TEAM

Edison Paul is a New York State Registered Professional Engineer with over 24 years of experience in large project management. His career as an engineer serves as a great asset for his home country, Haiti. After the earthquake, Mr. Paul dedicated a good amount of time working with local builders, teaching them the mechanics of anti-seismic construction. He helped restore many prominent landmarks in Haiti. Mr. Paul’s philanthropic endeavors vary greatly, especially within the educational sector, but his main focus is to help in the reconstruction of Haiti. He is responsible for all facets of NY Friends of Haiti 2010, including supervisory relationships with local organizations. His expertise includes forensic analysis, structural design for earthquake-resistant buildings, and roadway and bridge design. Mr. Paul is a board member of several non-profit organizations, including Haitian Association of Engineers (HAES). He holds a MS in Structural Engineering, a BS in Civil Engineering, and a MS in Executive Management of Technology.

Magalie Théodore is a philanthropist and community leader who actively participates in various improvement projects and boards. She specializes in Equity Derivatives and works for one of the top financial institutions in New York City. Her roots are implanted in Savane-Entourée, a locality in the commune of Ranquitte, where she built a modern school that provides free education, meals, textbooks, and uniforms to children who lack access to education.
Théodore is a strong advocate of reforestation, land restoration, and ecosystem protection, and she is leading NYFOH’s pilot project to plant one million trees abroad, starting at La Visite National Park. Her vision is for thriving communities where individuals can reach their full potential and every child has access to quality education and healthcare.

As Secretary General of NYFOH, Edens Desbas works to strengthen democratic institutions in Haiti through civic participation and government accountability. He conducts Executive Leadership Training Work to increase youth activism and engagement within the State Youth & College divisions. Additionally, he is a strong advocate for the rights of the Diaspora.

Mr. Desbas oversees internal and external communications for NYFOH and is an active leader in the non-profit community, serving as a board member for Artist Village and CHE. He holds a Bachelor’s degree in Journalism and Social Communication from the State University of Haiti.

Fritz Monfleury is an experienced finance and accounting professional who oversees various areas such as Financial Planning and Analysis, Strategic Planning, Impact Planning and Improvement, and special initiatives. He currently serves as the Senior President of Mainline Partners Inc. and has expertise in Corporate Controllership and Governance, Accounting Strategic Planning, Performance Measurement, and Cost Management, especially in small business industries.

Apart from his corporate work, Fritz has also been an active member of the non-profit community, serving on the boards of several organizations in the New York area. He holds a Master of Business Administration degree.

Patrick Morisseau is a founding member of NYFOH and an important member of the organization’s leadership team. As an advocate for the organization’s issues, he helps set its overall direction, reviews results, and approves organizational strategies.

Mr. Morisseau frequently meets with local, national, and international partners to further NYFOH’s goal of improving equity in the United States. With extensive experience in the business sector as an economist and a master’s degree in taxation, along with intensive knowledge in technology, he brings valuable perspective to the organization. Patrick also uses public appearances, speeches, interviews, and articles to focus attention on the issues that NYFOH aims to address.

Sheyla Bellarme was born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti and later moved to Canada where she attended York University – Glendon College. She completed four years towards her Bachelor’s degree with honors, majoring in Psychology and minoring in Sociology, and also obtained a Bilingual Competency Certificate. In addition, she studied towards an HR Management degree from TELUQ. With over 24 years of experience in various fields, including Human Resources Management, Finance, Public Administration, Public Relations, Training, and Philanthropy, she is a well-rounded professional.

She is fluent in Haitian Creole, French, and English and has basic Spanish knowledge. She has worked in the private and public sectors in both Canada and Haiti and is an alumni of Harvard University’s JFK School of Government.

Jean-Michel Voltaire serves as the General Counsel at NYFOH, managing all legal needs and providing guidance to support programmatic objectives. He is also the founder of Réunion Sportif du Sud, which organizes an annual youth soccer tournament and leadership development seminars for children and young adults affected by the earthquake in Haiti. Mr. Voltaire holds a Juris Doctor (JD) degree from New York Law School, where he graduated Magna Cum Laude.

He joined the U.S. Department of Justice in 2003 as a Trial Attorney through the Attorney General’s Honors Program. In his role, Mr. Voltaire defends the US government at both the trial and appellate level, handling a variety of cases including defending constitutional challenges to federal statutes and presenting the United States’ views in cases against foreign governments and diplomats.

Ulrick Maurisseau is the Founder of NYFOH. He has had a diverse career, including work in irrigation at the Agriculture Department in Haiti and performing highway and traffic designs at Lockwood, Kessler & Bartlett Consulting engineers. He holds a Bachelier en Droit degree from the Faculté de Droit et Des Sciences Economiques at the Université d’Etat d’Haiti and is a member of the Barreaux des avocats de Port-de-Paix and Port-au-Prince. He is also a retired civil engineer, having graduated from the Institut Superieur Technique d’Haiti in 1966 and completed advanced studies in highways at the NY Institute of Technology.

In addition to his engineering and legal background, Ulrick is also a licensed insurance broker, financial adviser, and retired Allstate Insurance agent. He has dedicated much of his time to serving as the President of Nord’Ouest Reuni since 1977, a regional and social organization focused on improving the welfare of the people of the North West region of Haiti.

Joseph Harold Pierre is an economic and finance investigator at the Ministry of Finance of the Dominican Republic, as well as a Professor of Economics and Politics at Universidad Iberoamericana (Unibe). He was also a professor of Italian and Mathematics for Economists at Pontificia Universidad Católica Madre y Maestra (PUCMM) in Santo Domingo. He is a published writer and contributor to the Spanish review “Revista Existencial” and his writings are featured in newspapers and reviews in Haiti, the Dominican Republic, and Spain.

In addition to his academic and professional work, Pierre is also an active social worker, providing assistance to Haitians in the Dominican Republic, helping students write their theses, and conducting training sessions on human rights, organization and association management, conflict resolution, and other related topics.

Pierre holds a Bachelor’s degree and a Master’s degree in Economics from PUCMM. He also has a Bachelor’s degree in Philosophy and Social Sciences from the Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo (INTEC) and a Master’s degree in Political Science from the University of Barcelona in Spain.