During my time at Douglass College, I developed a passion for advocacy, specifically on behalf of refugees, other forcibly displaced persons, and those enduring the struggle to regain human rights. My passion was ignited when my high school English teacher, Marylawn of the Oranges, allowed me to read the books I preferred. I traveled to the Schomburg Center for Black Culture, where I purchased a series of autobiographies and biographies of civil rights leaders.
My passion was further developed via my membership of the Haitian Association at Rutgers University (HARU), where I served as an interpreter and as an advocate for Haitian refugees. I often led delegation marches to the doorsteps of the political powers, including in DC, New Jersey, and New York. I was an active participant on campus as a Rutgers Color Guard and represented Haiti in the West Indian Student Organization (WISO) pageant. Lastly, I was a welcome ambassador to the new students exploring and later admitted to Douglass College.
I commenced my career with the Haitian Coalition for Haitian Rights in Manhattan, advocating for the rights of migrants and refugees in collaboration with Human Rights Watch and the Soros Foundation. I pursued and attained my Juris Doctor degree (Cum Laude) and passed two different bar exams while I was a single parent. That experience prepared me for the now 20 years of working and living abroad, especially in strenuous duty stations. I have continued to dedicate my life to advocacy work aimed at alleviating human suffering and providing global humanitarian aid whilst empowering and reinforcing resilience. Having reached the executive level at the United Nations, I am versed in negotiation and diplomacy with civil and military-led governments, UN peacekeeping missions, and even with armed non-state actors. With expertise in political and institutional awareness, I effectively navigate complex and highly charged situations.
My comprehension of geopolitical realities and socio-cultural implications led me to be a lead facilitator at the International Institute for Humanitarian Law for five years. With my career at the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, I excel at managing large-scale operations, particularly in demanding emergency contexts with intricate security and protection issues that result in multiple displacement cycles. While I am adept at fostering relations with donors, UN agencies, media, civil organizations, and religious groups, my gratification comes from the myriad of girls and women I have inspired, incited, and empowered worldwide.
I am fluent in four languages: whilst understanding five. I have lived on either a long or short-term basis in 15 countries, and I have visited at least 60 of them. I am the proud mother of IfeโSandrine, a warm-hearted, savvy entrepreneur who founded The Loop, a travelerโs app. Ife-Sandrine concomitantly holds a BS from UC Berkeley, a Masterโs Degree in Microbial Biology from Yale School of Medicine, and is currently pursuing a PhD in Infectious Diseases at Yale.