Bridging connections between Haiti and the world, GAHDA is a group of people with decades of experience dedicated to meeting the needs of some of Haiti’s most vulnerable families
Meet the needs of Grand’Anse individuals and families seeking healthcare and livelihood support not being met by existing services. Contribute to skills development of Haitian health professionals. Provide community education.
We aspire for a Grand’Anse where people and communities collaborate with service providers to meet their health and development needs.
We provide a wide range of health and development programs designed to
complement existing services and fill gaps identified by GAHDA local
staff. All
programs are designed based on needs, availability of alternative
sources for
services, and determination of fit with our resources.
We work to build on existing strengths and relationships with local
programs and
services. We collaborate to honor and enhance the strengths of our local
partners. We share our skills and tools to enhance local provider
capacity.
Our executive director, Bette Gebrian, PhD, RN, MPH, has lived and
raised her
family in Jérémie, a remote town in southwest Haiti, over the past 30
years. Our
board president, Judy Lewis, has worked with her continuously for those
30 years
and has extensive experience developing international public health
programs on
several continents. The rest of us have many connections to the people
of the
region of Grand'Anse. Our board includes two prominent Haitian Americans
and we
work with a Haitian board.
We know the communities where we work and have developed relationships
and trust
with other organizations, the Haitian Ministry of Health, and people
living in
the area. This means we can accomplish our work efficiently,
effectively, and
humanely. We have selected a rural bridge as our logo to represent
connecting
people, cultures, skills, education and the present with the future.
We strongly believe that engaging in this work is beneficial not only
for the
recipients of the assistance — those who need a new roof, a medical
procedure,
or a meal — but is equally beneficial for the donor, be it a physician's
time, a
nurse's skill, a translator's kind words, or a donation from afar.
Judy Lewis is an emeritus professor at the University of Connecticut. She has worked on
many
public health programs and supervised student research to improve health care in Jérémie
since
1987.
Judy has extensive research, training and program development experience in the United
States
and over 50 countries. She is committed to women’s health and improving breast cancer
screening
and treatment.
Carl Hart, an attorney, is a consultant in the healthcare industry, providing services
for major U.S. pharmaceutical manufacturers. He has also created content in the health
outcomes field across multiple platforms.
Carl has volunteered in Jérémie for almost fifteen years and is a key member of the
founding team that created GAHDA. He has served on the board of a major provider of
community health in the Grand’Anse. Carl shares his expertise in content, computer
systems, web design, and fundraising for Haitian organizations.
Joan Sherman is a program, strategy, and evaluation consultant with over 25 years
experience working across a wide range of sectors, including girls education,
micro-finance, public health, community development, women's empowerment and gender
equity, and philanthropy.
Joan worked for CARE International in Haiti and India. And, has worked for the John D.
and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, Northwestern University and The Libra Foundation.
For 12 years, she served on the Board of Directors for the Women’s Global Education
Project. Joan has a BA from the University of Minnesota and a MA from George Washington
University
Bernadette Quessa Cantave is a business manager for Catholic Charities of Greater
Boston. She is responsible for overseeing the operations of several sites in the greater
Boston area.
Prior to joining Catholic Charities, Bernadette was senior accountant at Urban Edge
Housing Corporation. She also served as accountant at the Children's Trust in Miami, FL.
She has a BS degree with a concentration in accounting from the Univ. of Mass. Boston,
and a certificate program in Non-Profit Management from Northeastern University, Boston.
She is very passionate about social justice work here in the U.S. and in Haiti. She and
her husband Alix Cantave, a program officer of the W. K. Kellogg Foundation (WKKF), and
her two children live in Boston.
Jill Schultz lives and works in South Dakota and has been a frequent volunteer in the
Grand’Anse. She has been instrumental in the evolution of the breast cancer program. She
has worked in the radiology field for over 35 years primarily in breast imaging and
management.
Jill supports lifelong learning with multiple certifications and has a passion for
improving the health of women by means of breast health awareness, education, navigation
and early detection. She has served on several national and international committees and
boards including the National Consortium of Breast Centers (NCBC) international
committee.
Leslie Gérald Desmangles, PhD, is a Haitian born anthropologist of religion who studies
the religion and culture of Haiti. He has published widely on these subjects including
an award winning book, The Faces of the Gods: Vodou and Roman Catholicism in Haiti.
Leslie is Professor of Religious Studies and International Studies Emeritus at Trinity
College in Hartford, Connecticut.
Mary Anne Fenton MD, FACP is a practicing medical oncologist for over 20 years with a
speciality in Breast Cancer treatment and survivorship.
Dr Fenton is the Clinical Associate Professor of Medicine, The Warren Alpert Medical
School of Brown University, Clinical Director of the Breast Medical Oncology Program and
the Director of Quality Outcomes, Lifespan Cancer Institute (LCI).
Dr Fenton has leadership roles in fellow, resident and student training and clinical
trials research.
Marie Ketly Seide is a registered nurse, breast cancer survivor and the founder of Marie
Louise Cancer Foundation. For the past 12 years, she has been working as a breast cancer
navigator. She is responsible for coordinating all aspects of the breast cancer program
at Marie Louise Cancer Foundation.
Marie facilitates weekly breast cancer conferences and coordinates multiple disciplines
to provide comprehensive care for the breast cancer patient. She acts as the contact for
newly diagnosed breast cancer patients, directs patients and family members to
appropriate departments and resources, and schedules, educates, coordinates, and
facilitates patient care. Because of her background she is capable of being
culturally-sensitive to the beliefs of Haitians in a compassionate and understanding
way.
Billy is the principal of a healthcare related consulting firm focused on data analytics
and strategic planning.
During a visit as a volunteer to Haiti, Billy became quickly enamored with her people
and culture. He and his company have since supported numerous initiatives to improve
healthcare delivery in Haiti.
Moreover, Billy and his wife Claudia sponsored a young Haitian man’s dream to move to
the U.S., where he lived with the Barrs and their sons while pursuing high school and
secondary degrees. Today this young man is a college graduate, working to pay the
opportunity forward and to help his fellow Haitians. Billy and Claudia live at the New
Jersey Shore.
Callie Kaplan has led public health programs, research projects and advocacy initiatives
both internationally and domestically, with a specific focus on marginalized youth,
sexual and reproductive health justice and gender-based violence (GBV) over the past 10
years.
Callie has a strong background in mixed-methods research and evaluation and is a strong
advocate for participatory methodologies and transparent, ethical research. She worked
in Haiti as program coordinator from 2007-2009 and as a consultant in 2011.
A. Edwin Magloire, a native of Jérémie, is a local businessman. He donated the building
used as the headquarters of the Association.
Edwin has given his time, resources and expertise in constructing the building and
rehabilitation of the first floor for used by the Association for seminars, specialty
clinics and other activities. He is the owner of Place Charmant guest houses.
Bette Gebrian is a public health nurse and medical anthropologist who has lived and
worked in the Grand’Anse since 1987. She is faculty in the Department of Community
Medicine in the University of Connecticut and a retired faculty member of the School of
Nursing.
Bette has published articles documenting her collaborative work in areas of disaster,
heath impact, breast feeding and maternal and newborn health. She has presented at
national and international conferences and drawn volunteers from tradesmen to surgeons
to the region.
Myrna Eustache, a daughter of Jérémie, is a physician with clinical and management
expertise. She held leadership positions at Albert Schweitzer Hospital, was a national
leader in breastfeeding and pediatrics and advisor to United Nations Agencies including
UNICEF, PAHO and UNDP.
Myrna was the Executive Director of Project Zero SIDA (POZ) a program for support of
people living with HIV and AIDS. She is instrumental in drawing in support for the
Breast Cancer program through her many contacts in Port-au-Prince.
Robert Bijou was born in Jérémie. He began his professional career in education and as
pharmaceutical representative for two major German Companies in Haiti: Boehringer
Ingelheim and Bayer Leverkusen.
Robert immigrated to the US and earned a degree in administration and clinical
respiratory therapy. He worked as a consultant for 23 years. Upon retiring, he chose to
move back to his native town to volunteer his time and experience in support of GAHDA
specialty seminars and service clinics.
Louis Bourdeau is a native of Jérémie and has worked for many years as a community
organizer.
Louis is a valuable volunteer during clinical services and community outreach and has
worked in GAHDA projects including hurricane relief and recovery and field research with
other organizations.