Bonita Marissa Lima is an accomplished international development professional with over a decade of experience driving economic and social transformation across Guyana, the Caribbean, and global programs. As Project Associate with the Harvard Business School’s Institute for Strategy and Competitiveness-affiliated Guyana Development Initiative, she supported initiatives in healthcare, tourism, agriculture, biodiversity, and other sectors, advancing evidence-based development strategies aligned with national priorities.
Bonita’s expertise spans policy analysis, program design, stakeholder engagement, and strategic partnership development with government agencies, multilateral organizations, academic institutions, and private sector leaders. Her portfolio includes impactful roles with the United Nations Department of Political Affairs and Peacebuilding, the World University Service of Canada (as Country Coordinator and Technical Specialist), and the Georgetown Chamber of Commerce and Industry (as Executive Director), where she championed economic competitiveness, institutional capacity building, gender equality, and youth empowerment.
Recognized for her decisive execution and collaborative leadership, Bonita brings proven strengths in project management, risk mitigation, facilitation, communications, and advocacy. She has developed sector-specific publications, guided capacity-building initiatives, facilitated stakeholder dialogue, and delivered high-impact programming across diverse contexts.
Bonita holds a Master of Science in Global Studies from the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago. Her master’s thesis was published in Selected Essays on Contemporary Caribbean Issues: An International Relations Perspective by the University of the West Indies (2012).
