Meet Dr. Leo Gilling

Executive Chairman, CICCJ & JDTAN

Criminologist | Author | Speaker | Philanthropist | Educator | Professor | Journalist | Diaspora Advocate | Community Development Consultant | Broadcaster

Dr. Leo Gilling is a criminologist, educator, researcher, author and diaspora leader whose work spans criminal justice, public policy, education, philanthropy, organizational development and community transformation. For more than three decades, he has worked across Jamaica, the Caribbean, Canada and the United States, building partnerships and advancing initiatives that connect knowledge, institutional leadership and community action.

A strategic and relationship-driven executive, Dr. Gilling brings together academic research, entrepreneurial experience, educational leadership and community engagement to address complex social and institutional challenges. His approach emphasizes evidence-informed decision-making, ethical leadership, accountability, collaborative problem-solving and sustainable development.

Originally from Oracabessa, St. Mary, Jamaica, and now based in Ontario, Canada, Dr. Gilling serves as Founder and Executive Chairman of the Caribbean Institute of Criminology & Criminal Justice (CICCJ). Through the Institute, he advances research, professional education, policy analysis, organizational consulting and capacity-building initiatives focused on strengthening institutions and improving community outcomes.

He is also Founder and Executive Chairman of the Jamaica Diaspora Taskforce Action Network (JDTAN), established in 2013 to mobilize diaspora expertise in support of Jamaica's national development. What began as an education-focused initiative has evolved into a multidisciplinary network connecting professionals, institutions, community organizations and development partners across several sectors.

His work reflects a consistent conviction: meaningful national and community development requires more than identifying problems. It requires understanding their underlying causes, bringing the appropriate disciplines and stakeholders together, designing practical responses and establishing mechanisms to evaluate progress.

Leadership Highlights

Under his leadership, JDTAN has:

• Convened 11 Advancement in Education Summits through 2026, bringing together educators, academic leaders, policymakers, institutional partners and diaspora professionals to advance teacher development, educational innovation and collaboration.

• Hosted the 11th Advancement in Education Summit in Toronto, July 5–10, 2026, in collaboration with educational and community partners, including York University and the Jamaican Canadian Association.

• Established five national education task forces addressing Early Childhood Education, Primary and Secondary Education, Tertiary Education, Special Education and Instructional Leadership.

• Expanded its work into health and wellness, community development, youth advancement and other areas requiring interdisciplinary cooperation.

• Convened professional-learning and health-and-wellness initiatives connecting Caribbean practitioners with specialists and institutions across North America.

• Developed partnerships and collaborations involving Jamaica's Ministry of Education, the Jamaica Teachers' Association, the University of Technology, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, and universities and colleges in Canada and the United States.

• Supported educational collaboration with Loma Linda University through the EXSEED initiative, providing professional-development and technology-learning opportunities for Jamaican educators.

• Promoted sustained diaspora engagement by connecting professional expertise with the needs of Jamaican schools, communities and national institutions.

Programs and Initiatives

Dr. Gilling has developed, introduced and supported educational and community initiatives aimed at improving learning, strengthening institutional capacity and expanding opportunity.

These include:

• Virtual Mentorship Models – Connecting Jamaican secondary-school students with diaspora mentors to support academic achievement, examination preparation and transitions into postsecondary education.

• Emotional Literacy Program – Supporting teachers and students in understanding emotional development, behaviour, relationships and the conditions that influence learning.

• ACT — Adopt a Child Today – A multiyear educational-support initiative providing learning materials and sustained assistance to primary-school students preparing for national assessments.

• Boys' Achievement and Engagement – Professional-learning approaches addressing boys' development, educational participation, motivation, behaviour and achievement.

• Parent–School Engagement – Developing approaches that strengthen relationships between families, educators, schools and communities.

• Professional Learning and Institutional Capacity Building – Supporting educators and organizational leaders through programmes addressing instructional leadership, resilience, community engagement, strategic planning, governance and continuous improvement.

Through CICCJ, Dr. Gilling also develops and advances evidence-informed frameworks for institutional improvement, including B-CORE™, ReBond™, EBSIF™ and the Jamaica Boys Achievement and Engagement Framework.

An early advocate of virtual professional engagement, Dr. Gilling initiated diaspora-government teleconferences between 2013 and 2018, years before online collaboration became commonplace.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, he led an extensive virtual professional-learning initiative through JDTAN, supporting hundreds of training sessions addressing digital education, instructional leadership, mental health, teacher development and institutional resilience. These activities extended educational access to participants across Jamaica and the international diaspora.

Research, Education and Academic Leadership

Dr. Gilling's academic and professional interests include criminal justice, criminology, social development, educational equity, institutional accountability, interdisciplinary research, community safety and public policy.

He teaches Foundations of Interdisciplinary Studies at Jamaica Theological Seminary, where his instructional approach emphasizes critical thinking, disciplinary perspectives, evidence evaluation, problem-centred learning and the integration of knowledge across fields.

He has also developed and taught Contemporary Issues in Domestic Violence at Jamaica Theological Seminary and Forensic Psychology at Washington Adventist University. His experience includes original course development, learning objectives, instructional materials, classroom activities and assessment design.

As an education consultant with the Kujenga Pamoja II project, supporting the establishment of the Canadian Institute for People of Afrikan Ancestry (CIPAA), Dr. Gilling contributes research concerning the educational experiences, opportunities and structural barriers affecting Black learners, families and educators in Canada.

His assigned responsibilities include Ontario and Northern Canada, alongside collaboration on national evidence development and policy-relevant analysis.

His research applies race-based, human-rights, structural-barrier, justice and development perspectives to the examination of educational systems and institutional practices.

Dr. Gilling is also engaged in preliminary graduate programme development discussions with Excelsior Community College, Jamaica, concerning a proposed programme in Criminal Justice and Social Entrepreneurship. This ongoing work involves programme planning, occupational research considerations, curriculum development and institutional collaboration.

These engagements reflect his commitment to connecting academic inquiry with practical institutional and community development.

Governance, Justice and Community Leadership

Dr. Gilling has served in executive, governance and advisory positions across educational institutions, nonprofit organizations, public agencies and diaspora associations.

He currently serves as Vice Chair of the Regional Ethnocultural Advisory Committee, Ontario Region, providing advice to the Correctional Service of Canada on matters concerning ethnocultural populations in federal correctional institutions, institutional responsiveness, rehabilitation and reintegration. He also participates in national ethnocultural advisory discussions.

His work in correctional advisory settings reflects his interest in procedural justice, cultural responsiveness, institutional accountability and the effective reintegration of individuals returning to their communities.

He is Board Chair of Dunrobin Christian Academy, contributing to school governance, institutional modernization, educational improvement, strategic development and organizational sustainability.

He also serves as Treasurer of the Coalition of African, Black and Caribbean Educators (CABE) and has contributed to educational and community leadership through the Jamaican Canadian Association.

His earlier community leadership includes:

• Jamaica Awareness Association of California (JAAC) – Served in several leadership positions, including Treasurer, Public Relations Officer and President.

• Sam Sharpe Teachers' College Past Students Association – Founded the association in 2004 and helped coordinate educational camps, medical outreach and alumni-supported community initiatives.

• Celebrate Jamaica Los Angeles – Supported cultural programming and Jamaican heritage celebrations, including activities associated with Jamaica's 50th anniversary of Independence.

• Oracabessa Homecoming and Reunion – Mobilized diaspora participation in community development, cultural preservation and local giving.

• City of Miramar, Florida – Served on the Parks and Recreation Advisory Board and Economic Development Advisory Board and contributed to sister-city engagement involving Miramar and Kingston.

• Jamaica Diaspora Advisory Board – Served in advisory capacities connected with Jamaica's Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, supporting diaspora engagement and national development.

His leadership experience is further informed by approximately fourteen years as an entrepreneur operating insurance agencies associated with Allstate and State Farm in the United States. This business experience strengthened his expertise in organizational leadership, financial management, business development, client relations and operational accountability.

Public Speaking and International Engagement

Dr. Gilling is an experienced public speaker, conference organizer, moderator and presenter whose work connects academic research, leadership, public policy and community practice.

His participation in conferences and professional forums includes:

• Jamaica Diaspora Conferences and international diaspora-development engagements.

• International Organization for Migration engagements in the Caribbean.

• Clinton Global Initiative Caribbean activities.

• Community College of Mandeville educational conferences.

• Early Childhood Commission professional-development initiatives.

• JDTAN Advancement in Education Summits and related professional-learning programmes.

• Community, educational and institutional conferences across Jamaica, Canada and the United States.

His keynote and invited speaking engagements have included the Jamaica Ex-Soldiers Association, Guys Hill High School, Dunrobin Christian Academy and the Clarendon College Alumni Association in Canada.

Across these settings, he addresses education, leadership, youth development, institutional accountability, justice, national development, community resilience and the responsibilities of diaspora leadership.

Publications, Writing and Broadcasting

Dr. Gilling is an author, commentator and broadcaster who uses writing and public dialogue to examine social issues, challenge institutional practices and encourage informed civic engagement.

In 2025, he published his memoir, From Shadows to Sunshine: My Jamaican Boyhood, recounting his early experiences in rural Jamaica and the people, circumstances and educational challenges that shaped his development.

He has also completed manuscripts for two additional books in his autobiographical and leadership trilogy:

• From Sunshine to Storms: My Journey into American Life

• From Storms to Legacy: JDTAN — A Model for National Development

His published commentary addresses criminal justice, education, governance, diaspora development, social inequality, democratic accountability and community affairs.

His work has appeared in publications and digital media platforms including The Jamaica Gleaner, The Jamaica Observer, Our Today, South Florida Caribbean News, Caribbean National Weekly, Medium and other outlets.

He also publishes The Gilling Papers, a platform for evidence-informed commentary, civic reflection and public-policy analysis.

Through The Leo Gilling Show, he combines music, cultural reflection, public affairs and community engagement, maintaining connections with audiences across Jamaica and the wider diaspora.

Academic Qualifications

Dr. Gilling holds:

• Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in Criminal Justice and Criminology, Keiser University.

• Master of Science (MSc) in Criminal Justice.

• Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Accounting, National University.

• Diploma in Education, Sam Sharpe Teachers' College, Jamaica.

His professional development has been shaped by formal education, entrepreneurship, teaching, research, executive leadership and decades of community service.

From his early life in Oracabessa to his work across the Caribbean and North America, his journey reflects a belief that educational opportunity, justice and effective institutions are essential to human development.

Dr. Gilling continues to advocate for systems that are fair, accountable, evidence-informed and responsive to the people they serve. His mission is to connect research with action, leadership with responsibility, and institutional development with measurable improvements in people's lives.