Janelle Andrea Chanona is a marine policy advocate and member of parliament in Belize’s

National Assembly In politics, a national assembly is either a unicameral legislature, the lower house of a bicameral legislature, or both houses of a bicameral legislature together. In the English language it generally means "an assembly composed of the repr ...

serving as a non-partisan Senator, representing Belizean Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs).

Career

Between 1999 and 2008, Chanona worked as a journalist, anchor and news director for Great Belize Productions, managed then by

Stewart Krohn Stewart Krohn is a Belizean television Senior management, executive and journalist. He is the general manager of Great Belize Television, a subsidiary of Great Belize Productions, Ltd. Great Belize Krohn formed Great Belize Productions, a video a ...

. Chanona (and her respective camera colleagues) received several awards from the Caribbean Broadcasting Union (CBU), various United Nations agencies, the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) and the

International Center for Journalists International Center for Journalists (ICFJ) is a non-profit, professional organization located in Washington, D.C., United States, that promotes journalism worldwide. Since 1984, the International Center for Journalists has worked directly with ...

. Chanona is a recipient of the James A. Waight award, which is awarded annually by the

Belize Audubon Society The Belize Audubon Society is a conservation group in Belize, formed in 1969. Like similar societies elsewhere, it is named in honor of ornithologist and naturalist John James Audubon. History The Belize Audubon Society was formed in 1969 by Dora ...

for journalism work in support of conservation in Belize.

Marine Policy Advocate

Chanona has led Oceana's team in Belize since January 2014.

Parliamentarian

In March 2022, registered non-governmental organizations in Belize elected Chanona as the 13th Senator, a non-partisan representative in the Senate, the upper house of Belize's

. Chanona was endorsed to continue work as the Senator for NGOs and swore the oath of office on May 9, 2025. During her first parliamentary session, Chanona was the first Chair of the National Assembly's newest joint standing committee, the Women's Parliamentary Caucus.

References

21st-century Belizean politicians Living people Year of birth missing (living people) {{Improve categories, date=July 2025