Dr Donna Minott Kates entered the department in 1991. Although previously trained in Organic Chemistry to the postdoctoral level, her initial task was to operationalise the Food Chemistry major and thereafter to lead the division of Food Chemistry. A key focus of her research is the evaluation of toxicants and contaminants, as well as the characterisation of foods of Jamaican origin, including ackee, coffee, pimento and jerked meats. She has supervised several graduate students at the MSc, MPhil and PhD level, six of whom carried out research on ackee as their main focus. She has also mentored research students, whose supervisor had resigned, to the successful completion of their degrees. Her research investigations led to the publication of various articles in refereed journals. Her contribution to the food industry spans certification training of individuals drawn from Jamaica and the Caribbean; development of technical standards for various foods, including ackee, coconut water, ketchup, jerk sauces; analytical determinations of foods, such as cassava and pimento; as well as serving on national regulatory boards and committees. The Covid-19 pandemic began shortly before the start of her term as Head, and the university quickly made the transition to online teaching. Nevertheless, under her guidance, Chemistry promptly implemented protocols to open its laboratories for face-to-face instruction and set the example for other sections of the campus. Another important initiative was the creation of the Scholarship and Awards Fund, following which the Wilfred R Chan Endowment Fund was launched. The new modularised Introductory Chemistry programme was implemented and a series of analytical and applied chemistry courses were redesigned. Analytical instrumentation (Single Crystal X-ray diffractometer, IR spectrometer, balances, water testing equipment) were sourced. The UWI Mona Analytical Chemistry Laboratory advanced its accreditation to the ISO/IEC 17025/2017 standard. The Secretariat was reorganised to work more efficiently and technicians were finally upgraded to the level of technologists.