Mina Taboh comes from a lineage of compassionate and nurturing women who profoundly shaped her life from an early age. Her invaluable experiences with them not only revealed her own inner calling but also directed her path.
Taking on a significant role from a tender age, Mina assumed responsibility for her four siblings due to her mother’s limited financial resources as a public servant. By the age of 10, she had already embraced a multitude of maternal duties, solidifying her innate maternal instincts. This early nurturing experience, coupled with a deep affection for infants, inspired her to enroll in a government school for health personnel in Bamenda, Cameroon, for her secondary education.
During her clinical internships, Mina’s performance in maternity care exceeded all expectations. Her exceptional aptitude led the nursing supervisor to recommend her exclusively for the maternity and paediatrics wards. As a nursing student, she assumed the role of training her peers in crucial aspects of baby care, including bathing, breastfeeding support, cord care, diaper changing, newborn safety, hygiene, safe sleep practices, formula feeding, vital signs monitoring, and postpartum support. Her exceptional results after completing her training earned her approval and employment at the hospital, where she dedicated nine years of service to the maternity department before joining a mission for an additional five years.
Recognising the paramount importance of comprehensive postnatal care, Mina expanded her role to encompass both hospital and community settings. She actively participated in deliveries from admission during labor and provided essential support to new mothers in their parenting journeys. Employing techniques like baby massage and reflexology, she helped mothers connect with the joys of newborns and manage anxiety effectively.
Mina firmly believes in the power of education, and her time in the hospital saw her appointed as a health educator. Her passion for teaching and sharing health information is evident. She facilitated training sessions for healthcare workers, focusing on patients in vulnerable groups, including pregnant women, newborns, children, and the elderly.
With a holistic approach to care, Mina seeks to strengthen the parent-infant relationship by identifying and addressing stressors and concerns. She understands that each baby is unique, with individual needs and personalities, and she emphasises the importance of tailoring care accordingly, considering factors related to pregnancy, birth, and the early postnatal period.
Mina’s decision to specialise in Midwifery was deeply influenced by the devastating loss of her two consecutive newborns. This tragic experience fuelled her determination to explore the causes and means of prevention. Her commitment to preventing such heartbreak for other women became her life’s mission. Inspired by the midwives she worked alongside, Mina pursued midwifery training, building upon her extensive experience. She attended the School for Continuous Education for Midwifery and Reproductive Health in Limbe, Cameroon, where she uncovered the root causes of many neonatal deaths, strengthening her resolve.
Upon graduation, Mina initiated a program to provide medical assistance to pregnant women, children, and nursing mothers. Her clinic work and visits to countless homes convinced her that rural Cameroonian communities would benefit greatly from trained midwives. With this realisation, she returned to her community midwifery role, attending over 1000 births, encompassing home deliveries, birthing centres, and hospitals.
Mina’s journey as a Nurse-Midwife, Sleep Trainer, Breastfeeding Supporter, and Home Health Care Trainer eventually led her to Dubai, where she now serves as the Medical Director and Head Nurse at KARE. She remains in awe of the incredible strength and resilience of birthing women and continues to provide loving support and gentle encouragement to families as they welcome their newborns into the world.
Today, Mina Taboh stands as a testament to the transformative power of dedication and compassion in the field of maternal and neonatal care.
Dr Nitin finished his medical graduate training in India then moved to the North East of England where he completed his Paediatric Specialty Training. He later obtained his Allergy degree from Southampton University (UK) and has been a fellow of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health (FRCPCH) since 2012.
Prior to joining King’s College Hospital London in Dubai, UAE, he worked as a Consultant Paediatrician at Darlington Memorial Hospital, UK. He ran an efficient General Paediatric, Paediatric Respiratory and Allergy service in the hospital for which he received a Clinical Excellence Award in 2016. In addition, he served as RCPCH College tutor and lead for Simulation based training for Paediatrics.
He is skilled in managing the diverse spectrum of Paediatric allergies including performing and interpreting skin prick tests, IgE blood tests, managing oral food challenges, immunotherapy and lung function tests.
Dr. Dornan is a Consultant Obstetrician and Gynecologist with a sub-specialty in Maternal Fetal Medicine. Furthermore, she is the first female specialist in Maternal Fetal Medicine from the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists of London to come to Dubai.
Her primary goal is to normalise and personalise the experience for each patient and their family, so they can be assured that even though their unborn baby may have a potential birth defect, expert help can be found.
Her passion for foetal medicine developed during her residency and training program due to its multidisciplinary nature and comprehensive approach to problem solving.
Dr Dornan has expertise in several areas of maternal and foetal medicine, including: prenatal counselling, prenatal diagnosis, foetal therapy, genetic foetal disorders and foetal growth restriction. She has several years of experience delivering complex twin pregnancies, in particular monochorionic, as well as assessing and treating twin-twin transfusion syndrome. She also has expertise in the management of other high-risk pregnancies and cares for both mother and baby.
In addition to her clinical work, Dr Dornan is an active teacher and trainer of safe deliveries both nationally and internationally in conjunction with the Royal College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists. She has recently implemented RCOG examination programs in Pakistan.
Dr Dornan regularly speaks at national and international meetings about several maternal issues and uses her platform to improve maternal and foetal health on a global scale.
Richelen’s journey began at Xavier University-Ateneo de Cagayan, where she majored in Business Management, laying the foundation for her remarkable career. Fueled by a drive for international experience, she made the bold decision to relocate to Dubai, opening the door to a world of opportunities where she was determined to leave her mark.
With a sharp eye for detail and a passion for efficiency, Richelen swiftly gained invaluable experience in business administration. Her exceptional skills catapulted her into the realm of project management, where she contributed her expertise to multiple interior design companies, helping shape the spaces of tomorrow.
Richelen’s career trajectory continued its ascent when she assumed the role of Personal Assistant to the CEO of Fine Hygienic Holding, a prominent FMCG leader in the MENA region.
Her leadership potential did not go unnoticed, and Richelen soon found herself at the helm as the Director of Operations for Jicaro, a conglomerate corporation offering a diverse range of services, from real estate management to corporate wellness consulting. Her ability to navigate complex business landscapes and deliver results was evident in her every endeavour.
Today, Richelen serves as the General Manager for KARE. In this role, she continues to make a significant impact on a mission close to her heart. This reflects her commitment to both professional excellence and her dedication to improving the lives of mothers and children. Her leadership extends beyond the boardroom, as she channels her passion into a meaningful cause, ensuring the well-being of families in her community and beyond.
In 1979, as a third-year high school student, James was exposed for the first time to a quote that would change the course of his life:
“100 years from now, it won’t matter what kind of car I drove; how big my house was; or how much money I made. But the world may be a different place because I was important in the life of a child.”
From that moment, James signed up for a community service project, where he trained and volunteered as a professional clown, working with a children’s cancer center to entertain and raise the spirits of young children undergoing cancer therapies. He found great joy in serving children, and decided that one way or the other, he would serve children—as the future of society—for the rest of his life. From that day in 1979, he has spent the past 44 years finding means to serve children in the world through charity, work, and public service. Serving as the Chairman of KARE is the penultimate career step of a lifetime serving children in various capacities.
James was educated at The University of Cincinnati, where he graduated 1985 Summa Cum Laude with a degree in Psychology and Physiology, with a focus on Child Psychology. During his time at University, James was hired by Forest Park School District in his native Cincinnati, Ohio as Middle School Track and Field Coach. Finding he had a talent for developing young athletes, and inspiring at-risk kids, James led his team to 3 consecutive years as city champions and led multiple members of the team to running for the US Junior National Team; and later representing the USA internationally including the Olympics. James is a firm believer in the transformative power of sports as a teaching tool.
James formed his own company in 1983, with a group of Physicians, offering corporate wellness consulting to major corporations at the very beginning of the “Corporate Fitness Era”. As CEO, he successfully juggled schoolwork whilst opening major contracts with leading companies such as Procter and Gamble, GE, Ford, and Prudential. He personally led some of the programs at Procter and Gamble, and eventually P&G recruited James from the ranks of corporate wellness instructor, to entering its renowned Brand Management program. James rapidly scaled the ranks of marketing, becoming a Brand Manager in the US before embarking on an international career in 1990 to North Africa. He was subsequently promoted to CMO and eventually CEO roles in Eastern Europe, Middle East & Africa, Western Europe, and Asia.
During his now 38-year professional career, James has continued to Coach a range of athletes from beginner to elite levels, coaching the 2012 Olympic Marathon Team from Nigeria, and the 2016, 2021 and 2024 Philippines Olympic Team. James developed Pole Vaulter E.J Obiena from a talented teen, to progressively rising to now number 2 rank in the world, and a medalist in the 2022 World Championships. His specialization is blending his psychology and physiology backgrounds to inspiring young individuals to reach far beyond what they felt possible.
Over the course of his career, James has spent over 30 years working on the Baby Care Category, leading such brands globally as Pampers Diapers, and presently, as CEO for Fine Hygienic Holding. He has also been a founder and faculty member of the prestigious Medical Wellness Association, and through this work has stayed abreast of the latest learnings and best practices in baby and child care.
James has been able to also translate this knowledge to his private life, as the father of 6 and grandfather of 3…and counting! Included is James’ fifth child, Kenji, who was an abandoned Filipino orphan who he foster-parented as a baby, and later adopted as his own in a heartwarming story of giving back. As James says, “I cannot save the world; but I can save one. And I made the decision to save this baby from a life of destitution. I just wanted to help; I didn’t count on falling in love. Kenji became my son; and I grew to love him as all my other children.”
James is also young at heart, having run over 30 competitive full marathons (42.2 KMs), and is an accomplished weightlifter, most recently the 2017 national bench press champion in Philippines. He is presently in training for the 2023 World Raw Powerlifting Championships in the USA.
Caroline Lafferty’s life journey has been an extraordinary blend of education and entrepreneurial ventures, uniquely equipping her to establish KARE and steer its day-to-day operations as CEO.
Born in Toronto, Caroline displayed remarkable academic prowess and a diverse range of talents from an early age. Her educational path led her to the globally renowned University of Toronto, where she pursued double majors in the traditionally male-dominated fields of Biochemistry and Neuroscience.
Her professional journey began within the family business, where she oversaw global contracts and manufacturing for Top Flite Golf Apparel in North America. Seeking to expand her horizons, Caroline transitioned into the role of Director of Events for a leading event management company in Canada. This role eventually led her to Asia, where she founded JuiceBoxx, a pioneering electronics company that revolutionised the portable phone charger market in Southeast Asia, surpassing even iconic global brands like Panasonic.
In tandem with her professional pursuits, Caroline cultivated her personal passion for health and wellness. She embarked on a journey to earn her globally recognised Yoga Alliance teacher certification and then further refined her expertise through specialised advanced teacher training in Thailand, with a focus on anatomy and alignment.
Caroline then joined forces with her husband as a coach for the Philippines Olympic Team, specialising in athletes’ training regimens focused on flexibility and injury prevention. Her dedication played a pivotal role in the remarkable comeback of national athlete Marestella Torres-Sunang, who, at the age of 35 and after childbirth, not only set a new national record but also achieved the remarkable distinction of becoming the oldest female long-jumper (and only mother) to qualify for the 2016 Rio Olympic Games.
Relocating to Dubai after five transformative years, Caroline continued to follow her entrepreneurial instincts while nurturing her passion for personal wellness and physical fitness. She achieved the impressive feat of completing her second full marathon (42.2 KMs) while establishing her conglomerate corporation, Jicaro, offering a diverse range of services from real estate management to corporate wellness consulting.
During the challenging times of the Covid-19 pandemic, Caroline and Jicaro were enlisted by Fine Hygienic Holding, a prominent FMCG leader in the MENA region, to lead the development and launch of PPE product lines. Caroline spearheaded the creation of the luxury line “Fine Guard by Caroline,” chosen as the preferred mask by the renowned global luxury house, LVMH. She also introduced the “Fine Guard for Kids” line, distributed in over 50 countries. Notably, she designed and developed the patented “Fine Guard Sport Mask,” embraced by Olympic Athletes worldwide.
Continuing her philosophy of being a “Student for life”, Caroline obtained certifications as a nutritionist and in stress management and meditation. She has been retained as a consultant and nutritionist for several Olympians preparing for the 2024 Paris Olympics, including E.J. Obiena, a top 2 ranked track and field athlete from the Philippines and multiple medalist in the World Championships.
In early 2022, Caroline welcomed her first child, and this life-changing event inspired her to merge her love for motherhood with her expertise in health and wellness. Thus, KARE was born, embodying her passion to support mothers and their babies on their journeys to well-being.
