Media & Press Resources
for CACCE‑GWAN

John S. McKenzie is the Chief Servant Officer and Co-Founder of CACCE-GWAN. Raised in Brooklyn, New York by Caribbean parents — his father Jamaican, his mother Cuban — John grew up watching his community support one another through informal networks and mutual trust. That early lesson became the foundation for CACCE-GWAN. After relocating to Maryland from Boston, John and his wife Althea witnessed firsthand the isolation facing Caribbean business owners in the DMV. The closure of Rosemarie’s Market in Wheaton, MD became the defining moment that moved him from witness to founder. John leads CACCE-GWAN with servant leadership at the center: the community’s success is not a competition — it is a shared responsibility.

Althea Grey-McKenzie is a Co-Founder and Events Designer at CACCE-GWAN, based in Silver Spring, Maryland. Jamaican by heritage, Althea brings a deep sense of cultural pride and community care to every program and event she shapes for the organization. Alongside her husband John, she was instrumental in the founding of CACCE-GWAN and continues to lead the design and execution of the organization’s events and community engagements across the DC, Maryland and Virginia region. Althea champions the inclusion of arts and culture as essential elements of Caribbean business and community life.

Ariana C. McKenzie is a Co-Founder of CACCE-GWAN, committed to advancing the mission of economic empowerment and cultural visibility for Caribbean-American communities in the DMV. She leads the organization’s focus on social media and graphics design, shaping how CACCE-GWAN communicates and connects with its community.

Aurora D. McKenzie is a Co-Founder of CACCE-GWAN, dedicated to building sustainable pathways for Caribbean-owned businesses and nonprofits to thrive in the greater Washington area. Aurora focuses on engaging students as members of the Caribbean business community and contributes to the organization’s social media presence and graphics design.

Nigel J. McKenzie is a Co-Founder of CACCE-GWAN, contributing to the organization’s mission of connecting and elevating Caribbean-American enterprise and community leadership across the DMV. He focuses on business and finance strategy and leads event day logistics, ensuring CACCE-GWAN programs run with precision and purpose.

Jonathan David Spooner is a Co-Founder of CACCE-GWAN, helping to shape the strategic direction and community partnerships that anchor the organization’s work in the greater Washington area. Jonathan champions the recognition of artists as business people, advocating for their full inclusion in the Caribbean business community.

Marcus Edward Battle is a Co-Founder of CACCE-GWAN, supporting the organization’s commitment to advocacy, accountability and advancement for Caribbean and Caribbean-American businesses across the DMV. Marcus focuses on engaging the senior community and fostering embassy involvement, strengthening CACCE-GWAN’s ties to both established community leaders and the diplomatic community.

Father Tracey Mark Williams is a Co-Founder of CACCE-GWAN, bringing faith-rooted servant leadership to the organization’s founding vision of community, accountability and collective success in the DMV. He is dedicated to retaining Christian values as a foundation of business ethics within the Caribbean business community.