Althea Laing, Mother, Educator, Fashion Model, Insurance Executive, Public Relations Manager, Grooming Personality Development and Image Consultant, Business Woman, “Multi Talented”, is the best description of her thus far. Her career has spanned two decades, achieving many firsts as she forged her path to pursue for dream as Jamaica’s First homegrown International fashion model.
Althea Laing won the Miss Jamaica Fashion Model Pageant in 1985 which launched her on a Modeling Career extraordinary. She was a phenomenon in N.Y. as her “lips” captured the eyes of many a passer-by and photographer and skyrocketed her to the pages and front cover of Essence Magazine at age”30”. She graced the cover of Chic Magazine in London 1987. Essence Magazine 1990 at age “35” and a year later Miami Based “Caribbean Lifestyles” Magazine. Years later in 2019 and 2020 she is still appearing on the cover of Buzzz Caribbean Lifestyle Magazine and Beyond Woman Magazine.
She has returned to Jamaica out of Love for her family and her country. This multi-talented lady has decided to dedicate her talent, experience and expertise to the complete development of the Jamaican woman and indeed the image of the Jamaican man.
With her reservoir of experience and talent Althea recently established Althea Laing’s Image Consultancy, a training and consulting firm offering Personality Development and Corporate Image Training for Business Organizations in Jamaica. Althea Laing has also provided Pageant Preparation in Speech and Diction and Stage Presentation for The Jamaica Cultural Development Commission Festival Queen Pageant., Miss Curvy Jamaica Pageant 2018. She has trained four Miss Jamaica Universe Pageant Winners over the decade. Althea also been involved in providing modeling, etiquette, grooming and personality development training for the youth and a resource person for many schools island wide in respect of Staff Training and motivational exercises. In addition, she is sought after as a Corporate Image Consultant and has trained staff in many Jamaican corporate firms, her most recent being The Attorney General’s Chambers.
It is of importance to note that Althea graduated from Hampton High School and also XLCR/UWI teacher training programme with a distinction in teaching practice. She has also had training in Personnel Management – JIM. Althea is supported by a team of management consultants with includes specialists in Human Resource Development. She has graduated as a Team Trainer in the new Team Jamaica Tourism Programme. Althea graduated in 2007 from Knox Community College with Bachelor of Arts in Education (hons) in Language Arts. A wealth of talent and experience coupled with the challenge of the dawning of a new era is her quest for Jamaica. Her ultimate passion is teaching. It is important to note that each year since 1992, she has conducted Personal Development Workshops for Tweens, Teens and Adults. Althea also convened the Althea Laing Student Convention 2019 at the S hotel in Montego Bay, Jamaica.
Students from ten schools in western Jamaica participated. The Convention was placed on hiatus as per Covid 19 and this year she trusts that sponsorship for this event will be available.
Althea has received many honours which include Miss Jamaica Fashion Model 1985, Essence Magazine Cover Model 1985 and 1990. In addition, she won the Faces Going Places competition in New York in 1995. She has been awarded the Ministry of Education, Outstanding Parent Award and Most Outstanding Past Student of Excelsior Community College in 2013, The Women’s Inc. award for her work with Jamaica Aids Support 1995 and was inducted into the Pulse Hall of Fame in 1993. Her quest at this time is to encourage the powers that be to implement with immediate effect the Althea Laing Student Image Enhancement Programme within the national Schools Curriculum.
