Meet Our Associate Board
We’re thankful for the service of our dedicated Associate Board members, who contribute their time and talents and help raise awareness and funds in support of Locally Haiti’s mission. Get to know the team below!
KATIE BENN
Katie Benn is a nurse working in New York City. She has a background in public health research and has collected mosquitos in Virginia to track West Nile Virus, worked with school districts in Colorado to promote sun safe school policies and councled NYC taxi cab drivers on methods of improving their health and well-being. She now works at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center as an oncology nurse and with Little Sisters of the Assumption Family Health Service as their Public Health Advisor. She lives in Manhattan with her family.
MELISSA CHIAPPETTA
Melissa runs a monitoring and evaluation firm, specializing in global education, agriculture, and food security measurement. She has spent the majority of her 20-year career focused on identifying what works to affect real, lasting change for the most vulnerable populations in developing countries. Previously, Melissa worked for the United States Agency for International Development’s Office of Education. She received her MS in Foreign Service from Georgetown University and has experience working in more than 25 countries. In her free time, Melissa likes to travel, train for triathlons and marathons, play volleyball, read, and play with her son.
MICHAEL DENDINGER
Michael joined the Locally Haiti associate board in 2021. Michael has a passion for international work and has served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in Armenia (2014-2016) and received a MA in International Development from the University of Denver in 2019. Michael has worked for large tech companies doing GIS and data analytics. Michael looks forward to working with Locally Haiti and hopefully visiting Haiti when the world has become a little more stable.
RACHELE DIFEBBO
Rachele became involved with Locally Haiti after learning about its work to invest in local leaders and programs, and the strong relationship Locally Haiti has formed with the community of Petit Trou. She has worked in English language education in the West Bank, refugee citizenship education and interreligious dialogue. She is currently a communications consultant working on a large public health and infrastructure initiative in the Denver metro area. Rachele has a B.A. in International Studies and Religion from Centre College and a M.A. in Conflict Resolution from the University of Denver. She loves travel, spicy food, getting lost in Wikipedia searches and spending time with family.
JAKE HALL
Jake became involved with Locally Haiti after attending the organization’s events and discovering the inspiring and sustainable work that Locally Haiti undertakes in concert with local leaders in Petit Trou. He has a background in international security and development and currently works in the international business expansion space. Jake graduated from the University of Denver in 2018 and likes to read, travel, and spend time fishing, skiing, and hiking.
MARILYN HEWETT
Marilyn works at a special-needs school in the Denver area where she helps implement behavioral therapies and work on achieving student learning goals. Originally hailing from Boston, she has lived in Virginia (where she graduated from UVA), DC, Vietnam, and now Denver. Her passion for learning about different cultures and international development is what piqued her interest in Locally Haiti. She is very excited to be a part of the organization!
MARISA KELLOGG
Marisa is a professional circus artist and teacher based out of Boulder, CO. She is co-owner and performer of The Fractal Society, a circus arts collective, and is also the Resident Manager of the Boulder Circus Center. A desire for a career change in the field of International Development inspired her to return to school, so she is currently pursuing her Masters in Global Studies and International Relations from Northeastern University. Marisa is honored to be a part of the Locally Haiti team as Associate Board member and GEM Committee member, and hopes to visit Haiti one day!
KEVIN KESSLER
Kevin joined the Locally Haiti associate board in 2020 and was interested in the organization’s mission to work with and empower Haitain leadership. He graduated from The College of the Holy Cross in 2015 with a B.A. in History and went on to work within the financial services industry as a consultant. Outside of work, Kevin loves skiing, long distance running, and playing the ukulele.
HEATHER KURLAND
Heather joined the Locally Haiti board in 2019 after connecting with the organization through her immigration work. Heather is a native New Yorker. She attended the University of Colorado at Boulder and later returned after law school. Heather is a practicing attorney. She previously worked in grantmaking, supporting the international women’s funding movement. She lives in Denver, is dedicated to social justice work and collective transformation and recently took up the piano.
JIMMY MCARTHUR
My name is Jimmy McArthur and I have been involved with Locally Haiti in a silent way for the past three years. I have helped raise money, worked with Wynn, and hosted events at my home to help benefit Locally Haiti. I currently live In the twin cities, in Minnesota and teach Special Education at the high school level, I have for the past ten years. I also coach cross country and track. I moved to Minnesota from Seattle, Washington where I was born and raised to attend graduate school and earned my Masters in Special Education, For my undergraduate I attended Seattle University and got my degree in Humanities. It was at Seattle University where I discovered my passion for travel and working with others. I have worked and volunteered in Mexico, Belize, and Haiti. I have a passion for people, travel and the outdoors! My family and I (Wife and four kids) love new experiences and new cultures. Locally Haiti is involved in so many things I care about: education, empowerment, farming, and the environment it is such a great fit!
ANDREW MOTT
Andrew first got involved with Locally Haiti as an intern in 2017, and went on a trip to Petit Trou with a group of young professionals led by Teresa Henry. He worked as a temporary office administrator at Locally Haiti’s Louisville office, and has since remained involved as a volunteer and Associate Board member. Andrew grew up in Middleton, Wisconsin and studied Marketing and International Business at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. He moved to Colorado in the fall of 2016, and currently works for Imagine! as a Supported Employment Counselor.
MAGEN PHILLIPS
Magen has been involved and supporting Locally Haiti since May 2018, when she completed her thesis for her Master's in Public Health Program. She has also served on the Locally Haiti Health Committee since November 2018 and visited Petit Trou de Nippes in the Spring of 2019. Magen currently works for the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) as the Cancer Health Systems Specialist and the Colorectal Cancer Control Program Manager. Magen hails from the great state of Montana and loves to rock climb, fly fish, hike, travel, and adventure with her husband, Jarrod, and sweet puppy, Rudy.
MAISIE PIGEON
Maisie joined the Locally Haiti Associate Board in January 2021, inspired by the holistic, community-led programming that Locally Haiti supports. Maisie has almost 15 years of experience working in international development and social advocacy campaigns, and she is an expert in African maritime security and coastal development. She is currently the Africa Program Manager for One Earth Future’s Stable Seas Program and she has also held roles with the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime’s Global Maritime Crime Programme and the ONE Campaign. She has her MA in International Studies from the Josef Korbel School of International Studies at the University of Denver and she received her BA from James Madison University in Harrisonburg, VA. Maisie lives in Colorado with her husband, Danny, and their two dogs, Claus and Lenny.
CARINA SCHMID
Carina graduated in August 2020 from the University of Colorado with a degree in Business Operations Management and Leadership and a certificate in Social Responsibility and Ethics. She is honored to be a part of the Locally Haiti team and use her education to help empower locals in Haiti to create sustainable change. Carina joined Locally Haiti in May 2020 as an intern and is excited to be joining the associate board for 2021! As a Boulder native, in her free time, you can find Carina going for a hike in Chacos or spending time outside with friends.
BETHANY SPEER
Bethany's interest in international development work stems from her studies at the University of Denver Korbel School, where she graduated with a Masters in Global Finance, Trade and Economic Integration with a focus in Sustainable Development. While at Korbel, she became an intern at the U.S. National Renewable Energy Laboratory where she has worked since and now leads international technical assistance, capacity building, and knowledge exchange programs with countries around the world. Bethany is looking forward to lending her development and fundraising skills to Locally Haiti. Her other interests include all the typical Colorado outdoorsy stuff, music (she volunteers with a local new music group), experimenting in the kitchen, and generally geeking out on a variety of nerdy things that you'll just have to ask her about.
WIL WATKINS
Wil completed his MA in International Administration at the Josef Korbel School of International Studies in June. Since then he has been focused on securing a new full time role and spending time with family. He has worked in international development, education, and community organizing. He is joining the Associate Board to learn more about the important work Locally Haiti is doing in Haiti and hopes his experience will be a valuable contribution to that work.
BRIAN WHALEY
Brian joined the Locally Haiti Associate Board in 2021 as a Global Community & Behavioral Health Candidate with the Colorado School of Public Health. A native of Kalamazoo, MI, Brian relocated to Colorado after serving as a Community Health Advisor with Peace Corps Benin, where he supported grassroots health education programs and technical training for health centers and community health workers in the Commune of Boukoumbe. In his spare time, Brian is a full-fledged outdoor enthusiast, musician, and birder, who enjoys exploring the Rocky Mountains with friends.
Looking for an impactful way to share your time and skills?
Learn more about the Locally Haiti Associate Board, and apply to join here: