The
Dr Rev. Rachele (Evie) Vernon O’Brien, a deacon of the Anglican church has
distinguished herself as a theologian for the heroic military victories of the
only female National Hero of Jamaica, Nanny of the Maroons who successfully led
a series of revolt against the colonial British Government on behalf of its
slaves in part of the north-east section of the island during the late 17th
century and the early 18th century.
She was a science teacher in several secondary schools early in her
career having been awarded the B.Sc. in Natural Sciences 1978 by the University
of the West Indies (UWI) and subsequently earned degrees in Theology at the UWI
culminating the PhD in 2004.
For
decades she has her work as a deaconess of the Anglican church in inner-city
communities in Kingston, Jamaica and as a chaplain at public hospitals located
in these communities. She has done
extensive development assistance work in Jamaica and in the Caribbean region
notably as an activist in the response to the HIV/AIDS pandemic and currently serves
the Church Of England in the UK in its mission work.