Laurent Salvador Lamothe is a Haitian political figure who served in the government of Haiti as Minister of Foreign Affaires from October 2011, before being appointed Prime Minister in May 2012. He is one of Dr. Louis G. Lamothe’s sons. After obtaining a Bachelor’s degree in Political Science at Barry University in Miami, Florida, in 1996, he enrolled in Saint Thomas University in Miami Gardens, Florida, where he earned a Master’s degree in Business Management. Two years later, he founded the telecommunications company, Global Voice Group (GVG) with his business partner, Patrice Baker. At GVG, he introduced telecoms governance technologies that allow regulatory agencies in Africa to manage the sector in terms of traffic control, tariff equity and transparency. This earned him the Ernst & Young “Entrepreneur of the Year” Award in May 2008. On 7 November 2014, Laurent Lamothe received, in Miami, the Innovative Leader of the Year Award at the BRAVO Business Awards established by the Latin Trade Group.

• Born on 4 July 1963 in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Ruben Lamothe completed his primary and secondary schooling at the Saint Louis de Gonzague Institution. He obtained a Bachelor’s degree from the University of Michigan and a Master’s Degree from Florida International University in Hispanic literature and in translatology. He has been the Director of the Lope de Vega Institute since November 1999.
After being Haiti’s national tennis champion from 1980 to 1982, he played at a professional level from 1986 until 1992 when he won a title in double’s tennis with Bertrand Lacombe in Durango, Mexico. He represented Haiti in 76 countries on the 5 continents, and at the Davis Cup from 1988 to 1992. He took on the role of Captain of the Haitian Cup Davis team from 1992 to 1993 and from 1993 to 2011. He is the owner and founder of the “Lamothe” Tennis Academy in Miami.
In 2012, he was appointed as Goodwill Ambassador and Special Envoy to Latin America and Alba by the Martelly/Lamothe government.

Born in Jérémie, Haiti, Marie-Carmelle Rose-Anne Auguste has been a human rights activist since her youth. She obtained a diploma in nursing in 1998, after which she trained in social work at Haiti’s State University, in Port-au-Prince (1992-1994). She also holds a Master’s degree in Health Services Management (1999-2001), as well as a Doctorate in Applied Social Sciences (2004), both from Montreal University.

She was honored as one of the world’s 100 heroines in Rochester (USA) in 1998, and was awarded the Reebok Human Rights Award in Boston, USA in 1994. In 2005, she was one of the 1000 women selected globally to receive the Peace Nobel Prize. Her tireless commitment to promoting the respect of human rights led her to accept, at government level, the post as Minister in charge of Human Rights and of the Fight against Extreme Poverty, which she occupied from May 2012 to January 2015, under the government of Laurent Salvador Lamothe.

Mrs. Auguste is the mother of two grown-up children: a son, Mandela, and a daughter, Kwame. She is also a keen singer.

Elizabeth Borno a laissé Haití en 1989 pour s’installer à Porto Rico. Elle a reçu son diplôme en finances Summa Cum Laude à l’Université Interamericana en 1994. La même année elle a débuté sa carrière professionnelle dans le monde des finances comme stock broker dans la firme de renommée mondiale Charles Schwab. La maternité amène Elizabeth à prendre une pause pour d’élever ses filles, Natasha et Bianca. C’est au cours de ces années en tant que mère de famille qu’Elizabeth a commencé à travailler comme volontaire avec des groupes d’action afin de promouvoir des solutions stratégiques pour la transformation sociale d’Haïti.

En 2004, Elizabeth se joint à la Fundacion Civica Haitiano-Caribeno dans le but de porter des secours humanitaires aux victimes des inondations catastrophiques aux Gonaïves et devient par la suite un membre actif de cette institution. Elle est invitée ensuite à faire partie de l’organisation Friends of Haïti dont l’objectif est de promouvoir la défense des droits de l’enfant et mettre fin à la domesticité des enfants en Haïti. Elizabeth a travaillé également dans la campagne de financement au profit de l’école modèle de La Gonâve, Matenwa Community Learning Center. En 2010, elle collabore avec l’organisation Haïti Se Pone De Pie, groupe de médecins orthopédiques, chirurgiens et prothésistes, qui ont offert leurs services aux victimes du séisme. En 2014, Elizabeth est nommée consul, sans portefeuille. Elle œuvre dans la défense des intérêts des ressortissants Haïtiens vivant à Porto Rico sur toutes les questions d’intérêt général et, en particulier, en ce qui a trait aux domaines socio-économique et consulaire.

En 2016, Elizabeth est nommée directrice intérim de Alianza Puertorriqueña Solidaria con Haïti, une organisation qui rassemble 40 groupes humanitaires Portoricains. C’est sous sa direction qu’un effort massif est entrepris pour l’envoi d’une barge d’aide humanitaire destinée aux victimes de l’ouragan Matthew ainsi que trois missions médicales à Saint Louis du Sud, Jérémie et Port-au-Prince. C’est aussi cette même année qu’Elizabeth s’intègre à la Fondation Louis G. Lamothe. Elle y facilite le partenariat entre l’école Baldwin de Porto Rico et le Centre de Formation Classique de Panyol. Sa passion et son amour pour Haïti ont toujours été à la fois les piliers et sa principale motivation pour aider avec dévouement ses concitoyens en Haïti et à l’étranger.

Appointed to the position of Minister of Tourism from October 2011 to March 2016, Stephanie B. Villedrouin became the youngest member of the Presidential Cabinet and the youngest person in Haiti to be nominated to that position.

Education
She attended a Catholic School as a young girl then continued her studies in the Dominican Republic at the Puntificie Universidad Madre y Maestra. Her field of choice was Hotel Management and Tourism.

Experience in the Field of TourismWhile being a student, Villedrouin worked in a Tour Operator agency, Airep Tours. Responsible for the French market, she organized all of the logistics for transfers, lodging and excursions during the stay of the visitors in la Romana and Punta Cana. She was part of the first team that opened Hotel Nicolas de Ovando located in the Zona Colonial of Santo Domingo where she worked in the catering and events department. After her studies, she managed an Eco tourism hotel located in the mountains of Haiti called Le Montcel. During that time, she was an active board member of the Haitian Tourism Association: she organized the first National Tourism Fair to boost local tourism, organized investment conferences, and traveled to the different International Fairs to promote Haiti as a touristic destination. After the devastating earthquake of 2010, she moved to the USA (Miami) for 3 months, where she opened a restaurant called Dadou’s. A year later, she opened a similar restaurant in the capital of Haiti, Port au Prince. She also served the community by becoming a volunteer teacher at the University of Quisqueya, teaching marketing and events.

Her way into Politics
She started as an advisor to the President, recommended by the Tourism Association. She was part of the team that drafted the roadmap for Tourism with a detailed action plan for the 5 year mandate of the President. In addition, she elaborated the Tourism plan for the 100 first days of the President and toured the country with him to visit potential touristic sites. She was appointed Minister of Tourism in October 2011 and held this position until March 2016.

Achievements as Minister of Tourism
She has set some prestigious goals for Haiti, including positioning the country to be one of the top five destinations in the Caribbean. She based her strategy of developing the sector by changing the perception of the country, implementing an aggressive marketing campaign, promoting tourism investment to attract international hotel brands and by accompanying potential investors. Numerous agreements were signed with tour operators and specialized travel agencies. More than twenty natural and historical sites have been redeveloped as part of her efforts to promote local and international tourism. In the training field, she inaugurated the first Hospitality Training Center located in the southern cost of Haiti. She signed several agreements with international training centers to improve the curriculum, helping students in the tourism field acquire greater knowledge and better experience through education. She launched a Hibiscus classification for the Hotels as well as the Touristic Police Force.

She created the master planning for the development project of “Ile a Vache,” a paradise island on the southern tip of Haiti, which was ranked in 2013 by CNN as one of the world’s most beautiful beaches. She also created the master planning for the development project of “Cote de Fer” a pristine south cost beach destination with more then 21 km of shore. With all the PR and lobbying she did to attract international brands in Haiti, she managed to re establish the all inclusive resort concept in the country with the opening of the Decameron hotel spa and resort in December 2015. As a result, more than 2 thousand new rooms were built and tourist arrivals increased by 45 percent.

Before the end of her mandate as Minister, she drafted an important document called: « Tourism Strategic Plan 2015-2035” setting the goals for the Haitian tourism sector for the next 20 years.

After her mandate as Minister, she and two partners formed an international company called Caribbean Sun Sand and Sea Devp Gp (C3S) with the only purpose to develop master plan concepts, to execute and manage touristic destinations. She is presently working on two development projects: one located in the north and the second located in the extension of the Port au Prince bay. Her efforts have helped raise awareness amongst the public and private sectors in the tourism industry, and helped them realize the outstanding role that tourism plays in the country’s economy.

Mr. Patrice Baker holds a Master’s degree in Finance from the University of Miami. After his graduation in 1995, he worked in the banking sector and was appointed Director of the Credit Card Department of BUH (Banque de l’Union haïtienne), a position he held until 1998.
The same year, he co-founded Global Voice Group, where he held the positions of CTO and CFO until he succeeded Mr. Lamothe as the new CEO of the company in 2011.

An accomplished tennisman, Mr. Baker has been a regular participant in the Davis Cup from 1988, winning 3 singles matches and 7 doubles matches.

Tracie was born and raised in Jackson, TN. She attended University of Memphis, followed by San Francisco State University, studying Cultural Anthropology and Nutrition. Following school, she was a Nutrition Coordinator/Team Leader for Whole Foods Market in California for 12 years.

Tracie has been married to the love of her life, Scott Hamilton, since 2002. Together, they are busy raising four wonderful children, Jean Paul, Aidan, Evelyne and Maxx in Franklin, TN.

Tracie serves as an Ambassador for J/P Haitian Relief Organization (founded by actor, Sean Penn, after the devastating earthquake in Haiti). She serves on the on the Board of Directors for the Nashville Zoo. She is also an active supporter of Best Buddies, Second Harvest of Middle Tennessee, and ShowHope, in addition to Special Olympics International. She is thrilled and honored to have joined the Board of the Fondation Dr. Louis G. Lamothe, which will allow her to serve in a greater capacity in Haiti. Tracie has a strong heart for serving those in need. In living out her faith she spends a good deal of time throughout the year in Haiti, serving the people she has come to love.

Ricardo Olloqui is the President and co-founder of Business Telecommunications Services (BTS). He is responsible for customer relations, as well as the development of new business, partnerships and BTS operations. Born in Zaragoza, Spain, in 1974, he studied Business Administration and Management at St. Thomas University (Miami).He has received several awards. In 2001, the Spanish Chamber of Commerce in the United States named BTS « Company of the Year » and the following year, Mr. Olloqui won the « Top Young Executive » Award. In 2003 and 2005, he received the « Top Hispanic Entrepreneurs » Award of the Hispanic Trends Magazine. Recently, he received the « Golden Master Award » of the Top Management Real Forum.

Sherif S. Abdallah was born in Cairo on 18 August 1958, of an Italian mother and an Egyptian father. After completing his primary and secondary studies, he leaves for Washington D.C., where he obtains a diploma in Business Management from the American University. In Washington, he meets his future wife, Sabrina Léger, who permanently ties him to Haiti. In 1981, he moves to Haiti. He obtains a post at Gérard N. Léger’s insurance agency, of which he becomes a key actor. With the launch of his career in insurance, he starts to set his sights higher. He takes part in the creation of the company Les Assurances Léger S.A. (ALSA) in 1994, of which he becomes the CEO in 2011.

However, his responsibilities are not limited to insurance: in 2002, he is elected Vice-President of a property and finance company, la « Société Immobilière et Financière S.A. » (SIF), the latter being responsible for the completion of the NH Haiti El Rancho Hotel project, soon followed by the Village El Rancho project. From 2008 until 2011, he serves as Governance Member of the Haitian Red Cross.

In 2013, he is appointed Consul General of Italy in Haiti. In 2014, he becomes a founding member of the Ayiti Cherie Foundation, the purpose of which is to create wealth through the promotion of entrepreneurship. That same year, Mr. Abdallah is elected to the Sogebank’s Executive Board of Director

CEO
Mr. Thomas JACQUES has occupied the post of Minister of Agriculture from May 2012 until January 2015. Born on 2 October 1962, he holds a Master’s degree in Agricultural Economy. The reform of the agriculture sector was launched under his administration.He is known for facilitating private investment and the development of entrepreneurship in the agriculture sector, with more than six hundred million dollars. He has extensive experience of working directly with the Haitian public administration, the NGOs and the international technical assistance.His main aim is to contribute to building Haiti’s future, to help his brothers and sisters who live in poverty for having demanded the right to freedom in 1804.