Haitian Leadership
We’re committed to Haitian leadership and a Haitian vision, investing in locally led programs and community-based work. Locally Haiti’s small U.S.-based team has spent more than 30 years building relationships with dynamic, devoted, and talented community leaders in the town of Petit Trou de Nippes. Our role is to continue strengthening these relationships and to place resources directly in the hands of Haitian community leaders.
Darline Nicolas – DIRECTOR, Girls’ Empowerment & Mentoring Program (focused at St. Paul’s School)
As Director of the Girls’ Empowerment and Mentoring (GEM) Program at St. Paul’s School, Darline supervises six adult professional mentors who work with over 100 girls, both individually and in small groups. The GEM Program aims to ensure girls in Petit Trou and surrounding areas have the support network to achieve their goals and lead healthy lives. The program was developed in cooperation with local partner, Repanse Pouvwa. Darline is also a kindergarten teacher at St. Paul’s School. She attended the Teacher’s College of Institution Racine-Ecole Normale Nouvelle from 2013-2016. In her spare time Darline loves to draw, sing in St. Paul’s choir, and spend time with her daughter, Isnicha.
Rica Joassaint – Local Activist, Girls’ Empowerment & Mentoring Program, Member of Artisan and Sewing Program Ti Pa Ti Pa, Local Water and Well Committee Chair
Rica’s three children, Roodens, Roodnael, and Djoumia, are a source of inspiration for her work as a local activist with the GEM program. As a founding member of the local women’s artisan and sewing cooperative, Ti Pa Ti Pa, she is also passionate about creating opportunities and sources of solidarity for women in Petit Trou.
Patrick Desir – Local Activist, Girls’ Empowerment & Mentoring Program
Patrick supports the Girls’ Empowerment and Mentoring (GEM) program by coordinating engagement activities and advising community leaders on incorporating girls’ empowerment into their work. In previous roles he has served as the mayor of Petit Trou de Nippes and a high school foreign language teacher (Patrick speaks French, Spanish, and English fluently). Patrick holds a degree in Legal Sciences from the Right’s Faculty of Gonaives. Patrick enjoys spending time with his wife, Rose Laure, and sons, Pat and Patricio.
Guilot Tibert – Administrator & Technology Teacher, St. Paul's School
Guilot teaches English and computer science at St. Paul’s School, and has also served as the accountant and administrator on campus since 2012. He holds two degrees: an Administration diploma from the Business and Technology Institute in Les Cayes, and a degree in Accounting from the Université Polivalant in Port au Prince. Guilot grew up in Petit Trou and was a student at St. Paul’s School himself. He recently built a house within walking distance to the school, where he lives with his wife Genevieve.
Precilise Myrtil – Nurse, Clinic, St. Paul's School
Precilise has been working as the St. Paul’s School nurse for eight years. She previously worked at Hopital Turgeous in Port au Prince and as lead nurse at the clinic at Grand Boucan. She still misses the fast pace of working in a big hospital, but is happy to be in a role where she can be working with children. Precilise holds a degree in nursing from Ecole Polytechnique Superieure Sante Anne. She is a mom to Sebastian, her 8-year-old son, who is a student at St. Paul’s School.
Nurse Laube Marthine - Community Health Coordinator
Serving at the local health clinic in Petit Trou since October 2012, Nurse Laube is responsible for coordinating meetings, vaccination campaigns, education and nutrition workshops, and general health activities and assemblies within the community. She supervises the work of 40 community health workers and leads prenatal clinics in the most remote areas of Petit Trou.
Father Jean Daniel - Priest in Charge, St. Paul’s
After the earthquake in 2010, Father Daniel spent 3 years in South Africa to continue his studies in theology. Upon his return, he served as an ordained deacon for St. Paul’s for a year before becoming an ordained priest. Since his ordination in 2016, he has managed parishes in both Jeremie and Croix de Bouquets. He returns to St. Paul’s Church and Petit Trou with his wife, Tineda, and two sons, Dorian and Marwyn.
Davidson Turenne - Local Activist, Girls’ Empowerment & Mentoring Program
Davidson Turenne joins the Girls Empowerment team, working to expand the program through engagement with schools, churches, health centers and other community organizations in the region to reach some of the most vulnerable girls and women in the community.
Johnny Verneus - Project Coordinator
Johnny comes to Locally Haiti with years of experience supporting rural development. In his last position, he lived in Jeremie for two years supporting water and community education and engagement projects. He has a degree in social work from the State University of Haiti and is passionate about agriculture, education, and girls' empowerment.
Dr. Vanessa Suffren - Health Officer
Dr. Vanessa is a licensed physician with significant training in psychology, post-trauma, and participatory methods in community development. Vanessa first engaged with Locally Haiti after the earthquake of August 14, 2021, when she came to assist in counseling, focus groups, and psychological support initiatives. Since then Vanessa has spent a week in Petit Trou every month, building relationships and providing seminars and continuing education at St. Paul's School, with the girls' empowerment programs, and with Locally Haiti supported community health workers.
Nadine Veillard - Head of Monitoring and Evaluation, Girls’ Empowerment & Mentoring Program
Nadine Veillard has been a key leader in girls’ empowerment and entrepreneurship efforts since 2016. Nadine, who also teaches economics at the high school level, has played many roles as our girls’ empowerment efforts have evolved and thrived. Nadine has been a mentor, a leader of girls’ clubs, the manager of a local, girl-focused soap making initiative, and now, our head of Monitoring & Evaluation for Girls’ Empowerment. In addition to this work, Nadine is a small business owner, producing and selling healthy, local products in Petit Trou.
ELMINA ISRAEL - MENTOR SUPERVISOR
Elmina Israel (right) shown here with Girls’ Empowerment mentor, Micheline, is currently the mentor supervisor for community-based programs. Elmina works closely with Rica Joassaint, Davidson Turenne, and Nadine Veillard to ensure that our girls’ empowerment mentors are supported as they lead community-based clubs and activist groups.
Jameson Figarot & Schneider Chancy - Agronomists, St. Paul’s School
Jameson and Schneider currently lead Locally Haiti’s agricultural initiatives in Petit Trou, focusing on the garden, farm, and agricultural education program at St. Paul’s School and also serving as a resource and support to partner demonstration gardens and beekeeping efforts in the region. Jameson and Schneider attended St. Paul’s School before studying agriculture on a Locally Haiti funded scholarship and returning to their community to use their skills and talents. In January of 2024, they took over for their mentor, long-time Locally Haiti agronomist, Raphael Fernandez Salvador.
Jean Elie Laconte - Director of Beekeeping Initiatives
Expert local beekeeper Jean Elie manages hives and does continuing education with our beekeeping cooperatives. At present, 27 hives are spread across 8 locations. These hives are important for pollination in the area and also provide important economic benefit to the families and cooperatives that own these hives, earning as much as $350 in a year by selling honey.
US-Based Support
Wynn Walent – Executive Director
Wynn first traveled to Haiti after the earthquake of 2010 to assist with relief efforts. He intended to stay for two months before returning to the U.S. for graduate school, but the powerful experiences he collected while supporting Haitian relief and development efforts stirred Wynn so deeply that he decided to defer his graduate studies and remain in Haiti. Over the course of the next two and a half years he lived and worked full time in Haiti, developing a deep appreciation for the importance of Haitian leadership and self-determination. Prior to his time in Haiti, Wynn worked internationally in Peru and Central America as well as for a non-profit based in Harlem and the Bronx in New York. He earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Government and Psychology from the University of Virginia, and more recently a Master’s Degree in International Studies and Global Health Affairs from the University of Denver. Wynn has published writing in the Denver Post, Huffington Post, and Latterly Magazine. He is a proud father of two boys, Belony and Vladimir.
Board of Directors
Dr. John Douglas - Board President
Dr. John Douglas became involved with Locally Haiti after visiting Petit Trou with a group from the Church of the Ascension in the fall of 2019. While there, he met leaders from a range of programs including St. Paul’s School, the health clinic, and the Agriculture and Girls Empowerment programs and left very impressed at both the needs of the community as well as the positive spirit of longstanding partnership and optimism despite the many challenges. He is quite interested in the efforts to build a new hospital following the destruction of the clinic in the 2021 earthquake and was honored to join the Board in 2022.
He is a retired public health physician, having spent his 40 year career working at Denver Health as an infectious disease physician and professor at the CU School of Medicine; the Centers for Disease Control in Atlanta at the National Center for HIV/AIDS, Viral Hepatitis, STD, and TB Prevention; and, most recently, as Executive Director of the Tri-County Health Department in Colorado. A graduate of Davidson College and Harvard Medical School, he completed post-graduate training in Internal Medicine and Infectious Diseases at the University of Washington. He is concerned about the need for concerted global efforts to address issues such as climate change and is delighted that interests in international health he has developed over the course of his career can be continued through the diverse work of Locally Haiti.
When not working as a professional or volunteer in public health issues, John enjoys outdoor activities in Colorado, music through his church choir, and spending time with his wife, children, and grandchildren.
JENNIE FLEURANT - Vice President
Jennie began volunteering with Locally Haiti in 2019. She received her Associate degree in Water Quality Management technology at Red Rocks Community College and is now pursuing a Bachelor’s degree in Environmental Science with a concentration in Water Quality and Hydraulics at Metropolitan State University. She is an international student from Haiti, and her dream is to work with an organization like Locally Haiti that shares her same goal of supporting Haiti’s development. Jennie likes to play volleyball, read, and cook with her two host parents. Read more about Jennie here.
April radoff - Secretary
As a former Locally Haiti staff member, April is thrilled to join the Board of Directors. After visiting Petit Trou in 2019, she saw that Haiti is an unparalleled country full of heart, culture and potential. She is so thankful to be a part of this work.
April earned a BA in International Affairs from CU Boulder before spending nearly a decade executing global advertising campaigns for multinational brands like Microsoft and Diageo. After pivoting to the nonprofit space, she has supported organizations in a variety of roles including strategy, development, operations, marketing, and communications. Her current position is Assistant Director of Marketing for Intercambio, an organization working to create cross-cultural connection by pairing English language learners and community volunteers.
Esteban Rosas - Treasurer
Esteban joined the Locally Haiti Associate Board in March of 2023. In addition, he is a member of the finance committee and joined the committee shortly after joining the Board in 2023. Prior to this, Esteban visited Petit Trou de Nippes in the Spring of 2018 and attended events such as the annual Evening for Haiti Fundraiser. Esteban is a CPA and has been working in public accounting at K Financial since 2017, where he is a senior manager. Esteban specializes in financial statement audits and IT security. Outside of the office, Esteban likes to snowboard, mountain bike, and play soccer in recreational leagues.
Brian Whaley
Brian joined the Locally Haiti Board of Directors in April of 2023, having served on the Associate Board for the two years prior. A native of Kalamazoo, MI, Brian relocated to Colorado to earn a graduate degree in Global Community & Behavioral Health at the Colorado School of Public Health after serving as a Community Health Advisor with Peace Corps Benin. Brian currently works with the Institute for Health Metrics & Evaluation (IHME) as an Engagement Officer for North Africa, Central/South Asia, and the Middle East. In his spare time, Brian is a full-fledged outdoor enthusiast, musician, and birder, who enjoys exploring the Rocky Mountains with friends.
Melissa Chiappetta
Melissa began volunteering with the Locally Haiti Associate Board in January of 2021 and joined the Board later that year. She has been working in the field of international development for 14 years, following a career as a performance auditor for States of Colorado and Arizona. Melissa is a research and evaluation expert, specializing in identifying what works to advance equitable and quality education outcomes in developing countries. She worked for USAID, Abt Associates, and Social Impact in Washington, DC before moving back to her home state of Colorado and founding Sage Perspectives in late 2019. Through Sage Perspectives, Melissa is working to support the measurement and achievement of Sustainable Development Goal 4.1.1 – quality education for all. Melissa has a Master’s degree in foreign service from Georgetown University and has experience in more than 30 countries. In her free time, Melissa loves running, cycling, skiing, playing volleyball, and traveling.
SCOTT RICHARDS
Scott joined the Locally Haiti Associate Board in 2018 and the Locally Haiti Board in January of 2020. His desire to become involved grew from attending a few Locally Haiti events and learning about the inspiring, important and collaborative work that Locally Haiti does in Haiti. Scott grew up in Colorado and attended Fort Lewis College for his undergraduate degree in Psychology and did graduate work in Educational Leadership at Colorado State University and received a professional certificate in Corporate Social Responsibility from the University of Colorado Leeds School of Business.
Scott was a public middle school teacher in Colorado for three years and then taught and was the Director of the American International School of Libreville in Gabon, Central Africa for three years. He has been a Financial Advisor at Northwestern Mutual in Boulder for the last 20 years.
He is the father of two college age kids and his favorite things involve being outside, doing the things he loves to do (ski, run, climb, surf...) with the people he loves the most. Read more about Scott here.
Dan Mellish
Dan has been in technology sales for most of his professional life. He’s always been passionate about service to his community, volunteering through St. John’s Episcopal Church and Boulder Food Rescue. He’s loved serving on the Sustainability Advisory Board in Louisville, CO and on the Louisville History Foundation. Playing in the outdoors with his wife and four kids brings Dan the greatest joy. Honored to join the Locally Hait board in January 2021, he looks forward to bringing it all together by taking a service trip to Petit Trou de Nippes with his kids so they can gain a first-hand perspective of life without the luxuries we often take for granted.
Simon Caddick
Simon’s involvement with Locally Haiti was due to a friend taking him to the 2014 Evening for Haiti fundraiser. As a result of that he went on an education trip in 2015 to Haiti where had the privilege of meeting some of the leadership in Petit Trou de Nippes. That pleasure was renewed when he returned in January 2019 to celebrate St. Paul’s Day and the 30th anniversary of the founding of the initiative. Originally from England, Simon has been in Colorado 24 years and works in the software industry. He is honored to join the board in 2021 and to be a part of the important work of Locally Haiti.
Allison schiltz
Allison joined the Haiti Board of Directors in April 2024 and was impressed by Locally Haiti’s community-focused approach and support for locally led programs.
With over 20 years of experience in non-profit and publicly funded research at local, national, and international levels, Allison currently serves as a program manager for a pediatric asthma research program at Children’s Hospital Colorado. She is passionate about public and global health and is enthusiastic about Locally Haiti’s dedication to these causes. In her free time, Allison delights in outdoor activities, culinary experiences, and exploring new travel destinations.
Leah steelE
Leah has been engaged with Haiti since 2015, spending significant stretches in the country including over two years at Hospital Albert Schweitzer in Deschapelles. She is a fluent Kreyol speaker with a deep appreciation for the culture, language, and history of Haiti. She is a Senior Director at CCS Fundraising and has an MPA from the O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs. She lives in Brooklyn.