Rose-Marie is a professor and head of the Anthropology Department at the State University of New York at Geneseo.  She has served on the Board of Advisors for Partners in Health since its inception, and she draws upon many years of community development experience as well as a broad network of people and organizations in her role for H.O.P.E. 

As a founding member of H.O.P.E., Rose-Marie has provided continuous vision and leadership since 1995.  She is a native born Haitian whose family left the country under the oppression of the Duvalier dictatorship. 

Rose-Marie is widely recognized for her insights into grassroots development work - always with respect for people, their culture and their need for dignity and self-sufficiency.  H.O.P.E.'s ethics are rooted in these same values. In 2006 she was instrumental in forming the Borgne Health Alliance (ASB) which has since flourished, growing into the sole health system for Borgne.

Michael (Mike) is a former Fortune 500 Executive and currently Co-Founder/CEO of eLogic (www.elogicgroup.com ), a software/technology consulting firm in Rochester, NY.

Michael joined H.O.P.E. in 2004, after joining his daugher and Rose-Marie on a trip to Borgne.  Since then, he has been committed to sustainable development for the community.  As frequent traveler to Borgne, with many ties to the community, he supports project work in Health and Economic Development.  Michael deeply believes in the community's drive for improvment; and sees H.O.P.E.'s role as a catalyst for progress and a source of needed resources.  He loves working toward sustainable futures for Borgne.  As a key 'field worker', Michael is able to bring the 'on the ground' view to the Board of Directors.  He was instrumental in the formation of ASB and its successful transition to Borgne's community health system.

James (Jim) is Director of Multidisciplinary Studies at Rochester Institute of Technology.  He has a deep background in International Development in Kosovo and Latin America. 

Jim joined H.O.P.E. in 2007, following a brief encounter at a University function and a subsequent exploratory trip to Borgne.  Since joining he has become a key force for Economic Development and Clean Water/Sanitation.  Jim has a unique way of bringing together many elements of community development into a holistic solution oriented model.  Like many in H.O.P.E., he is passionate about sustainable development vs. dependency.  He is a regular traveler to Borgne and is active in numerous projects on the ground.

Dr. Fiscella (Kevin) is on the faculty of the University of Rochester Medical Center and is operates a public health clinic in Rochester, NY.  He is widely published for his work in community health.

Kevin has been an active supporter of H.O.P.E. for more than ten years.  In 2006 he was recruited to join the Board of Directors to support the transition to a full service community health system for Borgne.  Since his initial visit to Borgne, Kevin has maintained a strong focus on preventive health measures, while supporting the implmentation of ASB's three-tier health model.  He maintains close liaison with the ASB Haitian medical staff. 

Dr. Katherine (Kate) Conway-Turner is a member of the Board of Directors of H.O.P.E. (Haitian Outreach- Pwoje Espwa), a Rochester, NY, based non-profit organization that supports health care, education, and sanitation efforts in Borgne Haiti. She directs H.O.P.E.’s educational efforts which include support of existing schools/educational efforts, teacher training, and the mobile teacher program.

She is a servant leader and has a lifelong commitment to civic engagement, public service, and working across international boundaries to support the needs of families and communities.

Additionally, she is the Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs at Hood College in Frederick, Maryland. She holds a B.A. in Microbiology, a M.A. in Psychology, and a Ph.D. in Psychology all from the University of Kansas.  She completed two years of post-doctoral training at UCLA in psychiatric epidemiology before beginning her teaching career at Santa Clara University in the Department of Psychology.   Prior to joining Hood, Dr. Conway-Turner was Provost and Vice President of Academic Affairs at SUNY Geneseo.  Additionally, she was the Dean of Liberal Arts and Social Sciences at Georgia Southern University and previously she spent fifteen years at the University of Delaware as Professor while holding several administrative posts including director of women’s studies, department chair, and associate dean of arts and sciences.    Dr. Conway-Turner’s areas of research and specialization include psychology of women, intergenerational relationships, international and cross cultural families and women and family health issues.  She has co-authored two books: Women, Families and Feminist Policies: A Global Exploration and Working Across Disciplines: The Transition of Women’s Studies from the Academic to Action and numerous scholarly articles. Her research explores the issues of the development of adult women within their social psychological, cultural and familial context.  She was a (1990-93) recipient of a Kellogg’s National Leadership Grant and she was 1996 American Council on Education Fellow.

Joan Aiello is Business Research Manager for Consumer Inkjet Systems at Eastman Kodak Company and the Acting Director of Development for Haiti Outreach-Pwoje Espwa.

After traveling to Haiti in 2002, and being overwhelmed by the hospitality and generosity of the people in Borgne, Joan joined the Board of Directors in 2008.  Her previous experience with non-profits, along with her many years in the marketing department of a large, multinational company, has helped as H.O.P.E. transitioned to the ASB community health system. 

She is proud to be working with such a talented group of people, dedicated to the grass-roots development of Borgne and is convinced that H.O.P.E.'s focus on the partnership with the people of Borgne is the most effective way to achieve our vision.

I was born in Port-au-Prince Haiti, the second of 12 children and migrated to Washington DC in 1960.  After attending Catholic University, I started my career with a consulting firm working on the Washington METRO, where I held various positions.   Since then, I’ve worked on several projects in the transportation industry, including the Buffalo Light Rail Project and the Houston Light Rail project.  Most recently I completed an assignment on the Charlotte, N.C. Light Rail Project.   

Upon my “retirement”, I was drafted into H.O.P.E. by my sister Rose Marie Chierici, and started work for the organization. After 50 years I took my first trip to Haiti in early June of 2010 to familiarize myself with the operations of the clinic and other H.O.P.E. programs in Borgne.

My focus in the organization will be Rochester operations, budget management and fund raising. I am looking forward to working with the Board of Directors and Rochester staff to continue this vital work.

J. Shields Sundberg (Shields) holds a Masters in Afro-Caribbean Studies from the  University of Chicago and a BA in Political Science from the University of Rochester.  She is head of the History department and a teacher at Sidwell Friends School in Washington, D.C.

Shields is passionate about community development and social justice.  Awarded a Ford Foundation Fellowship in 1992 to study at the University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, she developed deep commitment to Haiti's development.  She has traveled and worked in Haiti ever since.  After meeting Rose-Marie in 2004, Shields traveled to Borgne with her father, and has since been an active supporter of H.O.P.E.  She was elected to the Board of Directors in 2010 and has been active in development both in the USA and in Haiti.  Despite having a busy life and four children at home, she travels to Haiti and finds time to support projects in Borgne.