Staff
Executive Director: Karen Ashmore
Karen Ashmore has a B.A. in Journalism. She has over 20 years experience in social change philanthropy and has raised over 10 million dollars for grassroots organizations in the U.S. and Haiti. She has won awards for her activism in human rights, racial justice and women's issues. She is the Board Chair of Grantmakers without Borders and is the mother of five children, including two sisters adopted from Haiti
Haiti Director: Ms. Josette Perard
Josette Perard is one of the few women to head a successful NGO in Haiti. Born and raised in Haiti, Ms. Perard has over 30 years experience in social change work in Zaire and Haiti and over 20 years accounting and management experience in New York. She returned to Haiti in 1986, has been active with women's groups, and has hosted many delegations of U.S. solidarity activists visiting Haiti. As a founding staff member, she has directed Lambi Fund's program since 1994. In 2006 she won the 21 Leaders for the 21st Century Award and is a founding leader of Women's Earth Alliance.
Deputy Director: Leonie Hermantin
Leonie Hermantin is responsible for outreach and education in North America. Formerly the Director of Research and Strategic Planning at the Santa La Haitian Neighborhood Center in Miami, FL, Hermantin was one of 40 people cited by the Miami Herald for special recognition as up and coming leaders in South Florida. She has a Juris Doctor from University of California at Berkeley, and over ten years of non-profit management experience. She currently serves on the board of Little Haiti Housing and Accion USA in Miami and has received numerous awards for her activism and civic contributions. A resident of South Miami, she is fluent in English, French and Haitian Creole.
Field Director: Mr. Ferry Pierre-Charles
Mr. Pierre-Charles is a trained agronomist with ten years of experience working with Haitian peasants in the field to develop and implement community-based agricultural projects, and conduct trainings. He has worked for several indigenous development organizations, and has conducted research in the field on appropriate agricultural technology. He also has computer training in a variety of programs.
Assistant Field Director: Mr. Paul Rodney Henry
Mr. Henry joined the Lambi Fund field staff in 1996 as an agronomist with a specialty in plant technologies. He has over seven years of experience in rural Haiti working directly with peasant cultivators, training them in improved rice and banana production, and has considerable practice with soil conservation. He has collaborated with several Haitian non-governmental organizations including, ITECA and FONDEV, in many of Haiti's nine geographic departments.
Regional Monitor: Mr. Joseph Dorsainvil
Mr. Dorsainvil brings over fifteen years of community-based field experience to the Lambi Fund. Born and raised in Gonaives, Haiti, TiDjo works from his home base to provide continuous management and technical assistance to the many Lambi Fund projects in the Artibonite Valley. He has received diplomas in accounting and business mathematics, training and management for popular banks and small businesses, human rights training, and training in organizing cooperatives and popular education techniques.
Regional Monitor: Mr. Pierre Antoinier St.-Cyr
Mr. St.-Cyr brings to the Lambi Fund's field team eleven years of rural-based experience. Like his counterpart in the Artibonite, Mr. St.-Cyr works from his home base to provide technical and organizational development support to six-plus projects in southern Haiti. His education includes a year of pedagogical training, with expertise and diplomas in agroforestry, development of cooperatives, community organizing, as well as training in veterinary skills and popular education. Mr. St.-Cyr also speaks fluent Spanish.
