Board of Directors
Board of Directors
Board of Directors
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DATE: JANUARY 13 TO JANUARY 19
PLACE: Southern University Law Center
Baton Rouge, Louisiana At The Nelson Mandela Center For Public Policy
Invited Groups: Montana Accord, The Pen Accord, Cesco, Akor Lari A, And Ariel Henry Accord
To receive an Invitation, click here to register To Donate (Click here) #HaitiUnitySummit, #SupportHaitiUnitySummit, #HDPAC.
Sponsored by: HDPAC & GIPHRADREC
Jean D. Vernet, II is a long-time community activist and organizer who played a very visible and crucial role in mobilizing the Haitian American community in participating in the historic march of April 20, 1990 against the unscientific designation of Haitians as particularly susceptible to the HIV virus. Subsequently, Jean worked on issues of voter participation, civic education and was successful enough to be solicited to run for the city council of New York in 2001.
His unsuccessful campaign was a high-water mark in the political participation of Haitian Americans in New York City.
He has a B.A. in Comparative Literature with a focus on the evolution of cultural Identity in both the diaspora and African literatures and a Master’s of Science in Community Economic Development from the Southern New Hampshire University.
Jean has an abiding interest in economic empowerment as key to community resiliency. He has worked in that field in New York City and Haiti, providing training in business skills, money management and assets acquisition to marginalized communities.
He has also worked as a consultant to the Central Bank of Haiti, the Office of the President of Haiti and the Deputy Speaker Assembly of the State of New York.
Jean’s commitment to community empowerment has recently been focused exclusively on financial education which is a natural outgrow of his education. He is currently responsible for a Financial Literacy program in Brooklyn, New Yorkwhile continuing to work as a consultant in the private sector.
Renee Ballantyne received her Bachelors of Science in Nursing at Seattle University and her Master’s in Health Policy and Administration from Washington State University.
Throughout her career Mrs. Ballantyne has worked many healthcare sectors and is the CEO of MedIndGroup-a clinical and operations company which manages healthcare practices in the US and abroad.
Mrs. Ballantyne has served as a Board Member for many Non Profit organizations in the education and healthcare arenas and has been actively involved in PAC’s throughout her professional career.
Ms. Dorothy Dupuy
Dorothy has been a voting rights advocate for more than a decade. She obtained a Bachelor of Arts degree in Africana Studies with a concentration in Middle Eastern Studies from Cornell University in 2014. She also studied Arabic and French during her studies at Cornell. Dorothy began her professional career in enterprise sales at Oracle Corporation in Austin, Texas. In 2016, she championed the first-ever Sickle Cell 5K Walk/Run at Oracle and registered more than 100 individuals to vote in a non-partisan voter registration drive at Oracle’s North Austin office.
After the devastating impact of Hurricane Harvey in 2017, she became a disaster relief worker in Harris and Fort Bend counties in Texas. In 2020, Dorothy was a regional voting rights organizer in 5 counties in the Greater Houston, Texas area. She has been a deputy voter registrar in Austin and Houston as well as surrounding counties. Dorothy has varied experiences in the domains of open source intelligence (OSINT) and non-financial due diligence. Her interests include learning American Sign Language (ASL), preparing vegan meals, OSINT, geopolitics, and volunteering as an English as a foreign language teacher.
GEORGES J. CASIMIR, MD
Dr. Casimir is currently Clinical Assistant Professor of Psychiatry, and formerly the Associate Director of the Geriatric Psychiatry Division and the Geriatric Psychiatry Fellowship Training Program at SUNY Downstate Medical Center. In 2002, he was appointed Vice-President of Medical Affairs and Medical Director of Kingsbrook Jewish Medical Center, a position he held until 2004.
Dr. Casimir is a Diplomate of the American Board of Psychiatry and Neurology with added certifications in Geriatric Psychiatry, Addiction Psychiatry, and Forensic Psychiatry. He is also board certified by the American Society of Addiction Medicine and the American Society of Clinical Psychopharmacology.
Dr. Casimir has received research and training funding for over eight million dollars from many national agencies such as the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH), the National Institute of Aging (NIA), etc. He has coauthored several book chapters and published over fifty peer-reviewed articles. His clinical presentations and professional activities have received wide publicity in many local and national news organizations including the New York Daily News, the New York Post, Amsterdam News, Clinical Psychiatry News, Miami Herald, and the Boston Globe.
David L. Alexis immigrated to the United States from Haiti in 1979 at the age of 20 to begin a new chapter in his life. He began working in the construction field, while going to college at night to become a Planning and Zoning Engineer. Within a short period of time, his commitment to hard work led to him to his first Real Estate License in the State of Florida in 1981. In the 1990’s and for over 20 years, David became a top investigator working and partnering with lawyers and the court to deal with juvenile delinquents in Palm Beach County, Florida. He has received various awards from judges for his participation in helping to solve crimes in the community. Since 1992, David founded D’Alexis Realty Corporation with the mission of providing high quality services and empowerment through homeownership in the Haitian community in the early years. The mission later grew to include providing sustainable advice and opportunities for underrepresented minorities throughout the State of Florida.
Firmin Backer is a distinguished strategist, intellectual property, and global development expert. With a robust educational background encompassing multiple degrees in engineering, education, material science, and a doctoral study in physics, his expertise spans across various domains of science and technology. As the President of HRA, a global development consulting firm, Mr. Backer has demonstrated visionary leadership, steering the organization towards pioneering initiatives that address complex challenges facing societies worldwide.
Under his guidance, HRA has become a driving force in fostering sustainable development, empowering communities, and promoting innovation on a global scale. Mr. Backer’s strategic insights is deeply committed to fostering collaboration and knowledge exchange among diverse stakeholders. He actively engages with governments, NGOs, academia, and industry leaders to forge strategic partnerships and cultivate innovative ecosystems that foster inclusive growth and sustainable development.
Mr. Backer’s leadership philosophy is characterized by a relentless pursuit of excellence, a commitment to ethical principles, and a passion for making a meaningful difference in the world. Through his visionary leadership at HRA and his contributions to the broader development community, he continues to inspire positive change and shape a brighter future for generations to come.
Jude Chidi Ogene is the founder and chief executive officer of Charles Winnsboro Corporation, a consulting and advisory firm focused on infrastructure development in sub-Saharan Africa. The company’s main areas of expertise are higher education, workforce development, and capital markets. Jude also serves as senior counsel at Sterlington, PLLC, a virtual law firm specializing in high-end transactional and litigation work.
Before forming Charles Winnsboro, Jude served in senior leadership roles with a higher education management company. He joined the company as its first General Counsel and led the transactional and regulatory aspects of over $300 million in follow-on investments in the company by private equity firms. He also took up operating roles with the company’s schools, serving as the Interim Dean of one school and as the President of another. He returned to the General Counsel role in 2017, where he worked to convert the company’s schools to non-profit institutions and restructure the company.
Prior to going in-house, Jude practiced corporate law with law firms in New York and Washington DC. He began his legal career with Sullivan & Cromwell after graduating from Georgetown University with a combined Juris Doctor/Master of Business Administration. In addition to his degrees from Georgetown, Jude has a LL.B. from the University of Nigeria and a B.L. from the Nigerian Law School. He also has a certificate in Blockchain Strategy from Oxford University.
Jude is passionate about workforce development and lifelong learning. His particular interest is in exploring how blockchain and other emerging technologies such as AI can democratize access to quality education and healthcare. He is a frequent commentator on the impact of blockchain and cryptocurrency developments on sub-Saharan Africa.
Outside of his professional endeavors, Jude volunteers with a number of organizations. He serves as the vice-chairman of the Board and General Counsel of AIDE Africa, an organization dedicated to the development of the African continent through investments in healthcare, agriculture, and renewable energy. He is the Chairman of the Board of AFGCEAA Corp., a U.S. public charity formed for the benefit of current students and alumni of Federal Government College Enugu (his alma mater). He is also a Trustee of the Great Alpha Foundation, a private foundation that provides financial and other assistance to the less privileged.
