Mrs. Syringa Marshall-Burnett was President of the Senate of Jamaica from March 1995 to 2007. She is still a senior lecturer (part time) at the University of the West Indies (UWI) School of Nursing in Mona, after retiring from 13 years as head of the programme. She continues her involvement with the Nurses Association of Jamaica (NAJ) and is editor of its journal.

At the University of Toronto, she received certificates in Hospital Nursing and Public Health Nursing, and then a Bachelor of Nursing Degree in 1967. She completed her MA in 1972 with a double major in Adult Mental Health and Nursing Education.

Mrs. Marshall-Burnett has held several positions in her professional capacity, including:

Member of the Nursing Council of Jamaica.

Member of the Board of Directors Commission for Graduates of Foreign Nursing Schools (CGFNS).

Member of the International Advisory Board, American Journal of Nursing.

Member of the International Advisory Board, Journal of Advanced Nursing.

Member of the CARICOM Regional Nursing Body.

Member of the World Health Organization (WHO) Expert Committee on Nursing.

She is also a life member of the Nurses Association of Jamaica, where she served five terms as elected president.

Mrs. Marshall-Burnett was awarded the Order of Distinction, Commander Class, (CD) Government of Jamaica in 1990, for distinguished services to nursing.