NASSAU, BAHAMAS — Disney Cruise Line has named Joey Gaskins, based in New Providence, as Regional Public Affairs Director, The Bahamas and Caribbean.
In this newly created position, Gaskins will support Disney Cruise Line and other Disney Signature Experience business initiatives in The Bahamas and Caribbean by building relationships and serving as Disney’s liaison for external stakeholders, including government agencies, community leaders, the non-profit community, media, and internal business leaders.
“Joey has served as a trusted and valued consultant for Disney Cruise Line over the past several years and we’re delighted for him to be an official member of our team,” said Kim Prunty, vice president of public affairs for Disney Cruise Line.
“As we continue to expand our presence in The Bahamas, it’s important to us to provide more opportunities for Bahamians and leverage the talent of skilled professionals with local knowledge.”
Gaskins has built his career on providing strategic communication and government consulting in The Bahamas. For the past four years, he has served as senior partner and co-founder for Open Current, a premier Bahamian research, public and government relations firm, overseeing a $1.2B portfolio of client projects—including Fortune 500 companies, high commissions of foreign governments, government ministries and local conglomerates.
Previously, Gaskins served as a communications consultant for the Inter-American Development Bank and the Citizen Security and Justice programme under the Ministry of National Security in Nassau. In this role, he led the development of integrated communications strategies and tactical plans for a newly launched pilot programme, which spanned five government ministries—Offices of National Security, Labor, Social Services, the Office of the Attorney General, and the Ministry of Youth. Gaskins holds a Bachelor of Arts degree in politics from Ithaca College and a master’s degree in race, ethnicity and postcolonial studies from the London School of Economics.
Gaskins is a valued thought leader in The Bahamas, having served in various high-profile volunteer posts including the Open for Work Advisory Board, Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) Economic Prosperity Committee and the National Development Committee with the Office of the Prime Minister, the School of Social Sciences Sociology Advisory Board for the University of The Bahamas, and serves as a member of the Board of Directors for the Bahamas Aids Foundation.
“I am excited and proud to be joining the Disney team,” said Gaskins.
“Over the years, I have worked closely with Disney and have seen the organization’s commitment to environmental stewardship, increasing economic opportunities, and community building in The Bahamas. This new role provides a unique opportunity for me to use my skills to positively impact the communities that Disney supports across the region. It is also a testament to how young professionals in The Bahamas and the Caribbean can work with global brands at home and abroad. All we need is the opportunity and organizations like Disney who are willing to create it.”
Disney Cruise Line has committed to filling all positions on Castaway Cay with Bahamians across a range of disciplines with opportunities for training and advancement. Disney recently received the necessary approvals from the Government of The Bahamas to begin work at Lighthouse Point, which is expected to create more than 300 construction-related roles – more than double the number of jobs Disney Cruise Line committed to in its Heads of Agreement.
Disney Cruise Line has long been committed to The Bahamas. Since its maiden voyage in 1998, Disney has introduced countless families to the beauty and spirit of The Bahamas and has provided significant economic impact while demonstrating a strong commitment to the environment and the community. Approximately 75 percent of the cruises offered by Disney have at least one stop in The Bahamas, all four of its ships are registered in The Bahamas and it is estimated that Disney Cruise Line operations currently contribute more than $70 million toward the Bahamas gross domestic product annually.
