Sandra Mason

Dame Sandra Prunella Mason, born on 17 January 1949, is a renowned Barbadian politician, lawyer, and diplomat. She made history as the first female governor-general of Barbados, serving from 2018 to 2021. With an illustrious legal career, Mason became the first woman admitted to the bar in Barbados and later served as a High Court judge in Saint Lucia and a Court of Appeal judge in Barbados. Her contributions to regional integration include chairing the CARICOM commission and serving as the first magistrate appointed as an ambassador from Barbados. Furthermore, Mason holds the distinction of being the first woman to serve on Barbados' Supreme Court and the first appointee from the country to the Commonwealth Secretariat Arbitral Tribunal. In 2021, she assumed the role of Barbados' first president, following the nation's transition to a republic.