Miss Universe 1998, entrepreneur, philanthropist, mother and author; Wendy Marcelle Fitzwilliams was born on October 4, 1972 in Diego Martin, Trinidad and Tobago to Juditha and Noel Fitzwilliams. Noel and Juditha (a fire officer and teacher respectively), raised Wendy and her younger sister Dionyse with staunch Christian beliefs and a penchant for merriment and steadfastness which they greatly attribute to their well rounded development and success.

On May 12th 1998 in Honolulu Wendy made history when she became the third woman of colour and second Trinidadian woman to capture the Miss Universe Crown, (and remains the first and only black title holder to crown another Miss Universe of African descent). Her win, which came just two months before her final exams to qualify as an Attorney at Law, set her feet on the road to becoming one of the most known and celebrated personalities from the Caribbean.

Little over 10 years have passed since Wendy’s beauty and intelligence, won her the Miss Universe Crown. In those years she has forged a fantastic career, having completed her legal education she was admitted to the Trinidad and Tobago Bar on May 31, 2000. Currently she holds the position of Vice President, Inves™ ent Promotion with Evolving TecKnologies and Enterprise Development Company Ltd. (eTecK) based in Trinidad and Tobago which is responsible for the development of the country’s economic diversity.

Her dedication to hard work isn’t just limited to her career, over the years she has lent herself greatly to her passion for human and social development by championing various charitable causes both big and small.

In June of 1998 she was honoured by the United Nations with the title of Goodwill Ambassador for HIV/AIDS, where she renewed her commi™ ent to fighting this disease and the stereotypes associated with it. Her dedication to the HIV/AIDS cause also led her to found The Hibiscus Foundation (THF) in Trinidad and Tobago on the 6th of September 1998. This organization was established to heighten AIDS awareness in Trinidad and Tobago and to give assistance, financialy and otherwise, to children’s homes

in Trinidad.

Another highlight of her social work came when she became appointed the Red Cross Ambassador of Youth for the Caribbean. This is the first time the Red Cross has appointed anyone to this high honourary office. In this capacity she has been afforded the opportunity to address the World’s Youth globally, most recently as the keynote speaker of the Summit of The Americas V in Port of Spain, Trinidad
and Tobago.