LEADERSHIP

Emmanuel Saturnin François, MD, MPH, a General Surgeon, practicing in Baltimore MD, is one of the five original founding members of the Haitian Medical Association Abroad, better known by its French acronym AMHE. After its New York State incorporation in 1974 and following legal counsel advice and recommendation to have a separately incorporated organization dedicated to philanthropic activities, Dr Francois was elected to be, among the founding members, the one in charge of creating and shepherding the charitable organization. As such, he had been intimately connected with the AMHE Foundation since its incorporation in Illinois in June 1976. He rose in rank from being the initial General Secretary of the Board of Directors to become its third and longest serving chairman, overseeing many years of development and several name changes, until the present one was adopted in 1996. As member of the AMHE Foundation Board of Directors from the beginning, Dr. Francois activities within the AMHE have been closely intertwined with those of the AMHE Foundation for almost five decades. In June 2019, under his leadership, the Foundation was reorganized to be more adaptive to the new realities facing healthcare delivery in general and the health disparities of our constituencies in particular. He was again reelected chairman of the AMHE Foundation Board of Directors after the reorganization. Dr. Francois has chaired the AMHE Convention Committee in 1986 and 2012 both in Norfolk, VA. At the local level, he served on the board of directors of the AMHE Baltimore Washington Chapter and was a BW Chapter delegate to the AMHE Board of Directors. In addition to his leadership roles in AMHE and AMHE Foundation, in the 1980’s Dr. Francois was a member of the Board of Directors of the Medical and Chirurgical Faculty of Maryland and of the Baltimore City Medical Society, the State and the City branches of the American medical Association. He is still an AMA member. Dr. François received his bachelor’s degree in arts in his native Port-au-Prince, Haiti from College Saint Louis de Gonzague. He graduated MD from the State University of Haiti Medical School in 1964 and did a Surgical Pathology training at the same university during the following two years. During that time, He was also Instructor of Histology and Histopathology at the University. He then moved to New York City for internship and residency training in Surgery at the Harlem Hospital Center Campus of Columbia University. In 1989, he received a Master of Public Health Degree from George Washington University in Washington DC. During a hiatus in his surgical training, Dr. Francois was a Major in the US Army and served as physician both in Vietnam and at Fort Bragg, NC. He is presently affiliated with the Baltimore Chapter of the Vietnam Veteran Association. Dr. Francois resides in Columbia, MD with his spouse, Edda who is a retired Nurse. They have three children. A son has an MBA from Georgetown University and started his professional life as an investment banker. Their daughter, a Doctor in Education from Harvard University, is presently Professor at Towson University in Maryland.

I was still in training in Surgery at the Jewish Hospital and Medical Center in Brooklyn when I attended my first AMHE meeting, the very first Assembly of the Haitian Medical Association at Harlem Hospital New-York in 1972. I have since completed this phase of my career. It all started at the University of Haiti, School of Medicine, from where I graduated at the top of my class in 1968. I began my surgical training at the University Hospital in Port-au-Prince and completed it at the Jewish Hospital and Medical Center in Brooklyn New-York in 1976. Professional achievements Over the years thereafter, I was certified four times by the American Board of Surgery,1979/1988,1998,2008 and became a Fellow of the American College of Surgeons in 1982 All along I have maintained a private practice in General, Oncological, Laparoscopic and Bariatric Surgery for over 40 years, in Voorhees New-Jersey. Leadership roles I have assumed various leadership roles, as Representative of the Commission on Cancer of the College of Surgeons at the Virtua Health System, and Monitor of the Tumor Board at this institution Associate Director of the Section of General Surgery Camden Division, Associate Director of the sub-section of Bariatric Surgery at Our Lady of Lourdes Hospital, responsible for transitioning the program from the open approach to the laparoscopic technique. President of the West Jersey Medical Society whose membership was made of the physicians attendings of the West Jersey Hospital System Founder and President of the South Jersey Medical Association, composed of minority Physicians with their primary goal to address the common problems of their communities. President and Trustee of the Haitian Medical Association (AMHE), As President of the AMHE, I spearheaded numerous initiatives including the Visiting Professor Program in Haiti, the publication of the Scientific Journal of the AMHE, and the opening of our office in Brooklyn. As a Trustee, I manage to collect the necessary funds for the integration of an Executive director in our organization. President of the AMHE Foundation. This trajectory has finally taken me to the Foundation where our philanthropic activities with donations of supplies and local missions are mostly oriented toward our native country: Haiti. With the current dislocation of the country, the challenges are greater, the needs are amplifying and the resources scared or never enough. Awards My achievements were recognized early on then by a group representative of the inhabitants of City of Camden. I was honored with an Award, for my contribution to the improvement of care in this community. I was further recognized for my leadership, by my peers, my colleagues of the class of 68 and by the AMHE organization, Teaching appointments My debut in teaching started back to my time at the School of Medicine State University of Haiti as I was selected to teach in the Anatomy Department, for two years. I later had the opportunity to organize, with the Scientific committee of the New-York Chapter, the very first preparation course within the Association for the ECFMG exam designed to provide acceptance of our foreign graduates into the system. From the first Convention of the New-Jersey Chapter which I was spearheading, a tradition was established as the Scientific Program of this AMHE convention was the first one ever to be accredited by the AMA (American Medical Association). It was a precursor of the large success known by the AMHE over the years with its lectures. In subsequent years, the Scientific Commission of the AMHE has retained me as member of their faculty, providing a valuable pool of speakers in various disciplines to enhance the annual conventions of the AMHE and to contribute to the esteemed educational program for which the AMHE is renowned. Administrative Functions I was also kept in the ranks of The Central Executive Committee of the AMHE for about a decade, first as Secretary and then as President for two terms, during which we have installed a lot of novelties in this Association through its growing years. Throughout my professional journey, I have been propelled by a deep sense of commitment to clinical excellence, the advancement of medical science and the welfare of my community, taking every opportunity to foster education, collaboration, innovation and collective progress.

Louis J. Auguste, MD is a surgical oncologist practicing on the North Shore of Long Island, New York. A graduate of the State University of Haiti School of Medicine, he completed his training in General Surgery at the Long Island Jewish Medical Center and a Sub-specialty in Surgical Oncology and Head and neck Surgery at The Roswell Park Memorial Cancer Institute, in Buffalo, NY. He also obtained a Masters degree in Public Health at Columbia University. Over the years, Dr. Auguste has published over 75 articles and abstracts in peer-reviewed medical journals. He has risen to the rank of Clinical Professor of Surgery at the Zucker Hofstra-Northwell School of Medicine. He has widely lectured both nationally and internationally, namely at Umberto Polyclinic I in Rome and at the University of Padua, Italy. Dr. Auguste enjoys teaching medical students and surgical residents and mentoring young students considering a career in Medicine. He has been named Surgical Attending of the Year four times. He served as President of the LIJ Medical Staff Society and secretary of the LIJ Medical Board. For the past 37 years, Dr. Auguste has been active in the Medical Society of the State of New York and the American Medical Association. He has served as president of the Queens County Medical Society, Trustee and Chair of the Board of Trustees of the same society. He is currently a MSSNY delegate to the American Medical Association and Vice-chair of the NY delegation to the AMA.. He was elected President of the New York Chapter of the AMHE in January 2008. He developed a program of academic support to the Justinien University Hospital in 2009. Four days after the earthquake of January 12, 2010, Dr. Auguste led a group of 107 health professionals who were deployed in the General Hospital (HUEH). For his humanitarian efforts in times of disaster, he was awarded the MSSNY President Award. For his work in Haiti and in the New York Community, Dr. Auguste has been honored by numerous civic, humanitarian, religious and professional organizations as well as different county, state, and National Legislators, etc... He has been named a TOP Doctor on Long Island, NY for the past 30 years by Castle & Connelly. He was recognized as one of the Long Island Physician Heroes of 2010 by the Long Island Business News. For his humanitarian activities, Dr. Auguste was inducted in the Gold Humanism Honor Society and for all his activities and services at Long Island Jewish Medical Center, he received a LIFE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD in 2016 and the OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION PRESIDENTIAL AWARD in 2024 at Northwell Health. Dr. Auguste never forgot his roots and has been involved in or led many movements on behalf of the country, including the marches to protest the illegal gun trafficking to Haiti on May 18, 2023 and the demonization of Haitian migrants on September 18, 2024. In January 2023, he brought together a coalition of like-minded physicians to create the Mc Cune Smith-Cordice Medical Society, a chapter of the National Medical Association, to support Black physicians in the community and in Academia, to mentor the younger generation of physicians and promote good health practice in the underserved communities. When he is not busy taking care of patients, Dr. Auguste enjoys most spending time with family and friends. He is an avid reader and writer, passionate about World History and Literature. His favorite sports include tennis and scuba diving.

Doctor Daniel Faustin is the Treasurer of the AMHE Foundation. He has served as the President of the Board of the New York’s chapter of the Association of Haitian Physicians Abroad (AMHE), and as the Treasurer of its Central Executive Committee. Dr Faustin is the Director of Maternal Fetal Medicine and of Fetal and Gynecologic Ultrasonography in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at Wyckoff Heights Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York. Dr Faustin has been active in numerous initiatives aiming at improving the living conditions of Haitian communities in Haiti and its diaspora, an ideal embodied in the activities of the Haitian Pathway Forward (HPF), of which he is a founding member and Chairman of the Board. He is the President of the Board of Directors of the Lamandou Waterview Hotel S.A.in Jacmel, Haiti, and the Vice-President of its parent company SIMACT Inc/SA. He has served as an Executive member of the Board of Directors of Banque de l’Union Haitienne (BUH), historically the first privately owned banking institution of the Republic of Haiti. Doctor Faustin, believes in the ability of the Haitian diaspora to contribute to the development of Haiti not just in humanitarian endeavors, but especially in fair and inclusive business practices to bring the country to competitive levels with its homologues in the Caribbean region.

Serge Bontemps MD, born in Jeremie, Grand-Anse Haiti, graduated from the Faculte de Medecine et de Pharmacie de l’Universite d’Etat d’Haiti in July 1965.After 18 months of Residency Training in OBGYN at the Justinien Hospital in Cap Haitien, he served as Director of the Department of OBGYN of the Hospital St. Charles, Gonaives for the last six months of the Residency program. Married in Cap-Haitien in September 1967, he migrated to Brooklyn, NY in December 1967 for additional training, a Rotating internship at St. John’s Episcopal Hospital January to December 1968, Surgical assistant January 1969 to June at St. Mary’s Hospital and Residency in Radiology July 1969 to June 1972 at Jewish Medical Center in Brooklyn. Dr. Bontemps attended the first meeting of the AMHE, in Harlem Hospital in 1972. He was elected 1st Assistant Secretary of the Central Executive Committee (CEC) at its first Convention at Hotel Bonaventure in Montreal, Canada, in 1974 American Labor Day weekend. He went on to become thereafter the 1st elected General Secretary, and then Treasurer-Secretary; then 1st Vice- President of the Central Executive Committee in July 1993 and President in 1997. He participated in the creation of the New Jersey Chapter in October 1988 and remained its Treasurer for 6 years. He has remained devoted to his beloved city of Jeremie and provided support for the St Antoine Hospital for many years, particularly in times of disasters. He is currently a Member of the Board of Directors of the AMHE Foundation. He has worked as an Attending Radiologist at Jersey City Medical Center from July 1972 to October 1986 and at Bayonne Hospital from November 1986 to December 2003. He is presently retired from the practice of medicine. During his active career, his skills included Special Procedures, such as Pneumo-encephalogram, nuclear study for normal pressure hydrocephaly, Pelvic pneumogram. Long live the AMHE!

Dr Rita Bellevue attended Medical School in Port au Prince, Haiti. She completed her Internship and Residency in Internal Medicine in Coney Island Hospital, a Fellowship in Hematology (pediatric and adult) in Brooklyn Jewish Hospital and a year of Research in Hemoglobinopathy at SUNY Downstate. Dr Bellevue spent her Professional life in 2 Institutions: Brooklyn Jewish /Interfaith Medical Center for 17 years, and Brooklyn Methodist Hospital for 20 years. She has been involved in Key Studies sponsored by the National Institute of Health and various Pharmaceutical Companies. She is credited for 2 successful comprehensive programs per excellence for children, adolescents and adults with sickle cell disease and thalassemia. She coordinated with New York State 2 successful and well-organized newborn screening programs, with focus in the education of the parents of the newborns diagnosed with hemoglobin trait. Her true passion was for her patients, the teams she worked with in both Institutions and the teaching of hematology, particularly hemoglobinopathies and thalassemia. She received many awards including Teacher of the Year award at New York Methodist Hospital, and the Lifetime Achievement Award from the Sickle Cell Thalassemia Patient Network. She is an Honorary Member of the Department of Medicine and Emeritus Chief of The Sickle Cell Program at New York Presbyterian Brooklyn Methodist Hospital. She is a member of the AMHE, the Grassroots network of the American Society of Hematology, the American College of Physicians, the American Association of Blood Banks and Biotherapies, the American Medical Association and the Medical Society of the State of New York. She is actively involved with CASEGHA, the Association of Former Scouts and Guides of Haiti. She is the main Coordinator of the Sickle Cell Advisory Connection of New York whose members are made of Physicians, Nurses, Social Workers, Health Educators, Patients and their families. She is an elected member of the Board of Directors of the AMHE Foundation. For Dr. Bellevue, Sickle Cell Disease is a Cause worth fighting for. As a strong advocate, her dream is to see develop in Haiti at the national level a Newborn Screening for sickle cell disease and sickle cell trait, a general screening, along with the establishment of comprehensive care for infants, children, adolescents, and adults with these conditions, reinforced with national education.

Dr. Ernst Garcon is board certified in diagnostic radiology with a certificate of added qualification in neuroradiology. He is an associate professor of radiology at Columbia University Irving Medical Center (CUIMC) and an attending radiologist at NewYork-Presbyterian Hospital. In addition to his clinical responsibilities, he also teaches and supervises neuroradiology fellows, radiology residents and medical students. Dr. Garcon receive his medical degree from the State University of Haiti Faculte de Medecine et de Pharmacie after completing his undergraduate studies at College Notre-Dame du Perpetuel Secours in Cap-haitien, Haiti. He completed several residency and fellowship trainings at the General Hospital in Port-au-Prince, Metropolitan Hospital in New York, Long Island College Hospital State University of New York and New York Presbyterian Hospital in New York. Dr. Garcon has extensive global health experiences leading to significant improvements for diagnostic imaging in Haiti. In partnership with several global health foundations and organizations, he helped to develop Haiti's new radiology residency program and is currently assisting with development of the first radiologic technologist school at the State University of Haiti. He has also organized and provided on-site radiology education for physicians and residents at the State University of Haiti Hospital in Port au Prince and has hosted several externships for Haitian residents at Columbia. Dr. Garcon is also the chair of the Department of Radiology's Diversity Committee at CUIMC, promoting the recruitment and development of minority faculty. His work is focused on inspiring young students with disenfranchised backgrounds who are interested in medicine and wish to pursue a career in radiology. He is a member of the Association Medical Haitienne a l’Etranger, Radiological Society of North America, American College of Radiology, American Society of Neuroradiology, Association of University Radiologists and the American Society of Spine Radiology.

Dr Titus Pompey graduated from the Haitian State University in Port Au Prince, Haiti with a laureate in clinical practice in 1980 . She then practiced privately with her father, Founder and President of the Haitian Pediatric Society. Upon immigrating to the US, she completed a Pediatric Residency at Harlem Hospital in June 1989 She later did a fellowship in Pediatric Ambulatory Medicine at the Nassau Medical Center (N.U.M.C) And received special training in the evaluation of abused children. she joined the Pediatric Faculty at Nassau University Medical Center and served as a Pediatric Attending in both the Outpatient Department and on the In - Patient Services. Dr Pompey was the Coordinator of Ambulatory Care Medicine at Nassau University Medical Center for 15 years. As such, she was closely involved in the Orientation and daily bedside teaching of Residents, Medical students, Family Practice students, and Nurse Practitioners. She oversaw the Ambulatory Medicine Teaching Curriculum. And supervised the Ambulatory Fellows teaching activities. She lectured on Immunizations, General Pediatrics, Travel Medicine, and Child Abuse She initiated and ran the pediatric Travel Clinic at NUMC. As a senior member of the Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect Team, she functioned as a Consultant for the Department of Pediatrics. As such, she evaluated children in the Pediatric In – Patient and Out -Patient Services, Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and the Burn Unit. She also evaluated Patients referred from the private sector and neighboring Medical Institutions and maintained Competency as a Child Abuse Expert in the Court System. She moved on to become the director of the Child Advocacy Center (C.A.C.) at Bronx Lebanon Hospital Center for two years. She returned to NUNC as an Attending Physician in Community Pediatrics in July 2008. In July 2009, she became the Director of the Suspected Child Abuse and Neglect Program, a member of the Nassau County Child Fatality Team ( C.F.R.T ) and a Provider of The Child Abuse Mandated Reporter Training for New York State . Dr Pompey currently works for Office of Mental Health. As a natural Continuum of her lifelong career, she dedicates herself to providing care and Hope to children with history of extensive trauma, supporting their Recovery. She enjoys spending quality time with her husband and children, and is a long- term resident of Long island, New York.