Carl Darbouze holds a Bachelor Degree in Applied Mathematics and Computer Science from the University of Columbia, and a Master of Science Degree in System Engineering and Computer Science from Howard University. He has been an IT specialist for many years, and has taught computer and math classes at various universities, including Howard University, University of the District of Columbia and Georgetown University in the U.S., and the Faculté des Sciences and the Institut National d’Administration, de Gestion et des Hautes Études Internationales (“INAGHEI”) in Haiti. He has given guest lectures on IT-related subjects at the University of West Indies and for the Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie.

He is the cofounder of Turbo System S.A., an engineering information system company which is regarded as a reliable source for IT solutions in Haiti. The 35 engineers of Turbo System develop, customize and market strategic management software solutions. The company develops applications for small, medium and large enterprises and for universities.

Turbo System’s strong history and experience with cutting-edge technologies ensures successful system integration and implementation. We serve clients in a diverse range of industries, business areas and technical specifications. Turbo System has experience in the following domains:

• Application integration
• Business process automation
• Accounting system integration
• Enterprise resource planning

For the past 20 years, Turbo System has developed, on a variety of platforms, a large range of products that respond to international norms. We also offer hands-on experience to many students at Haitian universities.

Hérissé Guirand graduated with a B.Sc. in Electronic Engineering from the State University of Haiti in 1981. He earned a Master’s Degree in Information Systems Applied to Management from the University Paul Sabatier of Toulouse ( France) in 1984. He had an internship at IBM France in Quality Control Department (1984). He is an anti-money-laundering specialist. He has 30 years of experience in Education, Planning, and Information Technology.

Guirand has spent twenty years as a University Professor in Haiti (Faculté des Sciences). He has worked for the Government of Haiti in the field of Information Technology from 1984 to 1994. In 1989 he co-founded Turbo System S.A. in the fields of Engineering and Information Systems integration. In the U.S. he has worked as the Chief Information Officer of Boby Express, a Money Service business (1999-2008). He is currently a board member for the School of Engineering at the State University of Haiti where he is in charge of Administrative Affairs.

Jacky LUMARQUE graduated in Mathematics (Université Toulouse III, France).  He also holds  an MBA (Université Nice-Sophia Antipolis, France) and a Bachelor in Law (Common Law, Université Lyon III, France).  He’s the President of Université Quisqueya, Member of the Board of Directors of AUF (Agence Universitaire de la Francophonie), Member of the “Conseil Associatif”  of AUF, Member of the “Comité de Gestion”  of AUF, and Coordinator of the Presidential Working Group on Education.

Kurt Jean-Charles is an Haitian entrepreneur passionate about his country and committed to explore, promote and design innovative systems aiming objective results and positive behavioral impact.

He was born in Canada and was raised in Haiti where he obtained his master degree in Computer Science from a joint program offered by Université de Nice- Sophia Antipolis and the State University of Haiti. Before this Master degree he pursued parallel studies in Industrial engineering and Electrical engineering.

He spent a few years as software programmer and implemented a few major projects like the first phone banking system in Haiti. Then he created, in 2001, SOLUTIONS S.A., an award winning software company, that received in 2009 the Pioneers of Prosperity prize for Haiti and a distinction as one of the 10 finalists for the business competition in the Caribbean.

As CEO of SOLUTIONS S.A., Kurt defines the branding of the company as a home grown Haitian success story in-the-making, based on creativity, professionalism and responsible citizen and human values. SOLUTIONS is the first Haitian company registered as a member of the UN Global Compact and the company has demonstrated over the last years, its commitment to a set of values shared by each member of its team.

After January 12th, Kurt and his team focused all the company’s resources to design, launch and operate the Noula project (www.noula.ht) as an open source web based crisis management platform accessible to everybody through channels like a free short code call center, text messages and the internet. This platform is today adopted as the core crisis management information system of the Haitian Civil Protection Bureau and has inspired the launched of the NOULA foundation that is operating the platform and extending the usage model of the system to respond to new demand and get better prepared for future crisis.

Jocelyne Trouillot was born and raised in Haiti. After graduating from Ecole Normale Superieure in her country, she went to France to further her studies in psychology and education at Université de Bordeaux. She then moved to New York and completed a Masters in bilingual education at Long Island University . Mrs. Trouillot worked in the bilingual education field for some years teaching and developing materials for Haitian children. After the family moved to Miami she enrolled at Florida Atlantic University in order to complete her doctoral studies. For a number of years, she has been directing bilingual projects in Dade County Schools. She developed several materials for the schools in Miami until moving back to Haiti at the end of the Duvalier regime.

As many other Haitians at that time, she flew back to her homeland. She co founded Universite Caraibe. Through the university, she continues her struggle for the full use of Haitian Creole in schools. Author of several educational textbooks, she is a prolific writer of children books, having written more than 20 fiction books. She is the founder and the actual president of AYIBBY, which is the Haitian section of IBBY ( International Board on Books for Young Children). Through Ayibby and through the Universite Caraibe publishing house, she works on various reading projects.

Janin Jadotte studied mathematics at the University of Montreal and at Concordia University (Montreal).  He taught matrix calculus and numerical analysis as a lecturer at Laval University (1980-1981), at the École Polytechnique de Montréal (1981-1982 and 1984-1985) and at the Université Antilles-Guyane ( 1982-1984).

Jadotte worked as a statistician at the Haitian Institute of Statistics and Informatics.  He completed various consulting work in statistics for different organizations.

He has been teaching at the Faculty of Sciences of the State University of Haiti since 1987 (an introductory course in Probability and Statistics, and courses of Numerical Analysis). He’s a member of the Council of Directors of the Faculty of Science since 2007.

Jadotte’s hopes for the reconstruction of higher education in Haiti:
- Establish a medium-term partnership with foreign universities
- Contribute to the development of Haiti’s productive sector in different areas (botanical chemistry, computer science, energy)

In French:
Janin Jadotte a fait ses éudes universitaires de Mathématiques à l’Université de Montréal et à Concordia University (Montréal). Il a enseigné le calcul matriciel, l’analyse numérique comme chargé de cours à l’Université Laval (1980-1981), à l’Ecole Polytechnique de Montréal (1981-82 et 1984-1985) et à l’Université Antilles-Guyane (1982-1984).

Jadotte a travaillé comme statisticien à l’Institut Haïtien de Statistique et d’Informatique, et il a réalisé divers travaux de consultation en statistique pour différents organismes.

Il enseigne à la Faculté des Sciences de l’Université d’Etat d’Haïti depuis 1987 (cours d’introduction aux Probabilités et Statistiques, et cours d’Analyse Numérique).  Il  est membre du Conseil de Direction de cette Faculté depuis 2007.

Ses espoirs pour le future des universités en Haïti:
- Etablir un partenariat à moyen terme avec des universités étrangères
- Contribuer au développement du secteur productif haïtien dans différents domaines (chimie des plantes, informatique, énergie)

Raymond Noël graduated in 1980 as a civil engineer from the School of Sciences of the State University of Haiti (UEH). In 1983, he obtained a Master’s Degree in Physical Chemistry of the University Paul Sabatier of Toulouse-France. He has been a lecturer for more than 25 years, and he has more than 30 years of professional experience in teaching, project management, industry and higher education. He has served for 5 years on the Executive Board of the School of Sciences (UEH). He has long been committed to the promotion of ICT use in Haiti. In November 1999, he planned and launched the post-graduate MBDS program (Master en Bases de Données et Intégration de Systèmes) in partnership with the University of Nice Sophia-Antipolis. Back then, he was the Head Manager of two UNDP ITC-related projects. As such, Ihe made major contributions to the effectiveness of the “ht” domain management and other initiatives.  Noël is a past board member of the institutional francophone networks CITEF (Conférence Internationale des Formations d’Ingénieurs et de Techniciens d’Expression Française) and CIRUISEF (Conférence Internationale des Responsables des Universités et Institutions Scientifiques d’Expression Française). Currently  he’s the coordinator of  cooperation program between Haiti’s State University (UEH) and all francophone universities of Belgium. After January 12, 2010, he became coordinator of UEH’s international affairs at large.

Thierry Chérizard was born in Cap-Haitian, Northern Haiti, on October 26th, 1975. He grew up in this city where he went to primary and secondary schools.  In 1996 he moved to Port-au-Prince, the capital city of the country, to pursue university studies. He studied Civil engineering in the School of Engineering and Architecture at Quisqueya University and Applied Economics in the Center of Techniques for Planning and Applied Economy. He graduated from both colleges. He also holds a Master’s Degree in e-Learning Engineering from the University of Lille 1, France, and a graduate certificate in Data Analysis from the University of Maine, France.

Thierry has been working in the field of Information and Communication Technologies (ICT) for the last seven years (2003-2010). He has led several website development projects, including the site of the Haitian Association of the Economists and the site for the municipality of Belladère.  He participated in the conception of FOKAL’s website (http://www.fokal.org) and maintained it during 4 years.  In 2008, he led the implementation of FOKAL’s distance learning management system (http://www.fokalfad.org) which he still administers.  Thierry performed the role of adviser on e-governance and university scholarships manager for the office of Haiti’s Prime Minister from September 2008 to November, 2009.  He continues to work as a consultant on several ICT related projects.  At present he works as technical assistant for FOKAL. He assists FOKAL’s president in the management,  follow-up and evaluation of special projects related to Haiti’s post-earthquake reconstruction efforts. Thierry is very active in one of Fokal’s latest projects, namely the newly created  Office of University Partnership for the rebuilding of higher education in Haiti.

Pierre-André PIERRE was born in 1952 Arcahaie, Haiti, the oldest of a family of seven children. He first studied in Haiti under “Les Frères de l’Instruction Chretienne” and attended Le College Saint Martial run by “The Holy Ghost Fathers.” He studied Philosophy and Theology in Haiti at the Catholic Mayor Seminary, to be ordained a Priest in June 1979. After completing his degree in Biblical Studies at the Pontifical Biblical Institute in Rome and the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, Professor Pierre-André Pierre went back home in 1984 to teach until 1997 mostly in the formation the Priesthood. During those years Professor Pierre taught also in several High Schools in the Capital City, Port-au-Prince.

In his native Haiti, he served as the Rector of the Mayor Seminary School of Philosophy; and the Mayor Seminary School of Theology of Haiti affiliated to the Pontifical University URBANIANA of Rome. He became the Dean of Studies at the Faculty of Theology of the Mayor Seminary of Port-au-Prince.

From 1997 to the year 2003, while working on a doctoral dissertation in Biblical Studies at the Catholic University of America (CUA) of Washington DC, he was appointed the Director of the Haitian Ministry in the Archdiocese of Washington and ministered to the Haitian Community of the Greater Washington DC Area, including part of Maryland and Northern Virginia. During his stay in the City Capital, he taught New Testament studies at the Washington Theological Union, until he was called back home to Haiti in September 2003.

From July 2003 to March 2009, he served as the Secretary of the Catholic Bishop Conference of Haiti and the spokesperson for the Roman Catholic Church in the country, the voice of the Bishop Conference of Haiti.

In 2004, Pope John Paul II named Father Pierre-André PIERRE, Chaplain of His Holiness, bestowing on him the title of Monsignor. From the year 2004 until 2009, Monsignor Pierre-André PIERRE, worked also as the Pastor of the Parish of “Sacré Coeur de Turgeau”.

On February 6, 2009, Monsignor Pierre-André PIERRE was elected by the Catholic Bishop Conference of Haiti as the President of the Catholic University of Haiti “Université Notre-Dame d’Haiti, (UNDH),” which he presents, for the youth, the families and the country, as a token towards building a new society in Haiti.

Yves Armand is the Deputy General Director of NATCOM S.A. He has a degree in Electrical Engineering and an MBA from Université du Québec A Montréal.

Mr. Armand has been working at TELECO for six (6) years before it became NATCOM on September 1st, 2010 and will be helping the new Public-Private company (with 40% state) keep its goal to become the leader in the Haitian Telecom sector within the next three (3) years.

Mr. Armand is sure that with the laying of a 2nd submarine fiber optic cable linking Haiti to the outside world and the construction of five thousand (5,000) kilometers of National Backbone in Fiber Optics as specified in NATCOM’s new concession agreement, Haiti will have the necessary infra-structure to face the telecom challenges of the next fifty (50) years.

Mr. Armand will help NATCOM implement the plan-by serving as official link-to provide free internet access to over 400 Health Clinics and Hospitals around the country while also providing free high speed internet to over fourteen hundred (1400) public schools and Universities.

Mr. Armand is confident that NATCOM will play a big role in the educational development of Haiti and that the quality of service and the access it will provide will change this country and put it on the right track for sustained development.