JUDITE BLANC

Judite Blanc, Ph.D., is a Haitian daughter who traveled to three countries & five cities, with her baby girl, in pursuit of knowledge. A sister, aunt, scientist, teacher, and knowledge seeker. An African and Indigenous epistemology lover and promoter of culturally tailored mind-body interventions to tackle intersectional stress responses among people of the global majority.Notable accomplishments in 10 bullet points! *Assistant Professor of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine and founding director of the newly created Holistic Families Program at the same university. HFL goals are to leverage innovative ethnographical and integrative medicine tools to investigate and tackle intersectional stressors (intergenerational trauma, racial trauma, gender discrimination, caregiver burden, acculturation stress, and minority stress) responses among marginalized families, women, and children;to transform the lives of families, women, and children through science, education/training, community services, and advocacy in the US and globally.*Principal Investigator of the  Haitian Well-Being Study  (first longitudinal and cohort study to investigate long term biopsychosocial effects of socio-political instability on Haitian mental health among Haitian in the United States and Haiti). A multisite study at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, SUNY Downstate College of Medicine, and University of Massachusetts.*Co-Principal Investigator of the Nurturing Moms Study at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. The Nurturing Mom’s Project is being conducted in partnership with the Miller School’s Media and Innovation Lab and the Holistic Families Lab and uses virtual reality to reduce stress among Black and Latina expectant and postpartum mothers in South Florida.*Her academic work, research and initiatives have led to approximately 70 publications. Her work advanced knowledge on specific risk and protective factors of mental health among adults, children, and mother-offspring dyads survivors of the Haiti 2010 earthquake. Most importantly, her findings underline the need to implement trauma-focused and holistic programs for pregnant women survivors of traumatic events. Her work highlights the need for culturally tailored mental health programs and initiatives for trauma survivors. Findings from her studies led to unique perspectives on the role of stress and trauma on poor health outcomes among immigrants and how psychological resilience may buffer and protect against poor sleep health outcomes.*Her work was featured on prestigious international and regional media such as Slate, Medpage, USA Today, Ici-Radio Canada, Lapresse.ca, The Miller School Magazine, Inventum and Haitian Times.*She is a promoter of the use of peace psychology tools for the resolution of the Haitian crisis. She is part of the scientific committee member and guest speaker of the first Haitian peace psychology summit held in Cap Haitien, Haiti in January 2023. A partnership between Haitian Psychological Association (Association Haitienne de Psychologie-AHPsy) and Rebati Sante Mantal.*An international Intergenerational trauma and intersectional stress expert, she is among the contributors to the collective book titled “Psychological Legacy of Slavery: Essays on Traumas, Healing and The Living Past” which was selected as one of the best academic books in 2022 by Choice, a publishing unit of the Association of College and Research Libraries, a division of the American Library Association.*The Lead author of the 2021 call to action titled, To Save Haitian Lives, Global Health Leaders Call for Solidarity published in The North American Congress on Latin America (NACLA. In this article, she called for support from global health leaders to support Haitian Healthcare professionals and sponsor the organization of a culturally tailored peace-building program that brings together Haitian scientists, academics, scholars, intellectuals, professionals, grassroots leaders, human rights advocates, political activists, religious leaders, and a council of elders. A paper that largely inspired the organization of the first Haitian peace Psychology summit in January 2023 in Haiti.*In 2017: Editor of the first trilingual (Haitian Creole, French and English) collective book on the legacy of psychological trauma in Afro-Caribbean thought. *She is the Founder of the first International Africana Psychology Festival in the Caribbean that was created in 2015. Two international editions were organized.

LIONEL JEAN-BAPTISTE,
JUDGE

As a lawyer he worked on special cases such as the major African American reparations case against 17 U.S. corporations in federal court, Walker’s application noted. In 2001 when he joined the Evanston City Council, he became the first Haitian-American electedin the state of Illinois to that type of municipal position. He won two other terms of office, including an election where he was forced to wage a write-in campaign after a ballot challenge.
In March of 2011, he became the first Haitian-American to be sworn in as a Cook County Circuit judge. Beyond his career, “Jean-Baptiste has always maintained his activism,” the application continued. His service in support of Haiti included “a seven-year internationalcampaign to amend the Haitian Constitution to secure dual citizenship for all Haitians born, anywhere in the world, to a Haitian mother or a Haitian father,” she noted. He is dedicated to mobilizing Haitians in the Diaspora, helping our brothers and sisters develop the nationEvanston City Council members approved on Dec. 13, 2021 an honorary street name, a portion of McDaniel Avenue between Crain Street and Dempster Street as  “Honorable Lionel Jean-Baptiste Way, for Cook County Circuit Court Judge Lionel Jean-Baptiste, recognizinghis contributions as the City’s first Haitian-American alderman, as well as the early light he shined on the issue of reparations. 

JACQUES JIHA

Jacques Jiha, Ph.D., serves as Director of the New York City Mayor’s Office of Management and Budget (OMB). In this role, he oversees New York City’s fiscal policy, including the development of the Expense and Capital Budgets, the City’s bond and borrowing program, and the budgets of more than 90 City agencies and entities. He is also responsible for evaluating the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of City services and proposals, and providing vital information to government officials on the local, national, and world economies.Dr. Jiha has served as the city’s Budget Director since October 2020. Previously he served as Commissioner of the Department of Finance, responsible for leading an agency that collects more than $40 billion annually in revenue for the city and assesses over 1.1 million properties with a total combined value of $1.3 trillion. He led the transformation of the Department of Finance into a dynamic, forward-looking, and customer-centric agency, and under his leadership the City reformed and modernized its corporate tax laws, reducing taxes for many small businesses, and introduced many new services for its customers.Prior to becoming Commissioner of the Department of Finance, Director Jiha was the Chief Operating Officer and Chief Financial Officer of Earl G. Graves, Ltd., a multi-media company with properties in print and digital media. Previously, he served as Deputy Comptroller for Pension Investment and Public Finance. As the state’s chief investment officer, he oversaw the New York State Common Retirement Fund, the New York’s College Savings Program and the state’s short-term investment pool. Prior to this, he served as Deputy Comptroller for Nassau County, Deputy Comptroller for Budget and Chief Economist for the New York City Office of the Comptroller, Executive Director of the New York State Legislative Tax Study Commission, and Principal Economist for the New York State Assembly Committee on Ways and Means.A staunch advocate of public service, Director Jiha has served on a number of government and not-for-profit boards, including the Ronald McDonald House of New York, the Public Health Solutions, and the Dormitory Authority of New York State.He has had a long record of service within the Haitian community including serving on the boards of Haitian Americans United for Progress (HAUP), the National Coalition for Haitian Refugees (NCHR), and the Haitian Roundtable. Further, he was a founding member of the Haitian Times.
Director Jiha holds a Ph.D. and a master’s degree in economics from the New School for Social Research and a bachelor’s degree in economics from Fordham University.

MARC POGNON

As an IT Manager at Landmark Worldwide, Marc has been integral to Landmark moving it’s programs from being delivered In Person to an Online environment. With a results-driven mindset, Marc has excelled in various roles, including Program Manager at Landmark Worldwide, where he managed the firm's largest revenue generation division in New York and trained over 1,200 participants in the flagship leadership course. As a seminar leader and staff member with nine years of experience in personal and professional training and development, Marc is passionate about helping individuals leave past trauma behind and achieve transformational learning. Having grown up in Haiti, Marc has witnessed first hand the devastating impact of trauma on individuals and communities, and is committed to empowering people to overcome their experiences and create a brighter future. Through coaching, group workshops, and larger-scale seminars, Marc has helped countless individuals break free from the cycle of trauma and develop the skills and tools they need to live fulfilling lives. As a speaker at the upcoming Haitian conference, Marc is eager to share his insights and experiences with others who are also on the path to personal transformation.Prior to his work at Landmark, served as an IT Program Manager at the Emerging Markets Investors Alliance, bringing over two decades of leadership experience in both the for-profit and non-profit sectors. Marc also served as Deputy Director of Data and Accountability at the New York City Department of Education, where he implemented critical data procedures resulting in multi-million dollar increases in funding and exceeding federal educational targets. Additionally, as Assistant Director at Sponsors for Educational Opportunity, Marc managed data collection, tracking, and reporting, authored reports, and helped redesign the recruitment process to increase applicants by over 300 percent.With his extensive background in workforce development and data analysis, Marc has also worked as a consultant for the Haitian American Alliance, researching strategies to create an effective program for Haitian youth aged 18 to 25. Marc holds a Bachelor's of Business Administration from Baruch College's Zicklin School of Business and a Master's degree in Urban Policy Analysis and Management from the Robert J. Milano Graduate School of Management and Urban Policy at the New School University.

SAUREL QUETTAN

Saurel Quettan is a Human Behavior and Transformation Expert, Creator of “Launching You” – Access to Being the Leader You Most Respect. He is the Founder &amp; CEO of exeQfit, a business consulting firm.
Saurel has helped entrepreneurs, CEOs, founders, and owners of small to medium-sized businesses improve their effectiveness, grow their businesses, and enhance their lives. As a leadership coach, with 20+ years in the field of human growth and development, Saurel doesn’t teach leadership! Instead, he helps clients focus on the distinction between achievement and success, assisting as they create and embrace something bigger than themselves. In the process, they become The Leader They Most Respect, leaders who make the very best decisions possible when facing big challenges such as:• Paralyzed by the complexity of developing and executing business growth strategies• Fear of change and uncertainty in their industry• Struggling to build a unified culture with a shared vision• Blind to the barriers to high performance in business and in life• Consistently playing small instead of taking steps to realize a bold, new future• Yearning to make a greater impact for their families, companies, and communities

Connect with Saurel Quettan:Email: squettan@exeqfit.comWebsite: https://exeqfit.com/Facebook: @saurelquettan | https://www.facebook.com/saurelquettanLinkedIn: @saurelquettan | https://www.linkedin.com/in/saurelquettan/Twitter: @saurelquettan | https://twitter.com/saurelquettanInstagram: @quettan | https://www.instagram.com/quettan/

Power Summit Speakers May 5-6, 2023

JUDITE BLANC

STEPHANIE DELIA

GEORGES EUGENE FOURON

LIONEL JEAN-BAPTISTE, JUDGE

JACQUES JIHA

MARC POGNON

SAUREL QUETTAN

SARAH WEISER

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