2023 Highlights
2023 Keynote Speaker
Michèle Montas
Award-winning Journalist
2023 Saturday Keynote Speaker
Michèle Montas is an award-winning journalist with over twenty years’ experience at Radio HaitiInter which she directed after her husband, journalist Jean Dominique was gunned down in 2000. During her three forced exiles in New York, Michèle Montas worked in Communications for the United Nations, serving for 3 years as Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General and later as Senior Adviser to the UNMission in Haiti. She has served since as a consultant for the UN.
She is a 2002 recipient of the Maria Moors Cabot Prize for excellence in reporting from Columbia University( NY) and a 2003 recipient of the Reporters Without Borders’ Prize for the Defense of Freedom of the Press (Paris). In 2005, she also received the Percy Qoboza award from the National Association of Black journalists. She holds a BA degree from the University of Maine, an MS degree from Columbia University’s School of Journalism and an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from the University of Maine.
Brunch
Special Remarks
Karine Jean-Pierre
Press Secretary & Assistant to the President
2023 Sunday Brunch Keynote Speaker
Karine Jean-Pierre is currently the Press Secretary and Assistant to the President. She is the first Black person and first openly queer person to serve as the White House Press Secretary. Karine is a long-time advisor to President Biden, having served in senior communication and political roles in the Biden Administration, the Biden campaign, and in the Obama Administration.
Prior to her role on the campaign, she served as Chief Public Affairs Officer for MoveOn.org and an NBC and MSNBC Political Analyst. Jean-Pierre served as Regional Political Director for the White House Office of Political Affairs during the Obama-Biden administration and as Deputy Battleground States Director for President Obama’s 2012 re-election campaign. She served as Southeast Regional Political Director for President Obama’s 2008 campaign, Deputy Campaign Manager for Martin O’Malley for President, Campaign Manager for the ACLU’s Reproductive Freedom Initiative, and Deputy Chief of Staff and Director of Legislative and Budget Affairs for two members in the New York City Council.
Previously, she worked at the Center for Community and Corporate Ethics, pushing major companies to change their business practices, and is a published author. Born in Martinique and raised in New York, Jean-Pierre is a graduate of Columbia University.
Gessica Geneus
Award-winning Actress and Director (2021 Freda, 2017 Douvan Jou Ka Leve, and 2002 Barikad)
2023 Fireside Chat
Généus Gessica is an actress, singer and director from Haiti. She began her career when she was 17 years old. After the earthquake in 2010 she became actively involved in the re-construction of her country and she started working for the United Nations. She then won a scholarship to study at Acting International in Paris.
She returned to Haiti and created her own production company, Ayizian Productions, to develop her own work. Between 2014 and 2016 she directed Vizaj Nou, a series of short portraits of major figures from contemporary Haitian society. In 2017, her documentary film Douvan Jou Ka Leve (The Day Will Dawn) won seven awards and it continues to be shown around the world. Freda is her first feature film.
Featuring
DJ Kemissa
Brunch DJ
Chef Valery Abraham
Brunch Chef
2023 Speakers & Performers
Magalie Laguerre-Wilkinson
Saturday M.C. Vice President News Programming at Nickelodeon + Executive Producer, Nick News
Martine St-Victor
Sunday M.C. General Manager, Edelman
Dr. Solanges Vivens
Author, Visionary Business Leader
Daphne Valcin
CEO, Executive Coach, Corporate Trainer, Daphne Valcin Coaching, Inc.
Kya Pierre-Dawkins
Student, Boston University
Thajhea Desir
Senior at Howard University
Marsha Webb
CEO, New Century Tax & Planning
Regine Francois Williams
Managing Attorney, Francois William Legal LLC
Swanellie Paulin
AAMS®,CEPA, CRPC® | Financial Advisor | Edward Jones
Karen Andre
Moderator, Associate Director for Consumer Education and External Affairs at the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB)
Dominique Anglade
Coleader of the sustainable transition office at HEC Montréal and Cofounder of KANPE Foundation, HEC Montréal and KANPE Foundation
Régine Chassagne
Co-Founder, KANPE Foundation
Dr. Gina Guillaume-Joseph
Chief Technical Officer, Government, Workday
Dr. Joanne Hyppolite
African Diaspora Curator, Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
Guerdy Abraira
TV, Personality, Real Housewives of Miami, Event Planner Extraordinaire, Cancer Warrior
Tamara B. Rodriguez
Entrepreneur, health and wellness ambassador, speaker, and author
Linda Duverné
Conscious Connector of Community Healing (Mental Health Professional), NYC DOHMH | Charlie Health
Marie Pereira
Legal Analyst, Former Prosecutor, Criminal Defense Attorney, Registered Nurse
Johann Alexis Bounouni
Founder and CEO of Gestion Etudes Comptabilité Audit (GECA)
Dayanne Danier
Creative Director and Owner of Bien Abyé
Dana François
Haiti Program Officer, W.K. Kellogg Foundation
Marie Maud Nazon Laplanche
Owner, Mind body Ayiti / Jardin de Theo / Clinique Orlo
Margarette C. Graham
First Vice-President, ProFin President of Volleyball Haitian Federation and Treasurer of Centre d’Art
Marie-Louise Jean
Owner, Nourish
Thamar Harrigan
Host Committee Chair, International Trade Attorney
Sabine Manigat
Sociologist, Professor, and Researcher, Haiti's Quisqueya University
Monique Clesca
Moderator, International Development Consultant, Haiti Pro-democracy Advocate
Marie-Marguerite B. Clérié
President of L' Association Professionnelle d'Ecoles Privées -APEP
Maureen Jules-Perez
Divisional CIO, People Tech & Head of Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging (DIB), Capital One
Stacey Samuel
Moderator, Executive Producer/CEO, Ground-To-Sky Media
Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick
U.S. House of Representative
Dotie Joseph
Moderator, State Representative Of District 108 North Miami, Florida
Charnette Frederic
Nhaeon’s Chairwoman, Councilwoman At Large 2nd Vice President Of The Council, Irvington, New Jersey
Mary Estime-Irvin
Nhaeon’s Chair Elect, Vice Mayor Of District 3, North Miami, Florida
Vanessa Joseph
Nhaeon’s Vice Chair, City Clerk, North Miami, Florida
Jasmine Muenz
Yoga Teacher/Lifestyle Consultant, The Individual Soul
Lotus Baker
Tribe Leader, Peace Love Art Yoga, LLC
Pauline Jean
Jazz/World vocalist, Composer
Christ Maika Joachim
Dancer, Xpressionayiti
Linda Isabelle Francois Obas
Artist, Choreographer, XPression
Joel and Mushy Widmaier
Accomplished pianist-keyboardist-composer and drummer/vocalist
WEEKEND AGENDA
Friday, October 6
A three-day experience packed with inspirational speakers, celebrations of Haitian culture, the 18th annual signature brunch, and endless networking!
1:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Dr. Joanne Hyppolite
African Diaspora Curator, Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture
3:00 PM - 7:30 PM
West Registration Desk
5:00 PM - 5:30 PM
Empire Ballroom
5:30 PM - 7:00 PM
Empire Patio & Hammock Lawn
Pauline Jean
Joël Widmaier
Mushy Widmaier
Johnbern Thomas
Gérald Kébreau
7:00 PM - 10:00 PM
Ambassador Room
Saturday, October 7
6:30 AM - 5:00 PM
West Registration Desk
7:00 AM - 8:00 AM
Palladium
Speaker:
Jasmine Muenz
Yoga Teacher, Lifestyle Consultant, The Individual Soul
7:30 AM - 9:00 AM
8:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Ambassador Ballroom
8:00 AM - 9:00 AM
Congressional A
Speaker:
Marie-Louise Jean
Owner, Nourish
8:00 AM - 10:00 PM
Hammond
8:00 AM - 8:30 AM
Whova App
Speaker:
Lotus Baker
Tribe Leader, Peace Love Art Yoga, LLC
8:30 AM - 9:00 AM
Empire Ballroom
9:30 AM - 10:00 AM
Regency
10:00 AM - 10:30 AM
Regency
Keynote Speaker:
Michèle Montas
Media consultant 2011, Senior Adviser to the Special Representative of the United Nations Secretary-General to Haiti, 2010-2011, Spokesperson for the United Nations Secretary General 2007-2009, Chief editor Radio Haiti (1987-2003), United Nations (retired), Radio Haiti
10:30 AM - 12:30 PM
Regency
Speakers:
Monique Clesca
International Development Consultant
Sabine Manigat
Sociologist, Professor, and Researcher, Haiti's Quisqueya University
Marie-Marguerite B. Clérié
President of L' Association Professionnelle d'Ecoles Privées -APEP
Margarette C. Graham
First Vice-President, ProFin President of Volleyball Haitian Federation and Treasurer of Centre d’Art
1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
Regency
Speakers:
Dominique Anglade
Co-leader of the sustainable transition office at HEC Montréal and Cofounder of KANPE Foundation, HEC Montréal and KANPE Foundation
Régine Chassagne
KANPE Foundation
Karen Andre
Founding Member, HLN
2:30 PM - 4:00 PM
Palladium
Speakers:
Marsha Webb
CEO, New Century Tax and Planning
Swanellie Paulin
AAMS®,CEPA, CRPC® | Financial Advisor | Edward Jones
Regine Williams, Esq.
Managing Attorney, Francois William Legal LLC
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Cabinet
Speaker:
Daphne Valcin
Chief Executive Officer, Executive Coach, Corporate Trainer, Daphne Valcin Coaching, Inc.
Kya Pierre-Dawkins
Student, Boston University
Thajhea Desir
Haitian Ladies Network
2:30 PM - 3:30 PM
Regency
Speaker:
Guerdy Abraira
TV, Personality, Real Housewives of Miami, Event Planner Extraordinaire, Cancer Warrior
2:30 PM - 4:00 PM
Forum
Moderator:
Dana Francois
Program Officer, W.K. Kellogg Foundation
Speakers:
Johann Alexis Bounouni
CEO, GECA
Marie Maud Nazon Laplanche
Owner, Mind Body Ayiti | Jardin de Theo | Clinique Orlo
Margarette C. Graham
First Vice President, PROFIN
Dayanne Danier
Creative Director/CEO, Bien Abye
3:30 PM - 4:30PM
Speakers:
Maureen Jules-Perez
Divisional CIO, People Tech & Head of Diversity, Inclusion and Belonging (DIB)
Gina Guillaume-Joseph, PhD
Chief Technology Officer - Government, Workday
3:30 PM - 4:30 PM
Speaker:
Dr. Solanges Vivens
CEO, Vivens Media Group
3:30 PM - 5:00 PM
Congressional
Speakers:
Linda Duverné
NYC DOHMH | Charlie Health, Conscious Connector of Community Healing (Mental Health Professional)
Gladys Longchamp
Manager, Finance and Administration, The World Bank (retired)
5:15 PM - 5:45 PM
Regency
6:30 PM - 8:30 PM
Palladium
Speakers:
Linda Isabelle Francois Obas
XPression, Artist, Choreographer
Christ Maika Joachim
Dancer, Xpressionayiti
Drummers: Jean Menesky Magloire, Ernst Junior Blanc, Jean Mary Brignol
What to Wear: loose-fitting clothes (anything you can move freely in), Haitian folklore dance attire, and no shoes (barefoot).
*Grab Dinner with old and new friends and get a taste of the DC nightlife.
Sunday, October 8
7:00 AM - 1:00 PM
7:00 AM - 9:00 AM
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
Congressional A
Speaker:
Linda Isabelle Francois Obas
XPression, Artist, Choreographer
7:30 AM - 8:30 AM
Palladium
Speaker:
Christ Maïka Joachim
Dancer, Xpressionayiti
7:30 AM - 8:00 AM
Whova App
Speaker:
Lotus Baker
Tribe Leader, Peace Love Art Yoga, LLC
8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
8:00 AM - 2:30 PM
Ambassador Ballroom
10:30 AM - 11:30 AM
Empire Ballroom
Speakers:
Charnette Frederic
Councilwoman at Large, Irvington NJ Chairwoman, National Haitian American Elected Officials Network (NHAEON)
Dotie Joseph
Florida House Minority Leader Pro Tempore State Representative, District 108
Mary Estimé-Irvin
Vice Mayor North Miami, FL Chair-Elect, National Haitian American Elected Officials Network (NHAEON)
Congresswoman Sheila Cherfilus-McCormick
U.S. House of Representatives
District 20
Vanessa Joseph
North Miami City Clerk, Catholic Legal Services Immigration Attorney
Vice Chair, National Haitian American Elected Officials Network (NHAEON)
12:00 PM - 4:00 PM
Regency
Mistress of Ceremony:
Martine St-Victor
General Manager, Edelman Montréal
There’s more!
Marketplace curated by Bien Abyé
HOTEL
OMNI HOTEL
2500 CALVERT ST NW
WASHINGTON, DC 20008
Stay at our host hotel, the Omni Shoreham Hotel for a discounted nightly rate of $199!
*Valid until September 22nd.
PARKING
Valet Parking is available at Omni Shoreham Hotel for $55/day per vehicle.
Partnership Opportunities
Opportunities start at the $1,000 Patron level for two all-weekend tickets plus the option of honoring a special Haitian lady in your life or including your business in the HLN business listing. Contact [email protected] to learn more.