Our Community
The Board
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Roger Célestin
President
Roger is chair of the French and Francophone Studies Program at the University of Connecticut. He is the author of several books and articles, including From Cannibals to Radicals: Figures and Limits of Exoticism and Universalism in Crisis: France from 1851 to the Present, and the co-founder and editor of the scholarly journal Contemporary French and Francophone Studies/SITES. Roger left Haiti for the United States in 1964, subsequently earning an M.A. from the Sorbonne and a Ph.D. from the Graduate Center/City University of New York. Roger sees access to a holistic higher education as critical to a positive Haitian future.
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Rick Barger
Vice President
Rick first visited Haiti in 1997 and has been committed to the transformation of the country ever since, founding the Haitian Timoun Foundation in 2000. He holds a BS and MS in Civil Engineering and Management (NC State University and the University of Illinois) as well as a Master of Divinity (Trinity Lutheran Seminary) and Doctor of Ministry (San Francisco Theological Seminary). Recently retired as the President of Trinity Lutheran Seminary, Rick continues his calling to transform organizations as an author, speaker, and leadership coach.
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Derek Jean-Baptiste
Treasurer
Derek is a first-generation Haitian American who is currently a managing director and distinguished engineer in Technology at JP Morgan Chase. He is a native New Yorker and passionate about the power of education to help fix economic inequity. Prior to JP Morgan Chase, Derek was a managing director and technology fellow at Goldman Sachs, was involved with multiple startups, and worked in Silicon Valley. He appreciates the value of technology and education and how they can empower this generation of Haitians.
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Sandra Anojulu
Secretary
Sandra is currently an executive director at JPMorgan Chase with over 20 years of experience in the financial industry and technology sector. She’s previously worked at Goldman Sachs, driving technology innovation and operational resiliency. Her passion for technology, education, and volunteerism drives her interest in giving back to her native Haiti, where she is a frequent visitor. Sandra earned a B.S. in Chemistry from Montclair State University and a M.S. in Information System and Management from Stevens Institute of Technology. Sandra is committed to driving positive and sustainable change in Haiti through education and leadership.
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Dan McDonough, Jr
Director
Dan is the executive chairman of Elauwit, a company with businesses in media and telecommunications. He’s a founding partner of Woden, a brand narrative agency and is the managing partner of the strategic consulting firm, Baron Hunter. Dan started in the news industry nationally, and continues to publish widely on business, technology, and politics in leading media outlets. He also serves as the regional coordinator for the Burke to Buckley Program of the National Review Institute in Philadelphia. A long-time proponent of grassroots economic development in Haiti, Dan is a frequent participant in grassroots business projects in Haiti and values the entrepreneurial spirit nourished at HELP.
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Helen Bodian
Director
Helen holds a B.A. in art history and a law degree from NYU, specializing in civil and human rights law. After assisting in the founding of Prisoners Legal Services of New York, she practiced constitutional appeals for several years. She worked at the Center for Human Rights at Columbia University on refugee and migration issues and on children in armed conflict. She is currently a photographer based in New York City and has published and exhibited in various venues. Helen is an ardent supporter of the work at HELP.
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Marc Alain Boucicault
Marc Alain Boucicault is a social entrepreneur and tech ecosystem builder. He has over 15 years of experience working in international development with the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank and with grassroots organizations focused on youth empowerment and entrepreneurship. He is passionate about leveraging the power of entrepreneurship, technology and communication to reshape socioeconomic dynamics.
He is the founder of Banj, Haiti’s largest coworking space and entrepreneurship hub connecting various communities to promote innovation in Haiti and the Caribbean while supporting change-makers globally.
He is currently the Director of Marketing and Stakeholder Engagement at The Legatum Center for Development and Entrepreneurship, part of the Sloan School of Management at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he focuses on building strong stakeholder communities and amplifying the voice of global growth market entrepreneurs as a mean to prosperity.
Marc Alain holds a Masters in Public Administration from the Harvard Kennedy School, a Masters in Financial Economic Policy from American University and a Bachelors in Applied Quantitative Economics from CTPEA.
Marc Alain serves on the board of the Haitian Education and Leadership Program (HELP) supporting access to higher education in Haiti.
He is a One Young World ambassador, a Fulbright scholar, a social media influencer and a podcast host.
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Karl Fils-Aimé
Karl is a Product Manager at Bridgewater Associates. He has over 15 years experience in technology as a consultant, startup founder and product manager working in Telecommunications, Healthcare, and Finance. A firm believer in the power of education and economic opportunity as the fundamental drivers of growth and stability, Karl continues the path of his forebears in helping to build a better Haiti.
Senior Staff
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Conor Bohan
Founder & Executive Director
Conor lived and worked in Haiti from 1996 to 2008. Under his leadership, HELP has grown from a single student to the largest university scholarship program in Haiti. In addition to growing HELP, Conor was a volunteer teacher, Deputy Director of the National Democratic Institute in Haiti, and Director of Haiti Programs for the American Institutes for Research. Conor is an Ashoka Fellow and a Fellow of the RSA. He has a B.A. in History from Brown University.
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Garry Délice
Country Director
Garry has been educating Haitians for over 20 years. Since graduating from teacher’s college in 1990, Garry has taught at public schools in rural Haiti, directed a Haitian-American magnet school, co-founded a high school, and consulted with Haiti’s Ministry of Education. He joined HELP as Country Director in 2006. Garry has represented HELP at the White House Conference on the Americas and testified before the Haitian Parliament’s joint committee on education. Garry also represents HELP in the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie (AUF), an international association of French-speaking universities.
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Sam Connor
Director of Development
Sam leads in the non-profit sector in fundraising, strategy, and marketing; building teams, processes, and platforms for mission impact and transformative growth. Using an evidence-based approach to success he connects purpose to supporters through innovation, creativity, and collaboration. Since returning to the US in 2008 he has served in a variety of senior fundraising and marketing positions for Save the Children and the Anti-Defamation League, as well as running his own consulting firm for several years. Across 15 years in Africa and Asia, Sam worked in field positions for the Peace Corps, PACT, and Population Services International.
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Meaghan Balzer
Meaghan has been teaching and involved in academic program development for almost 20 years, 13 of which have been in Haiti. With a particular interest in civic engagement, community organizing and critical leadership studies, Meaghan helped build HELP’s Citizenship and Leadership program into what it is today: one of Haiti’s most rigorous post-secondary leadership programs. Meaghan also helped organize two libraries in Port-au-Prince, an after-school reading program, and a Leadership curriculum for Niveau Secondaire 1, 2 and 3. Meaghan holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Education from St. Thomas University, and a Public Administration credential and certificates in Leadership, Organizing and Action from Harvard Kennedy School.
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Daphnée Charles
Development Officer and Alumni Affairs Associate
Daphnee Charles is a Haiti-based seasoned professional graduated from “Université Quisqueya” in Haiti with an excellence based scholarship from the HELP and have completed a fellowship program at USA Ivy league school, Dartmouth in 2010 and have graduated from the Bridge program of the Tuck Business School of Dartmouth in 2012.
Daphnee is involved in different projects locally such the Haiti Tech Summit, the largest Tech Summit in the Caribbean and Startup Grind PAP, a platform that allows successful entrepreneurs to share their journey with young entrepreneurs. Daphnee made the list of the Fondation Lorquet pour une Nouvelle Haiti in 2017 as one of the top 10 most influential women in Haiti and received the 2020 National “Honorary YoPro” award for her outstanding accomplishments and contributions in the non-profit and economic development sector from the Haitian American Chamber of Commerce of Florida (HACCOF).
Daphnee is currently working as development officer in HELP office in Haiti.
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Smyrne Saintil
Students Affairs Director
Smyrne SAINTIL is the Director of Student Affairs and has nearly 15 years of experience in educating, funding, and supporting university students in Haiti. She grew up in a family where education was always the priority despite their financial precariousness. Smyrne is passionate about young people and families, and cares about the quality and access to education for young girls. In her spare time, she runs a couple’s association and a girl’s club. Smyrne started working at HELP in June 2009 as a Junior Advisor. She has contributed enormously to the development of the student affairs department of HELP with the 4 current units: Admission & recruiting, Advising, Career services & Support services for graduation assignments (Thesis). Smyrne likes to say that education chose her, but it was her Law studies at Quisqueya university that enabled her to strengthen her dedication and skills to the cause of young people.
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ARISTE Arismond
Finance Director
Ariste is a Finance Manager and a Senior Auditor. He had been working for more than 20 years in some Organizations based in Haiti and in the US like:
Coca - Cola International Company (Brasserie la Couronne ): 2018-2021- Accounting Manager
Les Centres Gheskio (Affiliated to Cornell University): 2005-2017 – Finance Manager
Hopital Albert Schweitzer- Deschappelles, Haiti : 2001-2005 – Controller Haiti- Operations
Audit Firm PAGS Affiliated to USAID- Haiti : 1995-2001 – Senior Auditor
Background:
Masters in project management: 2007-2009 / Universite Quisqueya
Bachelors in finance and Accounting: State University-INAGHEI – HAITI ( 1990-1994 ) -
Schaffler H.W. Jean Louis
Director of Operations
Schaffler is a professional with more than 10 years of experience in human resources management, social project and action plan development and NGO accounting; in the creation, management and structural strengthening of non-profit organizations. Dedicated to the cause of the underprivileged and destitute in Haitian society, in 2011 he created a Foundation (Fondation Lespwa pou Demen) and an orphanage (Haiti House of Hope) aimed at helping children and youth of both sexes, living in disadvantaged and marginalized areas of Haiti; he helped develop and publish a document on the poverty index in Hinche in 2012. He then participated, in 2013, in the creation and structuring of another foundation (Haiti Teach a Child Foundation) working in the field of education. With a Master 1 in Business Management and a double bachelor’s degree in Accounting and Management, he worked as Director of Operations and Director of Finance at Good Neighbors International for over 9 years; he was Technical Director for almost 6 years at the Lespwa pou Demen Foundation and Logistics Coordinator at Samaritan's Purse (in Haiti). From 2010 to 2019, Schaffler participated in the realization of several community projects in Hinche (Salmorie, area of Juanaria), in Mirebalais (Pajès locality) and in Cité Soleil (in partnership with the City Hall). Since June 2022, Schaffler has integrated the HELP team to pursue his commitment to build a better and fairer Haiti.
Haiti Advisory Board
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Fabiola Coupet
Fabiola is a writer, storyteller, and the host of a radio talk show, “BibiNètalkole,” in Port-au-Prince. Fabiola’s career in communications began with the launch of Rebelle, a premium fashion and lifestyle magazine that showcases Haiti’s rich beauty and culture and change the narrative about Haiti. She has a BFA from Emerson University.
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Stephan Coles
Stephan is the co-CEO of Groupe Coles, a leading private industry and commerce conglomerate, employing over 3,500 people across Haiti. Groupe Coles’ subsidiaries work in diverse sectors including agricultural production, food and beverage, and maritime logistics. HELP is pleased to count Groupe Coles among our growing network of local donors.
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Darline Alexis
Darline is a professor and Secretary-General at Quisqueya University. Specializing in French-language literature of the Caribbean, Darline is also the author of several books and articles. Darline has degrees from the University of the West Indies, Guyana, and Lumière University, Lyon.
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Carel Pedre
Carel is a journalist, producer, and philanthropist. Host of Radio One’s Carel in the Morning, Carel is a key figure in Haiti’s entertainment industry. Carel became Haiti’s de facto international media correspondent during the 2010 earthquake, providing on-the-ground updates after the nation was largely cut off from global news outlets. Carel is the CEO of Chokarella and co-founded a grassroots food distribution program in Cite Soleil called The Sunday Project.
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Danielle Saint Lot
Danielle is the founder of the Danielle Saint-Lôt Haiti Women’s Foundation, a U.S.-based 501c3 organization that runs the Haitian Women’s Business Academy. The former Minister of Tourism and Haiti’s first female Minister of Commerce and Industry, Danielle currently serves as Haitian Ambassador for Women’s Empowerment. She holds a BA in international relations from the Haiti National Institute and a MA degree in international economic relations from the Institute for International Public Administration in Paris.
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Winifred ULYSSE
Current Leader of the HELP Alumni Association (HALA), Winifred obtained his degree in Economics thanks to the HELP Excellence Scholarship. Winifred was Junior Analyst in Business Development and then Product Officer at Sogebank. Recognized for his creative talents and leadership, Winifred now works as Haiti Food Systems Alliance Coordinator at Acceso Peanut Enterprise Corporation, Haiti.
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Nathalie Brunet
Nathalie is an author and entrepreneur with expertise in communications, business operations, and start-ups. She consults for private enterprises working to meet the triple bottom line: people, planet, and profit. In addition to her experience in the private sector, Nathalie is also lending her talents to organizations promoting education, the arts, and gender equality. Nathalie holds a BA in international relations from Wheaton College and a MA in corporate sustainability and innovation from Harvard.
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Marc Alain Boucicault
Marc Alain is the founder of Banj, an entrepreneurship hub in Port-au-Prince. With an extensive history in international development, Marc Alain has worked at the World Bank and the Inter-American Development Bank. In 2010, Marc co-founded ECHO Haiti, an organization looking to promote the ideas and efforts of Haiti’s young people. Marc Alain holds a BA in applied quantitative economics from the Center for Technical Planning and Applied Economics and an MA (Fulbright Scholar) in economic policy from American University.
In 2022, Marc receives admission to the Harvard Kennedy School of Government for a Master in Public Administration.
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Kesner Pharel
Kesner is a prominent Haitian economist and the CEO of consulting firm Group Croissance, which he founded in 1994. A former professor at Quisqueya University, Kesner is engaged in studying the impacts of economic issues on all sectors and hosts a weekly radio program to inform the public. Kesner has a BA in economics and political science from George Washington University, an MA in public administration from Harvard University, and an MA in administration from the University of Lyon, France.