Alumni in Focus
Andrea McLean
Our very first alumni profile is of Andrea McLean (formerly Moncrieffe) Class of 1974. This is the first in a series of interviews to connect and re-connect alumni with old—OK, not old friends, but friends of old—to see what they’ve been up to since we last saw them.
We hope you will enjoy reading the range of experiences and the trajectories our classmates’ lives have taken. No two alumni have trodden the same path and no one path is any more valid than the other, so we encourage you to share your story, regardless of whether it took you to the boardroom or the classroom, rock bottom or the skies. We want to hear from all our alumni.
Our heartfelt thanks to Andrea for so kindly agreeing to sit for our first interview. Side note: we seem to have two categories of alumni: Those who always refer to our alma mater as St. Cyprian’s and never as St. Cyp’s, and those who are happy to use both, depending on who they’re talking to. Which category do you think Andrea falls into?
Anyway, here’s our first profile of an alumnus—an alumna to be precise—of St. Cyprian’s Preparatory School, Jamaica. Yes, the Jamaica mention is not superfluous; there are other St. Cyprian’s schools around the world, so we can’t put too fine a point on it.
For those who don’t know you, Andrea, tell us the basics about who you are and your connection to St. Cyprian’s.
My name is Andrea McLean. St. Cyprian’s and St Mary High alumni will remember me as Andrea Moncrieffe. I lived in Highgate, where my Mom was Vice Principal of St. Mary High School and my Dad was the Chief Public Health Inspector for St. Mary. My brother, Andrew, also attended St. Cyprian’s. I cannot remember what year I started. I was there for many years and left for high school in 1974 when I was 10 years old. In fact, I celebrated my 11th birthday a few weeks after starting first form at St. Mary High School. Since we lived in Highgate, life was pretty uneventful and simple. I would visit the bakery, supermarket, as well as the dentist (Dr. Johnson) and our family doctor (Dr. Peat) as needed. At least once a month I would go to Kingston with my parents to visit family and do a big shopping trip. I now live in East Windsor, NJ (USA). However, I have lived in multiple other states across the US – New York, California, Florida, and Pennsylvania.
But it didn’t stop there, did it? No, I guess not (laughing). A few years later I left Nestle to become a Customer Service Director at American Express, managing teams in Florida and India. I had responsibility for telephone and email servicing as well as some back-office financial reconciliation functions.
Something tells me you were up for another challenge after a while. You guessed right. My next challenge was at Estee Lauder, where I joined as an Executive Director to manage the start-up of an Americas consumer care centre. By this time, I was also serving on the Board of Directors for an international customer service association. I later transitioned into a corporate role with responsibility for consumer care reporting and analytics, communications, risk, and crisis management. This was the role that shoved me into the board room where I had to interface with senior leaders of our company and participate in an organizational evolution and global expansion of the consumer care function. Today, I lead a global consumer care Centre of Excellence for compliance and operations, focusing on the establishment of policies and procedures, and adherence to regulatory and compliance regulations.
Anyone with responsibility for compliance bears a heavy burden. Customer care, regulations, policies, etc. seem a far cry from the late-night lab work Special Chem students were known for at UWI. True? I can see why you would think that, but believe it or not, my chemistry degree still comes into play in understanding our product formulations, the ingredients used, and causality assessments required for any adverse product experiences. Our initial training is just a launching pad of sorts. I have since discovered that I have other gifts and talents which I am developing to their fullest. That means I also spend time coaching others and have a passion in this area.
Your life coaching certification is making a lot more sense now. That was quite a progression in your career. Take me back now to the St. Cyprian’s you knew. How did a little prep school in the cool hills of St. Mary shape the cosmopolitan Andrea we are getting to know today? Oh, St. Cyprian’s was a welcoming environment—even though some of the teachers were extremely strict. St. Cyprian’s gave me a solid academic and social foundation. As I reflect on the foundation I received, I see now how important it is to encourage students to find their passion, never give up, and dream big. I knew that I was fortunate that my parents could afford to send me there and I never felt disadvantaged in anyway. I enjoyed my friendships and participating in the school plays. I was involved in so many activities that I was tired at times. I remember the food was good and there were lively conversations during lunchtime when the whole school and teachers dined together in the dining hall in the old rectory building (Little School).
I remember fondly my favourite teacher, Miss Holness. I also loved Mrs. Morris, as she was my music teacher as well. Like most other students, I dreaded Miss Saunders, our principal. My favourite subject was Math, and I can’t remember not enjoying any of the subjects I was taught.
When I was at St. Cyprian’s, my career probably did not even exist, but the academic preparation was key. St. Cyprian’s gave me a perspective that life is not always a straight path or always easy; however, with perseverance comes success. It was an easy transition to high school, university, and my subsequent corporate roles, as I was well prepared academically and socially.
You mentioned socially prepared. What about your friends? Any best friends? I am not sure that I had one best friend. I had some close friends who were in my year, including Janice Gilpin, Audrey Pottinger and Donna Martin. Most of my friends attended St. Cyprian’s, until I went to high school and made new friends.
Now, I know you mentioned the self-discipline you learned as one of the things you treasure from your St. Cyp’s experience and you also mentioned not ever wanting to experience again being literally rapped on the knuckles (thankfully, methods have evolved, and this is no longer practised). Looking more broadly now and with a bit of hindsight, how would you say St. Cyprian’s and Jamaica prepared you for the world? I am thankful that I grew up in Jamaica and was privileged to experience a culture of belonging and “out of many one people”. This prepared me to communicate across cultures when I travelled to various countries across the globe to work with team members and colleagues on different projects and initiatives. I am grateful that I have this perspective, given the divisiveness at play in various societies. It’s with that mindset that I serve as a mentor for young women at a local university and at my workplace. I also volunteered as a career coach for young girls at a school in Harlem, NYC. Before Covid, I also served as a volunteer in the hospitality and women’s ministries at my church.
What have been the milestones – good and not so good – in your life? Let’s start with the good: The opportunities I have had to travel to Europe, South America, and Asia. Visiting the Taj Mahal. Opportunities to live in different states in the US. My most recent milestone is the completion of my Master’s in Organizational Leadership and attaining my certificate in Life and Career Coaching this May. As for the not so good: Losing both of my parents, especially my Mom. We were very close…
You mentioned your late parents and how you miss them, especially your Mom. Give us a taste of the Andrea that friends and family know. Start with your favourite colour, your favourite dish, and then take it from there. Well, my favourite colour is periwinkle. My favourite meal would have to include chicken (her infectious smile returns). Whenever I go out for dinner with family or friends, they will look at the menu and say, “We know what Andrea is getting.” When it comes to music, I like many artists, including Beres Hammond, Whitney Houston, Bob Marley, George Benson, Stevie Wonder, to name a few.
The Bible, “Do What You Are”, and Successful “Women Speak Differently” are my favourite books. I am blessed with a wonderful husband and two grown children, a son and a daughter (Andrea’s eyes are in full twinkle mode at this point). They have both graduated from university. My son is an entrepreneur, and my daughter is the academic one, continuing her post graduate studies after receiving her Master’s in Mental Health Counselling. They are quite different in their interests and personalities. This highlights a key point: find out what you are good at and become the best at whatever that is. We should not try to make ourselves, our kids, or other family members, become something that God has not designed or wired us to be.
I couldn’t think of a better note on which to end this interview. Thank you, Andrea. It was a pleasure to get to know you. All the best for the future.Thank you, Paul. Wish you the same.
