Rooted in Haiti.

Building for the Long Term.

HEAL Haiti — Health Education Action League for Haiti — was founded in 2011 by Gretha Fievre with one clear belief: Haiti's healthcare challenges are best addressed by investing in the people who deliver care every day.

Over thirteen years, we have built programs that educate and train providers, fund nursing students, and deliver community healthcare — all in partnership with Haitian institutions and healthcare professionals. Our flagship IMPACT program has trained over 250 physicians and nurse practitioners. Our community clinics have served thousands. And our nursing scholarships have helped students who might otherwise have been forced to leave school complete their training and return to serve.

We are a small team with a large reach. 91% of our expenses go directly to programs. We operate with the trust of our partners, the generosity of our donors, and the dedication of the Haitian healthcare providers who show up every day.

"The future of Haiti is not bleak. With continued collaborative action, we can help forge its new path."

Gretha Fievre, RN, MSA, MA — Founder & Board Chair

Gretha is a distinguished nursing professional, educator, and advocate with more than four decades of experience dedicated to protecting human dignity in the United States and Haiti.

  • Throughout her career as a registered nurse and clinical instructor, she has remained a relentless advocate for the principle that healthcare is most transformative when it reaches the most underserved populations. By bridging the gap between the patient’s bedside and the academic classroom, she has sought to instill a profound love for the profession in new nurses, thereby shaping the future of global healthcare. This career-long commitment serves as the cornerstone of the Health Education Action League for Haiti (HEAL Haiti), the organization she founded to foster sustainable community health.

    The vision for HEAL Haiti was crystallized in the aftermath of the 2010 earthquake, when Ms. Fievre served as a clinical coordinator at L’Hôpital de l’Université d’État d’Haïti (L’Hôpital General). While providing emergency care, she witnessed a young boy’s innate desire to serve others as she coached him to provide custodial care to a victim. This interaction reinforced her conviction that empowering local youth to provide culturally centered healthcare within their own communities is the most effective intervention for sustainable global health delivery. Guided by this faith in community-led service, she established HEAL Haiti in 2011 to build healthcare capacity from within.

    Currently, Ms. Fievre continues to educate the next generation of nursing leaders as a faculty member at the Pace University Lienhard School of Nursing and the CUNY School of Professional Studies (SPS), while serving as the Board Chair of HEAL Haiti. Her remarkable  contributions have earned her prestigious accolades, including being named an inaugural inductee on the Haitian Roundtable’s 1804 List of Haitian-American Changemakers in 2012, recognition as a Top Registered Nurse in New York by the International Nurses Association in 2016, and the 2025 Lifetime Service Award from Association Des Ounaminthais.

    Under her leadership, HEAL Haiti continues to execute high-impact projects, including the enhancement of clinical skills for graduate healthcare providers at L’Hôpital Bienfaisance de Pignon and a strategic partnership with L’Université d’État d’Haïti. Through this collaboration, volunteer associate professors provide virtual instruction for the Master of Science in Nursing program. The organization’s work has garnered international recognition through numerous grants and a 2021 publication in the International Journal of Disaster Risk Reduction. Ms. Fievre remains devoted to her unwavering vision: fostering sustainable, internal change that ensures the long-term health and resilience of the Haitian people.

Built on Partnership

HEAL Haiti works alongside leading institutions in Haiti and the United States to deliver programs that are clinically rigorous, culturally grounded, and community-driven.

  • Hôpital Bienfaisance de Pignon

  • Johns Hopkins

  • NYU

  • Université d'État d'Haïti

  • Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine

  • Pace University

Board of Directors

Arielle Etienne

President & Executive Director

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Dr. Emmlyne Emmanuel, MD, MPH

Board Member, Chair of Operations, Haiti D

Marie Lourdes Charles, EdD, RN-BC

Vice President, Academic Committee Chair

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Judy Michel, FNP

Vice Chair, Board Member

  • It is clear that Judy Michel is a powerhouse in the nursing field, blending high-level clinical expertise with a deep commitment to global health and humanitarian aid.

    She began her HEAL Haiti journey in 2012 as Clinical Coordinator for the annual mobile clinics and currently serves as HEAL Haiti’s Vice Chair. She also taught at Pace University as a clinical instructor. Twenty-five years into her nursing career, she is still adding to it. She highlights a career dedicated to compassionate patient care

    Clinically, she is employed as a Primary Care Provider at Harmony Healthcare. In addition she serves as a Sexual Assault Forensic Examiner for the boroughs of Brooklyn since 2013. Beyond her clinical work, her leadership as Vice Chair of HEAL Haiti demonstrates a long-term commitment to sustainable medical outreach

    She holds a Master's degree from Hunter College School of Nursing and is a board-certified Nurse Practitioner. She believes in giving back locally and internationally, and has spent more than a decade proving it.

Mireille St. Pierre

Secretary

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Michelle Ceran

Board Member

  • Michelle is an HR professional and Engagement Business Partner in the tech industry, specializing in workforce inclusion, organizational culture, and strategic people partnerships. With a passion for building inclusive, high-performing teams, Michelle partners with leaders to embed belonging into the fabric of organizations and create people-centered strategies that drive long-term impact.

    As an advisor to HEAL Haiti, Michelle provides strategic guidance on program development, operational efficiency, and community-centered approaches to sustainable growth. Drawing from a background in HR and organizational development, Michelle helps support initiatives that are both scalable and deeply rooted in the needs of the communities HEAL Haiti serves.

    HEAL Haiti’s commitment to education, upskilling, and sustainable healthcare solutions first inspired Michelle to get involved. What continues to fuel that involvement is the organization’s dedication to long-term, community-driven transformation rather than temporary solutions.

    A first-generation American born to Haitian parents, Michelle carries a strong personal and cultural connection to Haiti. Raised with deep pride and appreciation for Haitian heritage, that intergenerational connection continues to shape both personal values and commitment to meaningful impact within the Haitian community.

Anthony Fennell Young

Board Member, Annual Brunch Award Committee Chair

  • Anthony Young is a palliative care nurse practitioner at Calvary Hospital in Bronx. With a passion for improving population health and advancing equitable healthcare initiatives, Anthony brings both clinical expertise and leadership experience to his work in healthcare and community engagement.

    Anthony was drawn to HEAL Haiti through a desire to make a meaningful impact on underserved communities and contribute to mission-driven organizational initiatives. His continued involvement reflects a strong commitment to healthcare education, leadership development, and sustainable community advancement.

    Within HEAL Haiti, Anthony currently serves as Chair of the Awards Program Committee, helping guide initiatives that recognize impact and strengthen organizational engagement. He also serves as adjunct faculty within the nursing program at State University of Haiti, supporting the education and development of future healthcare professionals in Haiti.

    As a Black American, Anthony is deeply committed to supporting the advancement and empowerment of communities across the African diaspora. His dedication to service, education, and health equity continues to shape his contributions both locally and internationally.

Christian Mollenthiel

Board Member

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Georges Saint-Victor

Board Member

  • My name is Georges Saint-Victor, and I have proudly served as a Board Member of Heal Haiti for the past two years. I have been deeply inspired by the organization’s work and the vital support it provides here and to communities in our homeland. When I was invited to join, I did not hesitate, serving others has always been central to both my personal and professional life.

    I have been actively involved in the labor movement with the Amalgamated Transit Union (AFL-CIO) since 1990, serving in a variety of roles, including Shop Representative, Shop Steward, and Organizer.

    In 2016, I was elected to the Executive Board of ATU Local 1181, a position I have held for the past decade working to protect the work and dignity of my fellow brothers and sisters. Local 1181 is the second-largest transport union in New York State and operates under the AFL-CIO, one of the largest labor organizations in the United States and Canada.

    My commitment to service continues to guide me, and Heal Haiti provides a meaningful platform through which I can give back and make a difference.

Guilaine Andre

Board Member

  • Guilaine Andre spent more than 30 years as a nurse at Jamaica Hospital Center, working across perioperative, emergency, and medical-surgical settings before finding her home in the operating room. There, the work that defined her career was the same work that defines HEAL Haiti: showing up fully, collaborating across roles, and making sure the person in front of you gets the best care possible. 

    In 2010, when her friend and HEAL Haiti founder Gretha Fievre called asking for help after the earthquake in Haiti, Guilaine's answer was immediate. She went. That experience changed the course of her involvement, and when HEAL Haiti was being formed, her response was just as simple: "Here I am, I'm available."


    She has kept that word. For over a decade, she has participated in every HEAL Haiti mobile clinic, showing up not as a figurehead but as a working nurse and a steady presence for patients and colleagues alike. Born in Port-au-Prince, she emigrated to the United States as a teenager and built a life and a career here without losing her connection to where she came from.


Margarette Daniel Toure

Board Member

  • Born in Port-au-Prince, Haiti, Margarette Daniel Toure migrated to the United States in 1964 with her two siblings. She graduated from Louis D. Brandeis High School in 1968. Mrs. Toure has always been dedicated to self-actualization through education and service to the community. To improve her skills and knowledge, she attended college at night while working. As a visionary, Mrs. Toure understood the importance of teamwork and collaboration to meet personal and professional objectives. Thus, undertaking active roles and responsibilities in several organizations throughout her career.

    An attention to systems, analytical thinking and details led Mrs. Toure to discover her niche in accounting. Her professional career started with the acquisition of an associates degree from Borough of Manhattan community college then later transferring to Baruch College. Over several decades, Mrs. Toure proved herself an asset to Texaco, American Society of Mechanical Engineers, Manufacturer Hanover Leasing Corporation, among others. She lived in Brussels for many years, where she managed her family’s adjustment to living and working abroad.  

    Mrs. Toure has positioned herself to be of service to diverse communities. Upon her return to New York, she worked as a French substitute teacher for The United Nation International School. During this time, she saw an opportunity to help others by becoming co-president of the United Nations African Mothers Association (UNAMA) which consisted of 54 countries. 

    Her efforts, enthusiasm, and dedication to excellence have been recognized by several institutions. She received the most coveted award while working at Bloomingdales, “Best of the Best Award”.

    Once retired from the work force, she volunteered with HEAL Haiti, a grassroot, non-profit organization, to assist her native land.  She extended her philanthropic activities to meet the responsibilities as chairwoman of the Special Event Committee for HEAL Haiti. For her contributions, she received the volunteer recognition award in 2019. Mrs. Toure continues to play an integral part of the Haitian community here and abroad by collaborating with the organization and advocating for education and health programs in Haiti.