regulations (CFR) and the Bureau of Indian Affairs in making referral to both state and federal courts to protect victims of Domestic Violence in Oklahoma County.
EDUCATION
Legal
Bar Admission
Virgin Islands Bar # 1122
Havard Law School: Negotiation and Dispute Resolution:2024 Eckerd College Mediation Training Institute:
International Accredited Certified Mediator (MIT) 2023 Oklahoma City University School of Law Juris Doctor 2003 Undergraduate
Miami Dade Community College
Associate of Arts, Political Science 1991
Florida International University
Bachelor of Arts, International Relations 1995
Preparatory
Loretto Girls High School: Kenya Advance Level Certificate of Education 1985 Tipis Girls Secondary School Narok: Kenya Ordinary Level Certificate of Education 1983
St Mary's Girls Primary School Narok: Kenya Certificate of Primary Education 1979 Activities:
Member Board of Directors: Lutheran Social Services of the Virgin Islands (LSS) 2012
–2018
Pro-bono assistance of the Virgin Islands Haitian Community with Immigration paperwork after the 2010 Hurricane in Haiti
REFERENCES
Henry C Smock
Attorney at Law
Smock Law PC
St Thomas, US Virgin Islands
Email: hsmock@smvilawcom
Dr Michelle Davis
Office of the US Assistant Secretary for Health & US Surgeon General Office Phone: 240-***-****
Email: msdavis56@gmailcom
Dr Solomon Kabuka
Retired Professor School of Business
University of the Virgin Islands
Email: skabuka@yahoocom
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