The Women’s Empowerment Summit (WES) is pleased to announce clinical counsellor Dayla Burgess has been recognised as the 2025 Woman of The Year.
Each year, the WES acknowledges a Bermudian female who is making a difference in the lives of others in the community.
Previous recipients include, co-founder of Tomorrow’s Voices, Thea Furbert, principal Trina Cariah and paraeducator Devonna Samuels.
Ms Burgess, who had no idea she was this year’s recipient, was caught by surprise at the 10th annual event, which was held Saturday, 29 November in the CedarBridge Academy cafetorium.
“When my name was called, I felt the familiar tug of imposter syndrome. But I quickly reminded myself, ‘Why not you?’” sheshares.
As the founder of TeleConnect Bermuda, a company which offers teletherapy services tailored for adults, Ms Burgess is committed to expanding access to high-quality mental health care across the island and eliminating barriers.
“Every day, I work to create spaces where people feel seen, heard, and valued,” she adds. “In 2024, that commitment led me to launch TeleConnect, with a mission to make care more accessible while strengthening Bermuda’s mental health and healthcare ecosystem.”
TeleConnect is now an approved mental health provider for CG, Argus and BF&M (now Allshore) and has introduced a culturally responsive therapist directory to support both clients and practitioners within Bermuda’s growing provider network.
Ms Zuill explains how her organisation chooses the annual Woman of The Year: “We often look for unsung heroes in the community; women who are simply getting on with life, making a difference in the lives they touch.
“This year we chose Dayla because she is not only passionate about mental wellness in Bermuda, but she has humanised the topic and is constantly engaging her peers in the subject area, which is something we did not experience just a few short years ago.
“She is more than deserving of this recognition.”
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