"One of the things that have become very evident to me is the importance of working side by side, shoulder to shoulder with surgeons in Haiti. We regard ourselves first as friends, second as colleagues, and thirdly as specialists interested in improving overall healthcare and infrastructure at the hospital. These three goals define who we are when we’re talking about a collaborative effort."
— Samuel Broaddus, MD
Maine Medical Partners Urology
BIOGRAPHIES:
President
Hugh Tozer
Hugh Tozer is a water and wastewater engineer with Woodard & Curran in Portland. He received a BA in chemistry from Grinnell College and an MS in civil engineering from the University of Vermont. He has focused his career on evaluating and developing solutions to meet the water and wastewater needs of communities in the U.S. and abroad. Hugh's interest in water and sanitation began as a Peace Corps volunteer living through a drought in Benin, West Africa. His work with Konbit Sante focuses on infrastructure projects, particularly a project to improve the quantity, quality, and distribution of water at Justinian Hospital.
Vice President
Wendy Taylor
Wendy Taylor's background is in marketing research and marketing planning. Following graduation from DePauw University, she worked for large financial institutions in Chicago and Colorado, and had a national market research business. Wendy taught marketing at the University of Colorado and taught critical decision making at the national School of Bank Marketing. She is a past board member of the United Way of Greater Portland and is involved in community impact work there. Wendy is a founding director of Konbit Sante.
Treasurer
Michael Kilmartin
Michael Kilmartin, a Portland native, has had a long career in finance related to health care. Following graduation in Health Administration and Planning from University of New Hampshire and service in the United States Air Force, he worked at Maine Medical Center for 38 years, retiring as Associate Vice President of Finance. He is currently Assistant Treasurer of MaineHealth. Konbit Sante is fortunate to have Mike’s invaluable help as we continue to develop and refine our dual-currency financial and project management systems.
Secretary
Malcolm Rogers, MD
Dr. Malcolm Rogers recently moved to Maine from Boston where he has been Associate Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at Harvard Medical School at the Brigham & Women's Hospital and had a private practice in Chestnut Hill, MA. He is a Distinguished Life Fellow of the American Psychiatric Association and a member of the Advisory Committee of the International Division of Psychiatry at Massachusetts General Hospital. After receiving his MD from Harvard Medical School, Dr. Rogers completed his internship at Dartmouth-Hitchcock and residency at the Massachusetts Mental Health Center. Since 2003, Dr. Rogers has been an active volunteer with Konbit Sante teaching psychiatry to residents and attendings at Justinian Hospital in Cap-Haitien.
Founder and President Emeritus
J. Michael Taylor, MD, MPH
Dr. Taylor is a practicing dermatologist in Portland with a career-long interest in international and community medicine. He is a graduate of Amherst College, University of Buffalo Medical School, and the Harvard School of Public Health, where he serves as a member of the Alumni Council. He has completed residencies in internal medicine and dermatology at the University of California at San Francisco. Following medical school he went to Nigeria as a U.S. Peace Corps physician. He has taught epidemiology at Dartmouth and was chief of the department of community medicine at Maine Medical Center where he established medical clinics in underserved parts of the state of Maine. Michael is the founder and visionary of Konbit Sante.
Board Member
Warren D. Alpern, MD, FACC
Dr. Warren Alpern joined the Konbit Sante board in 2009. After completing undergraduate studies and medical school in Colorado, Dr. Alpern completed internship, residency, and fellowships at Maine Medical Center, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Harvard Medical School. Following 23 years as attending cardiologist at Maine Medical Center, he is now Chief of Cardiology at the Togus VA Medical Center in Augusta, Maine.
Board Member
Dr. Samuel Broaddus, MD
Dr. Broaddus is a Bowdoin College graduate and received his medical degree from the University of Vermont. Sam is a practicing Portland urologist with a special interest in urologic malignancies, urinary stone disease, and non-invasive treatments. Sam's international medical experience spans twenty-five years and includes work in Vietnam, Haiti, St. Lucia, Egypt, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, and Thailand. He has worked in Haiti at Hospital Albert Schweitzer and at the Justinian Hospital. At the Justinian Hospital, he has formed what we consider the model collaboration between medical specialists, working in partnership with Haitian colleagues in urology and surgery.
Board Member
Michael Coughlin
Michael Coughlin is executive director of Goodwill Industries of Northern New England. He holds a masters degree in Social Work from Columbia University, and his early professional work was in adolescent treatment and mental health services in Connecticut and Vermont. Before joining Goodwill Industries, he was executive director of a community mental health center in New Hampshire and held executive positions in the employee assistance industry in Canada. He joined the Konbit Sante board in 2009.
Board Member
Brian Dean Curran
Brian Dean Curran was United States Ambassador to Haiti from 2000 to 2003 where he played a prominent role in health issues. Curran received a BS in Foreign Service from Georgetown University and an MA in International Affairs from Johns Hopkins University. A career member of the U.S. Foreign Service until his retirement in 2005, Curran also served in Washington, D.C., Niger, Guinea-Bissau, Belgium, France, Ireland, and Mozambique and in Italy where he worked for NATO. A native of Maine, he now lives in Damariscotta and joined the Konbit Sante board in 2009.
Board Member
Deborah A. Deatrick, MPH
Deborah Deatrick is Vice President for Community Health at MaineHealth where she oversees the system's prevention and population-based initiatives. Prior to joining MaineHealth, Deb was executive director of the Health Commons Institute, a national nonprofit organization that promotes shared decision making between doctors and patients. She has more than twenty-five years experience in public health, focusing on evaluation, social marketing and community advocacy, and has also taught community health education in the University of Maine system. Deb has a strong interest in global health improvement and holds undergraduate and graduate degrees from the University of Michigan.
Board Member
John Devlin, MD
Dr. Devlin is a practicing endocrinologist with a special interest in diabetes. He received his MD from Cornell University Medical College, and trained in Internal Medicine at Maine Medical Center. After service in the United States Public Health Services NH Service Corps in Eastport, Maine, John taught at the University of Vermont College Medicine and served as Medical Director of the Maine Center for Diabetes. He is currently pursuing a degree in Health Policy and Management at the Muskie School of Public Service. He teaches diabetes education and intervention in Cap-Haitien and is interested in coordination of the clinical services between Portland and Cap-Haitien.
Board Member
Skeek Frazee
Skeek has a long history as a a women's health and rights activist and advocate in Maine, beginning with the newly-created Family Crisis Shelter in the late '70s where she served as a woman’s advocate, volunteer coordinator, community educator, and professional trainer. She worked in the field of reproductive health services, education, and advocacy during 18 years with Planned Parenthood of Northern New England, serving as Director of Communications for the three-state affiliate. During that time she also conducted HIV/AIDS and family planning training for young people in Tanzania and worked with immigrant and refugee women in Portland to better understand their reproductive health beliefs and needs. She has served on the board of Sexual Assault Response Services and is a member of Konbit Sante’s women’s health team, with special interest in reproductive health education and outreach. In addition, she coordinates the sale of Haitian art to benefit Konbit Sante.
Operations Manager
Emily M. Gilkinson
Originally from Rochester, Minnesota, Emily joins Konbit Sante after completing undergraduate and graduate degrees at University of the Pacific in Stockton, California. Before joining Konbit Sante, Emily taught in elementary schools in Morocco and Togo. Emily brings to Konbit Sante an understanding of the challenges faced by developing nations and a special interest in community health outreach.
Board Member
Polly R. Larned, RN
Polly Larned is a registered nurse with experience in inpatient pediatrics, as a visiting nurse, and as a volunteer at the Portland Public Clinic. She holds degrees from both Briarcliffe and Westbrook Colleges. She has been active in the Cape Elizabeth school system, where she was member of the school board, and recreation department. Polly was a founding board member of the Portland Ronald McDonald House and continues to volunteer there. She has made many trips to Cap-Haitien and has special interests in nursing education and pediatrics at Justinian Hospital.
Board Member
Stephen Larned, MD
Dr. Larned, an internist, is an academic health consultant to medical institutions nationally. He was educated at Princeton, University of Michigan, Wayne State University Medical School, and Georgetown. Prior to establishing his consulting practice, Steve was vice president of medical affairs at Maine Medical Center in Portland. He has served on the boards of Goodwill Industries, Hospice of Maine, Children's Cancer Program, United Way of Greater Portland, and the Portland Symphony Orchestra. Steve, a tireless volunteer, works on many hospital-related projects and on acquisition and shipment of medical equipment and supplies.
Board Member
Eva Lathrop, MD
Dr. Eva Lathrop is Family Planning Clinical Care and Research Fellow at Emory University School of Medicine Department of Gynecology and Obstetrics in Atlanta. While completing her residency at Maine medical Center in Portland, Dr. Lathrop was one of Konbit Sante’s founding board members. Dr. Lathrop now heads Konbit Sante’s women’s health team and visits Haiti frequently to teach and lead the women’s health initiative to improve birth outcomes. Dr. Lathrop was a Peace Corps volunteer in Malawi and, in addition to her work with Konbit Sante, spends time in Africa providing hands on care to African women.
Board Member
Ann Lemire, MD
Dr. Lemire is an internist-pediatrician specializing in HIV medicine. She currently works for the City of Portland Public Health Division. In addition to providing primary care to HIV patients, she staffs the city's STD clinic as well as its school-based health centers. She obtained her MD degree from the University of Vermont and completed her training in internal medicine and pediatrics from Albany Medical Center Hospital. She is board certified in pediatrics, internal medicine, and HIV medicine. She completed her residencies at Albany Medical Center Hospital in Albany, New York. In addition to holding several faculty positions, she has most recently served as the program director of the Medicine-Pediatrics Residency Program at Maine Medical Center. Ann works tirelessly with the pediatric physicians at the Justinian Hospital to improve the facility, teaching, and patient care in that department.
Board Member
Donald E. Nicoll
Don Nicoll has had a long distinguished career in government and management. His most recent position before semi-retiring was vice president for planning and public affairs at Maine Medical Center in Portland. He was also administrative assistant to Edmund S. Muskie, Senator from Maine for many years. He is a graduate of Colby College (BA) and Pennsylvania State University (MA). In addition to his work with Konbit Sante, Don is active in the Japan America Society of Maine and chairs the Maine-Amori Sister-State Advisory Council. He is a founding director of Konbit Sante and provides the organization with a great deal of guidance in planning and governance.
Board Member
John Shoos
John Shoos is currently senior vice president of community development for the United Way of Greater Portland where he oversees planning and community assessment, allocations, public policy, volunteer programs, and special collaborations. He received a Bachelor of Arts degree from Syracuse University and a master’s degree in public policy and management from the Muskie School of Public Affairs at the University of Southern Maine. In addition to serving as a board member for Konbit Sante, John is also on the boards of the Spring Harbor Hospital, the Institute for Civic Leadership, the Portland Partnership for Homeless Youth, and 2-1-1 Maine.
Administrator
Axnick Woody Paul
Mr. Paul works part time for Konbit Sante, managing our finances in Haiti, assisting with trip arrangements, handling logistics of container arrivals, and setting up myriad meetings with people at the Ministry of Health, the hospital, the clinic, and in the community. He still finds time to teach economics at the Universite Notre Dame d’Haiti in Cap-Haitien and is the Director of Planning in the Northern Department of Haiti.
Advisor
Henry Perry, MD, PhD, MPH
Dr. Henry Perry, who has worked extensively on global health issues in Bolivia, Haiti, and Bangladesh, is now Carl Taylor Professor for Equity and Empowerment at the Future Generations Graduate School of Applied Studies, whose US base is in West Virginia. Dr. Perry received his MD, PhD, and MPH from Johns Hopkins University and completed a residency in surgery at the Maine Medical Center. He served as Director General and CEO of Hospital Albert Schweitzer in Haiti, and he founded Curamericas, an NGO program community-based primary health care in Bolivia, Guatemala, Haiti, and Liberia. Dr. Perry brings to Konbit Sante a wealth of expertise in international community-based primary health care, child survival, and health manpower.
Board Member
Michael J. Ryan
Mike Ryan is vice president for operations at Maine Medical Center in Portland where he oversees clinical and administrative support functions, facilities management, design and construction management, and supporting hotel services. He also chairs the advisory board of the Maine Community AIDS Partnership. He is a graduate of Hamilton College (BA) and Boston University Graduate School of Management (MBA). Mike is a founding board member of Konbit Sante, participated in our first group trip to Cap-Haitien, and brings expertise in financial management and procurement.
Executive Director
Nathan M. Nickerson, RN, MSN, DrPH
Prior to joining the Konbit Sante Staff as its first executive director, Nate Nickerson was previously director of public health for the City of Portland where he oversaw services related to infectious diseases, health care for the poor and homeless, health care for children and families, and health promotion services. Nate has BS degrees from Tufts and University of Southern Maine as well as a master's degree in nursing from Simmons College. In 2007 he received his doctorate in international public heath from Boston University. Nate is a founding director of Konbit Sante and has special interests in infectious diseases, public health, and community outreach.
Program Specialist
Marianne Ringel
Prior to working for Konbit Sanate, Marianne Ringel was a Health Policy Analyst in the Governor's Office of Health Policy and Finance. Prior to joining the Governor's staff, Marianne served as Policy Director and Acting Deputy Director for the MaineCare Program at the Maine Department of Health and Human Services. Prior to that she worked for the Maine Health Care Finance Commission. Marianne has also worked in New York City’s foster care system and for a federal employment and training program. Marianne has Masters’ degrees in Public Policy Analysis and Computer Science from the University of Pennsylvania, and a BA in psychology from Yale University. She is currently on the board of Dirigo Health.
Advisor
André Vulcain, MD
Dr. André Vulcain is the University of Miami faculty liaison and representative in Haiti for the Haiti Project which provides family medicine residency training and implementation of a PEPFAR/USAID grant for HIV/AIDS care at Justinian Hospital in Cap-Haitien. He established the Family Practice Residency Program at the hospital, and divides his time between Miami and Haiti. Originally from Port-au-Prince, Dr. Vulcain completed his MD and surgical residency in Haiti, followed by a residency in family medicine at Jackson Memorial Hospital in Miami. Dr. Vulcain has been a mentor to Konbit Sante since its beginning and provides grounding and sound advice in many areas including education, community health, and the Haitian medical system.
Emmanuela T. Norcéide Béliard, RN
In-Country Program Manager
Originally from Cap-Haitien, Mme. Béliard received her training as a licensed nurse at Université Notre Dame d’Haïti and completed post-university studies to become a specialist in community health. Prior to joining Konbit Sante, Mme. Béliard was a staff nurse, chief nurse of specialty clinics, and finally director of human resources and coordinator of external partnerships, all at Hôpital Sacré Coeur in Milot.
Dr. Michel Pierre
Director of Internal Medicine Resident Training
Dr. Pierre has run the education program in internal medicine at Justinian Hospital since 2003. He received his MD in Port-au-Prince and has completed advanced studies in gastroenterology and neurology in France and Martinique. Dr. Pierre’s presence has greatly enhanced education and patient care.
Rony Saint Fleur, MD
Pediatrician
Originally from Saint Marc, Dr. Rony Saint Fleur completed his social service year in general medicine in Gonaives and his residency in pediatrics at Justinian Hospital. Prior to joining the Konbit Sante team at Justinian, Dr. Saint Fleur spent five years at Sacre Coeur Hospital in Milot as chief of pediatrics and working with children exposed to or infected with HIV.
Dr. Paul Euclide Toussaint
Director of pediatric Resident Training
Dr. Toussaint joined the Justinian Hospital medical staff in 2000 as a staff pediatrician and specialist in neonatal intensive care. In 2005, Konbit Sante, with a grant from USAID, was able to make Dr. Toussaint a full-time pediatric educator. His teaching skills and energy are inspirational, and he has already improved the reputation of Justinian Hospital as a place to complete a pediatrics residency.
Miss Marie Invanne Vixamar Durosier
Pediatric Nurse Educator
Born in Cap-Haitien, Miss Durosier works full time on the staff of the Ecole des Infermieres Notre Dame de la Sagesse, the nursing school located on the Justinian Hospital campus. Her specific responsibilities are to train pediatric nurses, working closely with Dr. Toussaint and other members of the pediatric staff, and to improve communications and coordination between nurses and physicians.
Youseline Telemaque, MD
Obstetrician/Gynecologist
Dr. Telemaque completed her medical school at Université Quisqueya in Port-au-Prince, spent her social service year at Hôpital Sainte-Therese in Hinche, and worked at Centre Medical Beraca in Port-de-Paix before joining Konbit Sante. While doing her residency at the JUH, Dr. Telemaque played an instrumental role in the needs assessment on women’s health issues conducted by Konbit Sante in 2006, which was foundational to many of our current efforts related to women’s health.
