An alumna of Princeton University and The Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy, Pamela Berkowsky established Virgin Islands Ear, Nose & Throat with her husband in 2002. A former Pentagon official and member of the Board of Directors for the Foundation for the Reichhold Center for the Arts, Pam Berkowsky has been deeply involved with several local public, private and non-profit institutions. One such organization with which Pamela Berkowsky continues to be involved is the St. Thomas Sleep Center, where a variety of illnesses and disorders are treated, including restless leg syndrome and sleep apnea.
Sleep apnea is a discomforting and sometimes dangerous disorder that affects sleepers of all ages. The issue is particularly troublesome in children, however, as many of sleep apnea’s symptoms can be mistaken for attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). A misdiagnosis can not only lead to unnecessary medication, but may also allow the sleep apnea to progress and worsen. This misdiagnosis is so common, in part, due to the many shared symptoms between the afflictions; children living with either sleep apnea or ADHD will experience heightened irritability, trouble focusing on tasks, difficulty with organization, and academic or educational problems at school. Fortunately for parents and teachers, there are a number of indicators that should separate children with sleep apnea from those with ADHD. These indicators can be easily identified through a diagnostic sleep study. A magna cum laude graduate of Princeton University's Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Pamela Berkowsky has extensive experience providing critical advice to senior public sector officials. Most recently Pamela B. Berkowsky served as chief of staff to the governor of the United States Virgin Islands. The U.S. Virgin Islands, first colonized by Europeans in the 1600s, were purchased by the U.S. for $25 million from Denmark during World War I. While a trading hub and plantation economy during colonial times, the U.S. insular area is currently primarily dependent on tourism revenue. Each year, the islands which include St. Thomas, St. Croix and St. John, host more than 2 million tourists, most of whom arrive on cruise ships at the territory's port facilities. Several hundred thousand guests also arrive by air, and there have been substantial efforts to attract business travellers. Many of the hotels offer a number of incentives for business events, including credits, discounts, gift bags, and welcome drinks and entertainment. After graduating from college, Pamela Berkowsky received a Fulbright Scholarship to study in Switzerland. In Geneva, Pamela Berkowsky enrolled at the prestigious Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, then known as the Graduate Institute of International Studies. While there, Pam Berkowsky focused her studies on matters related to national security and multilateral diplomacy. The Graduate Institute continues to support students with cutting-edge technology through its recent opening of a new location in Geneva. The central location provides students direct access to more than 250 international NGOs and 30 international organizations. Geneva serves as one of the primary centers of international governance and as the second seat of the United Nations. The city’s international sector employs nearly 30,000 individuals and creates a unique space for students to gain hands-on experience and build relationships with international workers and delegates. The Institute maintains ties with international connections in nearly all major sectors, from finance to sustainability. These relationships provide students with unique internship and job opportunities to further their careers in international relations and development. Pamela Berkowsky is an executive management expert. From 2007 to 2012, Pam Berkowsky served as deputy chief and chief of staff to the U.S. Virgin Islands Governor. Commencing in 2004, Pamela Berkowsky also served as a director on the board of the Community Foundation of the Virgin Islands (CFVI).
Established by the CFVI Board during her tenure, The Family Connection (TFC) works to improve community child care and early education infrastructure for U.S. Virgin Islands children and their parents. In addition to offering workshops at TFC’s center, TFC also provides parents and childcare workers access to a wide variety of training programs, networking, and other early childhood focused resources. The center is currently located in Tutu Park Mall, St. Thomas, and is open every Saturday, and Tuesday through Friday by appointment. It has become an important and well-used space for parents to share and develop effective child care techniques that are useful both in the Virgin Islands and elsewhere. The impact of TFC can be felt beyond the center, as the organization trains child care providers and other caregivers to ensure that every child receives the best possible care. In turn, these trained child care providers pass along tips and other resources to parents. A management executive with extensive federal and state government experience, Pamela Berkowsky recently worked as both chief and deputy chief of staff for the governor of the U.S. Virgin Islands. During that time, Pam Berkowsky oversaw the overhaul of the government's 911 and emergency response system. While at the Pentagon, Pamela Berkowsky oversaw the creation of the Joint Task Force Civil Support (JTF-CS) in 1999. Currently based at Fort Eustis in Virginia, JTF-CS is mandated to provide command and control for Department of Defense assets in the event of a chemical, biological, radiological, or nuclear attack on American soil and to manage the consequences of any such incidents. In that contingency, JTF-CS would assume control of select and specialized U.S. Department of Defense forces in order to assist federal, local, and state governments in a variety of ways—saving civilian lives, preventing injuries, containing damage, and supporting continuous community recovery. JTF-CS employs military and civilian personnel. Visit the JTF-CS website at www.jtfcs.northcom.mil for more information on available opportunities. Pamela Berkowsky served as chief of staff and deputy chief of staff for U.S. Virgin Islands Governor John P. de Jongh, Jr. During her tenure, Ms. Berkowsky managed a Government House staff of 125 located on three islands and was responsible for policy initiatives related to emergency preparedness and response, public safety, education and health reform, and international programs. Her career in public policy dates back to the late 1980s. Here, Ms. Berkowsky offers background on the creation of the military’s Joint Task Force - Civil Support and the National Guard Civil Support Teams, an initiative that she lead and championed as the Assistant to the Secretary of Defense for Civil Support. In the wake of the Oklahoma City bombing in 1995 and the sarin gas attacks on the Tokyo subway, Pamela Berkowsky lead an effort to restructure and refocus the Pentagon’s provision of support to civil authorities in the wake of potential terrorist attacks on the homeland. Specially trained military units were established specifically to provide support to civil authorities in the event of a domestic terrorist incident involving weapons of mass destruction. It also involved the provision of enhanced communications support and training to more than 20,000 first responders across federal, state, and local departments by 2003.
Pamela B. Berkowsky, an executive management professional with years of state and federal government experience, most recently served as Chief of Staff for U.S. Virgin Islands Governor John P. de Jongh, Jr. and as a member of the Governor's ?Children and Families Council. As Deputy Chief of Staff with responsibility for the Governor's policy agenda, Berkowsky initiated the development of Council, a de facto "sub-Cabinet" focused solely on the wellbeing of children and families in the territory. In March of 2012, Pamela Berkowsky advised the Council's Chair, First Lady Cecile de Jongh, and the Council's membership during a meeting that focused on developing a three-year health and wellness improvement plan. The initiative is illustrative of the Children and Families Council's ongoing efforts to help parents provide healthy, balanced environments for their children.
Discussion items at the meeting included the economic and social impact of the recent closure of the HOVENSA refinery, which served as the territory's sole fuel supplier and largest private employer. The Council also discussed strategies for improved early education intervention programs, which included autism detection in kindergarten students, and early hearing and vision testing. The discussion also touched on youth outreach measures such as school-based anti-gang and anti-bullying programs, and the enhancement of existing "at-risk" youth programs, including My Brother's Workshop. |
AuthorA resident of the U.S. Virgin Islands since 2002, Pamela B. Berkowsky took her most recent governmental management role in 2007, becoming Deputy Chief of Staff to Gov. John de Jongh Jr. Thriving in this position, in which she managed daily Government House and Cabinet operations and policy development and implementation, she was promoted to Chief of Staff in 2011. Archives
September 2020
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