US STAFF
Our US Staff has the pleasure of working with our volunteers and donors to ensure the operations and programs of CHI continue.
LEAH MATHIASON
EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Leah Mathiason has a law degree from the University of Saint Thomas School of Law in Minneapolis, MN, and an undergraduate English literature degree from Hamline University in Saint Paul, MN. She is a DONA- certified postpartum doula, a certified lactation counselor, and recently worked in this capacity for Ramsey County Public Health. In 2013, Leah was accepted as a Partners of the Americas Legislative Fellow through the U.S. State Department. During the three-week intensive in Port-au-Prince, she studied the country’s legal system, made new friends, and gained an abiding affection for Haiti. Leah lives in Saint Paul, MN, with her husband and their two young children. When she’s not reading, you can find her in the dirt, trying to grow food, throwing snowballs at her kids, or plotting her next adventure. She is honored to be part of the CHI family and is determined to carry the mission forward.
|
PAULA ADAMS
BOOKKEEPER Paula is semi-retired having worked a major part of her professional career in medical administration in family practice and orthopedic clinics, an urgent care facility and surgery center. Paula lives in Cedar Rapids, Iowa and teaches fitness classes to women age 50 and beyond.
She is familiar with the good work of CHI and has known co-founder Chris Buresh since he was 12 years old. She welcomes the opportunity to serve as bookkeeper and to support the mission of CHI…now and well into the future. |
BRITTANY CHENELLE
MARKETING & COMMUNICATIONS STRATEGIST Brittany Chenelle has a B.A. in Communication Studies and Journalism from Cal State University, Northridge (CSUN) and an M.F.A. in Documentary Film Production. During grad school, Brittany was an Alternative Breaks Leader and led the Haiti trip for two years. She has traveled to Haiti 7+ times and partnered with or volunteered her expertise to 7 different Haitian grassroots organizations. Brittany is currently working on her second masters in social work (MSW) where she is exploring ways to improve mental health access in minority & immigrant communities in the U.S. as well as in international communities in developing countries. She is passionate about CHI because of its commitment to sustainable change and collaboration with the Haitian people.
|
JOEL HORNE
US CLINIC AND OPERATIONS COORDINATOR Joel has an undergraduate degree in Politics and International Studies from the University of Exeter, during which he studied abroad at Science PO Grenoble in France, where he learnt French. Joel then gained experience working with humanitarian organisations in London and refugee agency in Cape Town. He co-lead a team of British and Burkinabe volunteers on community development and human rights projects for an international NGO in rural Burkina Faso for six months. Joel then received his master's degree in Humanitarian Action and Conflict from Uppsala University and completed a six-month internship with the Global Health Department of the Carver College of Medicine at the University of Iowa. Joel has a great interest in Haiti and is passionate about working with CHI to support our Haitian staff serve their communities with sustainable healthcare projects.
|