The International Advisory Committee is made of members of the Haitian Diaspora from different countries representing their community and the IAC is chaired by International Coordinator who reports to ODIHA Executive Committee.
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.
Jean holds a B. A. in Comparative Literature with a focus on African identity in the
Diaspora and Africa; he also holds a Master’s of Science in Community Economic
Development from 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
currently works as Senior Financial Counselor on Long Island, NY.
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, a Planning and Zoning Engineer (Master I) from North TECH Institute and Professional School. Second, attended Northwood University Business School in 1996-2001. Inspired by his polyvalent father, briefly Mr. Alexis has chosen his Real Estate career in the State of Florida in early 1980’s until today. He is the CEO of D’Alexis Realty Corporation Since 1992 with the mission of providing high quality services and empowerment through homeownership to his community.
Mr. Alexis is the current President of Alexis International Consultants. A firm that Provides business Intelligence to national and International network clients. Mr. Alexis has received numerous professional awards from local and State Florida officials for its community engagement. An activist by blood, Being a Co-Founder of Haitian-American Community Center in West Palm Beach, Florida in 1986 and many other
organizations in the USA and Haiti. He believes in emancipation of the people. Mr. Alexis left his imprint in Haiti after the January 12, 2010 catastrophic earthquake thru Catholic Relief services, actively contributed his proficiency talent to these resilient communities as Grand Ravine, ST-Rock, Tifou Carrefour, and Mais-Gate. “Excellence is
a habit.”Aristotle.
Dayana P. Durocher is an Advance Practice Nurse who has been in the profession of nursing for 18 years. As a specialist in gastroenterology and acute care nurse practitioner her motto is “Ne vous efforcez pas d’être un succès mais plutôt d’être une valeur”, which means, “do not strive to be a success but rather be a value”. Dayana’s passion for wellness extends from her nurse practitioner office to the community organizing that seeks to better the community and aims to leave this world in better shape than how she found it. When not helping patients, Dayana can be found creating programming that empowers women & girls. Dayana holds master’s degrees in nursing from Temple University and the University of Pennsylvania. She is certified as both a Family Nurse Practitioner and Adult Gerontology Nurse Practitioner. She is currently pursuing her doctorate in nursing. Dayana was born and raised in Haiti. While she has lived in the United States for more than 25 years. While she considers the U.S. her home, her heart and soul is still in Haiti. She finds it most rewarding when she is serving the underprivileged and underserved populations. Dayana is constantly searching for new opportunities to serve as she believes “to whom much is given, much is required”.
Dayana currently resides in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania with her loving family.
Judes Isidore was born in the city of Thomassique, at the heart of department Plateau central Haiti.
His primary education began at a local Catholic school in his native city of Thomassique before he moved on to Franck Etienne College in Port-au-Prince for his secondary education.
He graduated from what is popularly known as CPFP or, to translate in English, the Centre Pilote Professional School', as an electrician before completing further studies at FDSA (Faculte des Sciences Appliquées) for his Electromechanical Engineering degree. He has had experience working in Haiti in various private companies and institutions such as, Fabnac, Berelec, EEE and Port-au-Prince International Airport. In 2001, Mr. Isidore emigrated to the United States of America, where he studied different disciplines in electrical science such as PLC and Renewable Energy, particularly the Solar Systems and the National Electrical Code.
Mr. Isidore holds a Master Electrician License and is affiliated with prominent institutions and organizations in the Electrical Industry such as the IAEI, NFPA and IBEW.
Mr. Isidore currently works for SEPTA Southeastern Transportation Authority in Pennsylvania, where he maintains and repairs electric trains, but he also has had about 10 years of experience teaching electrical science for the following institutions: Kaplan, Brightwood, Penncotech in Pennsylvania, FDSA and UNIQ Haiti.
As a progressive, Judes Isidore believes that Haitians at varying levels of conscience and engagement should and must participate in the process of changing the inevitably
dangerous path Haiti is currently heading to.
Another Haiti is POSSIBLE.
IF WE WORK TOGETHER, WE CAN MAKE IT HAPPEN!!!
1989 graduated from Erasmus high
From 1990 to 1994 attended Brooklyn college and majoring in biology as a pre-med student.
1995 to 1997 associate degree in Business management.
From 1990 with a long work experience in retail, in 1990 started a career at Sears & Roebuck, 1999 recruited by Macy’s federated store in New York and became a VP executive in sales and in 2010 to 2013 in JC Penney as senior executive in sales and from there on in 2013 I became self employed and entrepreneur.
Sophia Pierrelus studied Physical Therapy. She has been in the physical Therapy field for over 20 years. She also holds a bachelor degree in Organizational Leadership and Management. She is a community organizer and advocate by being one of the voices of the Haitian communities for a better Haiti. She is a proud business owner of Faveur & Company in Columbus, Ohio where is continuing to serve her community. Sophia was born and raised in Haiti. She has lived in the United States for more than 25 years and Haiti is always in her heart and soul.
Me Myriam FETIERE est née à Thomonde, une des communes du département du Centre d’Haïti. Après son baccalauréat en 1992, elle intégrait la faculté de Droits et des Sciences Économiques d’État d’Haïti où elle décroche son diplôme en Sciences Économiques en 1996. En 2014, elle décroche une Spécialisation en Gestion du Développement Local au Centre Technique de Planification et d’Economie Appliquée (CTPEA), au Programme de Master en Développement Local, financé par le Centre de Formation et de Recherches en Développement Local (CFRDL). En 2016, elle est licenciée en Sciences Juridiques à l’université Nobel d’Haïti et, en 2017, elle obtient une maitrise en Administration et Gouvernance Publique. Elle a suivi plusieurs formations complémentaires à l’étranger comme Haïti
Elle épouse monsieur Ronald J. DELICE. Depuis vingt-cinq ans, Me Myriam FETIERE a été successivement Maire Adjointe de sa Commune, Cadre de la Fonction Publique, professeure à l’Université, doyenne de la Faculté des Sciences de Gestion et de l’Administration Publique à l’Université de Pétion-ville. Elle est actuellement Conseillère aux Affaires Économiques du Ministère de l’Économie et des Finances. Elle a participé à plusieurs congrès, conférences, ateliers et missions à travers Haïti. Elle est également membre et fondatrice de plusieurs Organisation, Mouvement, Association de femmes en Haïti. A travers ces derniers, elle fait une Plaidoyerie pour le Leadership Féminin, l’émergence et l’intégration de la jeunesse, une nouvelle Constitution avec l’intégration de la Diaspora.
Dr. Ralph Cheriza is a strong advocate for quality education to at-risk students, a small business owner, an adjunct professor, a public speaker, and a ministry leader in Palm Beach County, where he has lived since 1994.
Dr. Cheriza believes in a historic calling for the Haitian Diaspora to lead the way to a radical transformation in Haiti.
Recently he outlined a plan for Haitian churches in the Diaspora to rebuild spiritual walls in Haiti. The plan calls for prayer and fasting every third week of the month and for the church to engage in human development efforts for peace and prosperity in Haiti.
In 2011, he hosted over a hundred Haitian educators, policymakers, and education leaders from here and Haiti at Lynn University to brainstorm ways to transform Haiti’s education to meet societal needs. After a leadership conference in January 2015 on critical issues impacting the Haitian American community in Palm Beach County, he devised an innovative program to assist struggling Haitian students, coordinated efforts to establish a Political Action Committee to address Haitian issues, and proposed to organize business leaders into a chamber of commerce.
Ralph Cheriza – a single father of 3 – holds a doctoral degree in Educational Leadership from Lynn University, a master’s degree from Palm Beach Atlantic University, a bachelor’s degree in organizational management, and a diploma in Journalism from Haiti. He is pursuing a master’s degree in Christian Ministry from Regent University.