SPEAKERS & SESSIONS

KEYNOTE SPEAKERS

Henri R. Ford, MD, MHA

Dean and Chief Academic Officer, University of Miami Miller School of Medicine

Henri R. Ford, M.D., MHA is dean and chief academic officer of the University of Miami Leonard M. Miller School of Medicine. Dr. Ford is a Haitian-born pediatric surgeon recognized for his global contributions in medicine including performing the first successful separation of conjoined twins in Haiti in 2015, alongside surgeons he helped train.

Motivated by a desire to drive change and have a positive impact on the world, Dr. Ford has conducted groundbreaking research on the pathogenesis of necrotizing enterocolitis, which has been funded by the NIH. He is the author of more than 300 peer-reviewed articles, book chapters, invited articles, abstracts and presentations. At the Miller School, Dr. Ford is developing the next generation of transformational leaders who will shape the future of medicine. Under his leadership, the Miller School has increased its research funding from the NIH from $128 million in 2018 to more than $175 million in 2024.

After earning his undergraduate degree from Princeton University, Dr. Ford received his medical degree from Harvard Medical School. He then completed his surgical internship and residency at New York Hospital Weill-Cornell Medical College, a research fellowship in immunology at the University of Pittsburgh School of Medicine, and a clinical fellowship in pediatric surgery at the Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh. He also received a Master of Health Administration degree from USC.

Dr. Ford is a fellow of the American Philosophical Society (APS), American College of Surgeons (ACS), the Royal College of Surgeons (England), the Royal College of Surgeons (Edinburgh), the West African College of Surgeons, and the American Academy of Pediatrics. He serves on the editorial board of numerous scientific journals. Dr. Ford is a member of the National Academy of Medicine and a member of the ACS Academy of Master Surgeon Educators. He is immediate past president of the American College of Surgeons, past president of the Society of Black Academic Surgeons, the Surgical Infection Society, the American Pediatric Surgical Association, and the Association for Academic Surgery, which established the “Henri Ford Junior Faculty Research Award” in his honor. He is a member of the Harvard Medical School Visiting Committee. He served on the Board of Trustees of Princeton University, the Board of Directors of the Association of American Medical College (AAMC), and chaired the Council of Deans of the AAMC. He is the recipient of numerous honors, including the Honorary Fellowship of the Philippine College of Surgeons (FPCS), the Gold Humanism in Medicine award from the AAMC, the Arnold Salzberg mentoring award from the Surgical Section of the American Academy of Pediatrics, the Owen Wangensteen Scientific Forum Award from the ACS, which recognizes iconic figures in academic surgery for their leadership, mentorship, and scholarship, to name a few.

Session Title: Navigating a Career in Academic Medicine
Session Description: What does it take to succeed in academic medicine? This interactive session will offer pearls of wisdom to help participants reach the pinnacle of academic medicine.

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul

Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul was born in Chicago, Illinois, to Haitian immigrants Dr. Janin Raoul (Port de Paix), MD, and Marie Therese Raoul (Port au Prince). His father was an early member of the Association of Haitian Physicians Abroad.

Attorney General Raoul brings a lifetime of legal experience and advocacy to the office, having launched his legal career as a Cook County prosecutor. Thereafter, he successively opened a boutique law practice, served as a higher education attorney for City Colleges of Chicago, and became a partner at two national corporate law firms.

In 2004, Raoul was appointed to replace Barack Obama in the Illinois State Senate representing the 13^th Legislative District (in Chicago), where he served for 14 years. As a state senator, Raoul chaired the Judiciary, Redistricting, and Pensions & Investments Committees. Moreover, he led efforts to pass the Illinois Voting Rights Act, which has been credited for diversifying the legislature. Raoul sponsored an amendment that enshrines the protection of voting rights in the Illinois Constitution. He also carried legislation to abolish the death penalty in Illinois.

In 2019, Raoul was sworn in as Illinois’ 42nd Attorney General. He took the oath to serve a second term in January 2023. As the state’s chief legal officer, the Attorney General enforces healthcare protections and works with policymakers to broaden their scope. He collaborates with other state AGs to challenge federal actions that undermine state laws enacted to safeguard essential healthcare services, physicians, and equitable access for patients. Attorney General Raoul has also joined several multistate AG coalitions to protect birthright citizenship, defend against unlawful cuts to critical medical research, and uphold federal and state civil rights laws that protect against discriminatory practices.

Since the beginning of his tenure, the Attorney General has led the coalition of Democratic Attorneys General in advocacy on behalf of Haitian immigrants. These efforts include expediting work authorizations and designations for Temporary Protected Status. Attorney General Raoul has vehemently opposed the disparate treatment of Haitian asylum seekers that has led to repatriation without due process. He has also been a vocal and active crusader in the fight to preserve the legacy of Jean Baptiste Point Du Sable, Chicago’s founder.

Attorney General Raoul remains committed to combatting executive overreach. He continues to lead state AG coalitions in litigation challenging the constitutionality and lawfulness of executive actions issued by the Trump administration.

Louis J Auguste, MD, MPH, FACS

Surgical Oncology/General Surgery Clinical Professor of Surgery at Donald and Barbara Zucker School of Medicine at Hofstra/Northwell

Louis J. Auguste, MD is a surgical oncologist practicing on the North Shore of Long Island, New York. He obtained his medical degree from 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 added a new dimension to his understanding of population medicine by acquiring a Masters of Public Health degree at the Mailman School of Health Policy and Management of 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 presented more than 130 lectures at departmental grand rounds across the New York area and at multiple professional conventions in the US and abroad. He has been a guest lecturer at Umberto Polyclinic I in Rome and at the University of Padua, Italy, as well as a visiting professor at the State University of Haiti School of Medicine, and at the University of Notre-Dame School of Health Sciences in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

Dr. Auguste enjoys teaching the surgical residents and mentoring young college students considering a career in Medicine. He has been named Surgical Attending of the Year four times. He has also served as President of the LIJ Medical Staff Society and secretary of the LIJ Medical Board for three years.

For the past 36 years, Dr. Auguste has been active in the Medical Society of the State of New York and the American Medical Association. As member of the House of Delegates for the past 30 years, he has served on several reference committees. He has served as president of the Queens County Medical Society and Chair of the Board of Trustees of the same society. He is currently a MSSNY delegate to the American Medical Association.

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, with clinicians from the USA participating in the teaching of the residents and attending staff at the Hospital. 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). That center received the larger share of victims of the earthquake.

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 in June 2014 and for all his activities and services at Long Island Jewish Medical center, he received a LIFE ACHIEVEMENT AWARD in 2016.

Dr. Auguste is still active in the practice of surgical oncology, but also devotes his time to the Empire State, Medical, Scientific and Educational Foundation where he serves as Treasurer and Member of the Board of Directors.

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. He loves the sports of tennis and scuba diving.

Session Title:Haiti Culture. What does it mean to be Haitian?

SCIENTIFIC SESSION PRESENTERS

Vladimir Berthaud, MD, MPH, FACP

Professor of Medicine, Meharry Medical College

Vladimir Berthaud, MD, MPH, FACP, FIDSA, is tenured Professor of Medicine, Microbiology, Immunology, and Physiology, Director of the Division of Infectious Diseases, Founding Executive Director of Meharry AIDS Center of Excellence, and Associate Director of the Clinical Discovery Core, Tennessee Center for AIDS Research. Principal Investigator for dozens of public grants, he served as Lead PI for the KidCOVE international COVID-19 vaccine trial, member of Infectious Diseases Society of America (IDSA) Leadership Development Committee, the National Board of Medical Examiners, the National Board of Public Health Examiners, the American College of Physicians Leadership Program, and American Board of Internal Medicine. Past Chair of the George W. Counts Interest Group of IDSA, he currently serves as IDSA Leadership Institute Faculty. Dr. Berthaud spearheaded highly successful PEPFAR programs in Haiti and Africa.

Session Title: Impacting Global Health through Service
Session Description: In this session, we will share our experience in designing and implementing HIV programs in Africa and Haiti.

Nadia M. Biassou, MD

Neuro-Radiologist, Assistant Professor at Washington University,
Founder, School of Radiology Technicians in Haiti

Dr. Biassou is a board-certified radiologist, with fellowship training in Diagnostic Neuroradiology, who has served as a physician scientist at the National Institutes of Health for the last 20 years. During her tenure, she served as a clinician, the NIH onsite director for the Dept of Radiology ad Imaging Sciences' Neuroradiology fellowship program, Director of the Radiology Dept's MRI Research Scanner, and Chief of the Integrative Neuroscience of Communications Research Unit at the National Institutes on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders at NIH. She has helped to mentor the careers of many other scientists and physician scientists internal and external to NIH and was a foundational to developing career development programs for clinical faculty at the NIH. As an internationally recognized scholar, she was trained by the leading cognitive neuroscientists in the United States and France at the University of Toulouse Le Mirail. Her interdisciplinary expertise spans applied linguistics, cognitive science, artificial intelligence, biomedical imaging, and translational medicine. She is part of a select group of neuroscientists world wide whose expertise is sought by industry and academic partners developing next-generation neurodiagnostic technologies. Given her background and expertise, Dr. Biassou has served on the NIH Board of Scientific Directors and was appointed as Co-Chair of the NIH Taskforce for AI in biomedical research. The taskforce has co-authored the source reports that will serve as the blueprint for NIH's AI strategic plan in upcoming years.

In her role as Chief of the Integrative Neuroscience of Communication Research Unit at NIDCD, her research focused on developing computational modeling of brain structure and function in healthy adults and in CNS disease. These computational approaches such as deep learning and machine learning serve as novel and powerful approaches to understand the mechanistic interplay between the brain and human behavior. Throughout her career, she has been invited as keynote and invited speaker at numerous scientific conferences across the U.S., Europe, Canada, Central America, and the Caribbean and has published in numerous highly respected scientific journals. Her research has been funded by NIH and Department of Defense.

Dr. Biassou has been appointed as Clinical Professor of Radiology at the George Washington University School of Medicine since 2012, as well as Clinical Professor of Radiology at Georgetown University Hospital since 2018 where she has been instrumental in the training of over 90 physicians-in training over her 20 year career at NIH. She obtained her undergraduate degree in English literature from Amherst College in Amherst Massachusetts where she was invited by the college to serve as the Amherst College Wade Fellow. She obtained a MA/PhD in Applied Linguistics from the University of Pennsylvania followed by a medical degree from the University of Chicago-Pritzker School of Medicine. Dr. Biassou was also a founding board member of the Amherst Society of Black Alumni, a voting board member of the International Eye Foundation and one of the principal founders behind the creation of the new school of Radiology Technologists at the University d'Etat d'Haiti, the only such school in the Caribbean basin. Dr. Biassou is now Professor of Radiology and Neurology at USF Morsani College of Medicine and incoming Vice Chairman of Research and Director of the USF Health fMRI Research Core.

Session Title: Artificial Intelligence - Clinical
Session Description:

Ernst Garcon, MD

Associate Professor of Radiology, Columbia University Irwin Medical Center

Dr. Ernst Garcon is an Associate Professor of Radiology at CUIMC (Columbia University Irwin Medical Center). He completed his MD degree at the State University of Haiti Faculte de Medecine et de Pharmacie Port-au-Prince Haiti in 1991, a first residency in diagnostic radiology at the General Hospital in Port-au-Prince Haiti in 1995, a second residency in diagnostic and interventional radiology at the State University of New York-Long Island College Hospital New York NY in 2003, and a fellowship in Neuroradiology at New York Presbyterian Hospital-Columbia University New York NY in 2005. He is board certified in Diagnostic Radiology and Neuroradiology.

For the past 18 years, he has practiced General Diagnostic Radiology and Neuroradiology at Metropolitan Hospital in New York NY, at the University of Arkansas Medical Center in Little Rock AR, and at New-York presbyterian Hospital Columbia University Campus in New York NY. He has contributed to the training of several classes of radiology residents and neuroradiology fellows in the United States and in Haiti. He is the authors of several book chapters, and peer review articles in Radiology and Neuroradiology. He is the co-director of Stroke Imaging in the neuroradiology division at NYP-CUIMC. The title of his presentation is “Imaging of Stroke in 2023”.

Session Title: Imaging of Stroke in Underserved Urban and International Communities
Session Description:

Girardin Jean-Louis, PhD

Professor of Psychiatry and Neurology, University of Miami

Girardin Jean-Louis, PhD, is Distinguished Professor of Psychiatry and Neurology at the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine. A pioneer of Sleep Health Equity, he advances equity-centered, stakeholder-engaged research informing policy and practice. He has served as an NIH advisor and an SRS board director. Dr. Jean-Louis integrates digital phenotyping, decentralized trials, and culturally responsive methods to close gaps in brain and cardiometabolic health. Early algorithms he developed helped enable population-scale accelerometer wearables. His studies increase participation of historically excluded groups, interrogating how sleep, psychosocial/environmental factors, and genetic ancestry shape health biomarkers. He has led NIH-funded collaborations across the U.S. and LMICs, producing 400+ publications (Science, Lancet, JAMA, NEJM, Circulation, SLEEP) and conference papers/chapters, informing clinical delivery and health communication. His inclusive training pipeline has guided 200+ early-stage investigators. Recognition includes: Mary A. Carskadon Outstanding Educator Award, AASM DEI Leadership Award, and Academy of Science, Engineering & Medicine of Florida.

Session Title: Sleep Apnea as a Modifiable Driver of Cardiovascular and Brain Health
Session Description:

Shelia St. Fleur-Lominy, MD, PhD

Associate Professor, University of Maryland School of Medicine

Dr. Saint Fleur-Lominy is a clinician scientist with clinical focus on the diagnosis and treatment of leukemia and myeloid disorders and research focus on acute lymphoblastic leukemia. She is also an accomplished educator with very diverse experience. Her career started at New York University Grossman School of Medicine (NYU-GSOM) where she received both her MD and a PhD in Immunology Molecular Oncology as part of the Medical Scientist Training Program (MSTP). She continued her training there and completed residency in Internal Medicine followed by fellowship in Hematology and Medical Oncology as part of the ABIM Research Track pathway. She is triple-board certified in internal medicine, hematology, and medical oncology.

During her faculty time at NYUGSOM, she transformed the hematology course for the medical students by reorganizing the lectures in both content and format, introducing new clinical cases for small group seminars, adding new content on sickle cell disease including lectures on pathophysiology of the disease, clinical management, pain management and promotion of wellness in diverse patients. Her effort led to the course rating changing from one of the lowest to being among the very top rated courses in the medical curriculum. During her 1 year as associate program director and her 4 years as fellowship program director, she restructured the curriculum and enhanced research training leading to top performance in both ASCO and ASH in-training-exam and unprecedented achievement in research output and grant competitiveness including obtention of ASCO young investigator awards by the fellows 4 years in a row (2022-2025) and success with other grants. She did that while continuing working on her research and while serving for 3 years on the American Society of Clinical Oncology-Oncology Training Program (ASCO-OTP) Committee.

Her research interest and activities are in the area of gene expression regulation in acute leukemia and their modulation for therapeutic effect as well as study of factors associated with health equity issues in leukemia with the goal of developing clinical trials for diverse patients. She recently joined the University of Maryland School of Medicine and the University of Maryland Greenebaum comprehensive Cancer Center (UMGCCC) where she is an Associate Professor at the school of medicine and a member of the Cancer Therapeutics Program. At UMGCCC, she is responsible for leading clinical trials in ALL. She is devoted to provide critically-needed care to the patient population in the city of Baltimore and the state of Maryland. Her goal is to rationally design drug combination that can overcome inherent and acquired resistance in leukemic blasts while minimizing barriers preventing enrollment of diverse patients. She is committed to training future physicians and using her diverse research background in cell signaling, epigenetics and clinical trials to improve outcomes of patients with leukemia by addressing biological and modifiable sociodemographic correlates of disparity in disease outcomes through research and clinical care.

Session Title:Bridging Innovation and Access: Cancer Immunotherapy in Global Health Equity
Session Description: Cancer immunotherapy has revolutionized cancer treatment and outcomes. With T cells being the dominant adaptive immune effector cells, multiple modalities of cancer immunotherapy centers around T cell biology. immune checkpoint inhibitors which work by blocking inhibitory receptors on T cells to restore antitumor effector function, engineered chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cells and bispecific T cell engagers (BiTEs) targeting specific tumor antigens, are among the main types of novel effective therapy that have contributed to landmark successes over the past 15 years. These novel treatments have led to durable response in advanced cancers with some patients remaining cancer free, years after treatment. These novel treatment modalities are also associated with immune-related side effects but the use of predictive biomarkers have contributed to more precise selection of patients who may benefit from their use. Nevertheless, several concerns remain. Innovation is accelerating faster than equitable implementation, contributing to widening global disparity in cancer care and mortality. With many factors, including under-representation of certain populations in clinical trials, drug cost, shortage in trained workforce and specialized facilities as well as barriers related to regulatory and supply chains contributing to the global inequity in access to cancer immunotherapy, solutions will also likely be multifactorial with collaboration of academic centers, industry, private philanthropy, local government, and international organizations such as the world health organization and others.

CONCURRENT SESSION PRESENTERS

Carlie Beaucejour, MS, RD, LDN

Registered Dietitian Nutritionist

Carlie Saint-Laurent Beaucejour is a registered dietitian based in Maryland. She received her bachelor's degree in Dietetics from the University of Delaware and her Master of Science degree in Clinical Nutrition from the New York Institute of Technology. She is the owner of Beau Nutrition, a virtual private practice specializing in the prevention, management, and treatment of metabolic syndrome in a personal and non-restrictive way. Her approach has helped patients shift their mindset so they feel confident in how they nourish their body, mind and spirit. In her free time you can find her exercising, cooking, or spending time with family.

Session Title: Haitian Food as Medicine: A Culturally Grounded Approach to Chronic Disease
Session Description: This session reframes traditional Haitian cuisine through a clinical, evidence-informed lens. Drawing from both research and practice, we will highlight the nutrient density of commonly consumed Haitian foods and their role in the prevention and management of chronic conditions such as hypertension, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease.

Attendees will be encouraged to move beyond one-size-fits-all dietary models—including the routine default to the Mediterranean diet—and instead consider how culturally familiar foods can improve adherence and long-term health outcomes. I will share practical strategies to support the integration of Haitian dietary patterns into medical nutrition therapy while preserving cultural relevance and respect.

All other details from my previous submission, including my preferred time slot (May 23 at 2:00 PM) and professional bio, remain the same.

Daniel Faustin, MD

Director, Maternal Fetal Medicine

Dr Daniel Faustin is the current Director of Maternal Fetal Medicine and OB/Gyn sonographic imaging at Wyckoff Heights Medical Center in Brooklyn, New York and ranked as Clinical Associate Professor at SUNY Downstate where he completed his Obstetrics and Gynecology residency and his Fellowship in Maternal Fetal Medicine. He has contributed to the AMHE in many roles and is the current Treasurer of the AMHE Foundation.

Session Title: Secrets of Life Before Birth
Session Description: Dr. Faustin will review some of the the scientific basis for our knowledge of human reproduction and share his purpose of creating in his book the actors and their interactions leading to the conception of Whomus.

Nathaelf Hyppolite, MD

Physician and Health Informatics Specialist

Nathaelf Hyppolite, MD, MSHI is a physician and Health Informatics Specialist with a dual background in clinical medicine and health information technology. As a co-founder and clinical lead at AIMEDPROS, he focuses on the design and deployment of wearable artificial intelligence solutions for small and independent medical practices — with a specific emphasis on reducing documentation burden, combating clinician burnout, and advancing health equity for underserved communities.

Dr. Hyppolite's work sits at the intersection of ambient clinical intelligence, medical-grade speech-to-text, large language model applications in healthcare, and smart glasses technology. He is particularly focused on making enterprise-grade AI tools accessible to solo practitioners and small clinics — the providers most likely to serve vulnerable and linguistically diverse patient populations, and the least resourced to adopt emerging technology.

A committed advocate for language-concordant care, Dr. Hyppolite has championed the use of real-time AI translation embedded in wearable devices to eliminate language barriers at the point of care — without the need for third-party interpreter services. His platform architecture is built around communities where resource and language gaps are greatest, reflecting his belief that equitable care must be a design principle, not an afterthought.

Dr. Hyppolite's session at the AMHE Foundation 50th Anniversary Gala & Conference reflects his alignment with the Foundation's 50-year mission of healing across borders — bringing cutting-edge AI innovation to the communities that need it most.

Session Title: Wearable Artificial Intelligence for Digital Resilience - Reducing Clinician Burnout in Private Practices
Session Description: Physician burnout is no longer a looming threat — it is a present crisis. In 2025, nearly 42% of U.S. physicians report experiencing burnout, with small and independent practices bearing a disproportionate share of the burden. At the center of this crisis is a largely invisible culprit: documentation. Primary care physicians now spend two to three hours per day entering data into Electronic Health Records — time taken away from patients, from families, and from themselves.

This session introduces a new generation of clinical AI designed not for hospital systems, but for the private practice physician working alone or in a small group. Dr. Nathaelf Hyppolite, MD, MSHI, and Daniel Lamaute present the evidence, the technology, and the practical roadmap for adopting wearable ambient AI — including smart glasses — as a tool for reclaiming the clinical encounter.

Attendees will learn how ambient clinical intelligence works from voice to EHR: how medical-grade speech-to-text captures the natural patient-physician conversation, how large language models generate structured SOAP notes and billing codes in real time, and how physicians shift from authors to editors — reviewing an AI-drafted note in under 60 seconds. Peer-reviewed evidence from UW Health, Kaiser Permanente, and JAMA Network Open demonstrates reductions in documentation time of up to 30 minutes per day per provider, and burnout rates falling from 51.9% to 38.8% within 30 days of AI scribe adoption.

The session also addresses two dimensions uniquely relevant to the AMHE community: billing accuracy and financial viability for small practices, and real-time language translation for the approximately 25 million Americans with Limited English Proficiency — enabling language-concordant care at the point of contact, without an interpreter, and without additional cost.

Attendees will leave with:

A clear, jargon-free understanding of how ambient AI documentation works in a clinical setting
Evidence-based data on the measurable impact of AI scribes on burnout, documentation time, and billing accuracy
A realistic picture of adoption barriers, costs, and what implementation looks like for a small or solo practice
An understanding of how wearable AI advances health equity for linguistically diverse patient populations

This session is relevant to physicians, practice administrators, health policy professionals, and community health advocates — anyone invested in a future where technology serves the healer, not the other way around.

Daniel Lamaute, MBA

Finance & AI Strategist

Daniel Lamaute is a leader at the intersection of finance, global development, and healthcare innovation. As an impact investment specialist and technology advocate, he leads the "Equitable Vision" initiative at AIMEDPROS, utilizing wearable AI to address clinician burnout and language barriers in underserved communities.

Daniel’s extensive career includes serving as the co-founder and CEO of a pioneering investment firm and as a Fulbright Specialist transferring financial expertise internationally. His commitment to public service is reflected in his roles as a former Los Angeles City Commissioner and trustee of the Woodrow Wilson Center for International Scholars. He also served on the board of Pathfinder International, focusing on global health and women’s empowerment. Daniel holds an MBA from Washington University in St. Louis, blending private-sector expertise with a dedication to sustainable development to drive transformative change in both policy and practice.

Attendees will leave with:

A clear, jargon-free understanding of how ambient AI documentation works in a clinical setting
Evidence-based data on the measurable impact of AI scribes on burnout, documentation time, and billing accuracy
A realistic picture of adoption barriers, costs, and what implementation looks like for a small or solo practice
An understanding of how wearable AI advances health equity for linguistically diverse patient populations

Thierry Momplaisir, MD

Interventional Cardiologist

Dr. Thierry Momplaisir is a board-certified cardiologist with over 25 years of experience. Based in Florida, he specializes in cardiovascular disease and works to improve access to care for underserved populations.

Session Title: Heart Attack in the Female Population
Session Description:

Michele Rigaud, MD, MPH

Public Health Professional and Infectious Disease Specialist

Michele Rigaud is a public health professional and infectious disease specialist with more than 30 years of experience in HIV, tuberculosis, and hepatitis prevention. She earned her medical degree from the School of Medicine in Haiti and a Master of Public Health from the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine, Department of Public Health.

Her work has focused on developing and implementing HIV prevention strategies, with a strong emphasis on community education and global public health outreach. She has authored numerous articles and educational materials, including brochures, cassettes, videos, and pamphlets on HIV and women’s health.

Michele served as Chairperson of the Global Community Advisory Board for the HIV Vaccine Trials Network under the NIH Division of AIDS, where she supported efforts to prepare communities worldwide for HIV vaccine development and AIDS prevention. She also served on the Community Advisory Board for the Johns Hopkins Center for Immunology Research.

For the past decade, she has volunteered in Maryland as a community educator and advocate for the Alzheimer Foundation, continuing her commitment to public health and community service.

Session Title: Personal Journey and Advocacy in Dementia
Session Description: This powerful and deeply personal session explores the realities of dementia through the lens of family experience, public health, and community advocacy. Drawing from decades of personal caregiving experiences and a professional career in Public Health, Dr. Rigaud shares a moving journey that began with her mother’s Alzheimer’s diagnosis and continued through the impact of dementia on multiple family members.

Participants will gain insight into the emotional, cultural, and social dimensions of dementia, including the challenges families face as loved ones experience cognitive decline. The session also highlights how stigma, delayed diagnosis, and limited access to education disproportionately affect marginalized communities, underscoring the urgent need for culturally responsive outreach and advocacy.

Through storytelling, reflection, and practical perspective, attendees will learn how advocacy can help inform, mobilize, and empower individuals and families before crisis occurs. More than a discussion about disease, this session emphasizes dignity, preparedness, justice, and preserving humanity across the lifespan.

Yolette Williams, LCSW-R, BCNF

Chief Executive Officer, The Haitian American Alliance of New York

Yolette Williams’ journey is one of dedication and service to her community. A founding member and current CEO of The Haitian American Alliance of New York (HAA), she has made an indelible impact for over 30 years, advocating for the empowerment and fair treatment of Haitian Americans. Her leadership role within the HAA reflects her commitment to bridging cultural, social, and political gaps and elevating those of Haitian descent.

Yolette is an accomplished clinician – she is a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, Licensed Psychotherapist, and Board-Certified Neurofeedback Specialist, Ms. Williams is also a Certified School District Administrator and holds a Diversity and Inclusion Certificate from Cornell University.

A veteran of the NYC Department of Education, Ms. Williams has championed the needs of students with special needs, bilingual learners, and at-risk youth. She is also the President of CSW Brain Enhancement and Psychotherapy, PLLC, where she treats trauma and neurological-based disorders. Yolette Chairs the Community Steering Committee of the Center for Translational Sleep and Circadian Sciences (TSCS) at the Miller School of Medicine, University of Miami, she demonstrates, exceptional ability to bridge research, practice, and implementation — translating population health insights into programs that improve care delivery and community outcomes.

Beyond New York, for 10 consecutive years, Ms. Williams co-led annual medical and mental health missions to Haiti, including trauma counseling and training for professionals after the 2010 earthquake. During the pandemic, she established the HAA COVID-19 Task Force, earning the Ford Freedom Unsung “Heroes of COVID-19” Award.

Yolette Williams embodies HAA’s mission to elevate and unify marginalized communities, her lifelong dedication to equity, healing, and education continues to inspire a new generation of Haitian American leaders—transforming communities through compassion, advocacy, and collective empowerment.

Session Title: Domestic Violence: A Public Health Crisis in Plain Sight
Session Description: In recent months and years, we have witnessed several very public cases of domestic violence ending in tragedy and death—including cases involving members of Haitian and immigrant communities. These stories have shaken many of us because they force us to confront something painful. Intimate Partner Violence (IPV) is a critical but often overlooked public health crisis occurring in plain sight. It is a reality that affects many families, yet stigma, fear, and cultural expectations often prevent open discussion. This presentation explores how IPV impacts physical, mental, and emotional health, contributing to chronic illness, trauma, and long-term health disparities, while honoring cultural strengths such as resilience, faith, and collective care. It highlights the role of health care providers and community organizations in early identification, culturally responsive care, and survivor-centered support. Participants will gain tools to recognize warning signs, respond safely, how to break silence, and support survivors with dignity.

PROGRAM FOCUS: THREE IMPACT TRACKS

Why These Tracks Matter in 2026

As Haiti continues to navigate complex health, economic, and political challenges, and as global healthcare systems face rising inequities, there is an urgent need to reimagine how we educate, give, and care across borders.

In 2026, we stand at a pivotal moment. The COVID-19 pandemic’s long-term effects, migration patterns, climate-related health crises, and increasing calls for racial and health equity require bold, collaborative solutions. The AMHE Foundation’s three-track approach addresses this need head-on, creating a space for strategy, solidarity, and shared leadership.

These tracks build on AMHE Foundation’s 50 years of experience and set the course for future Haitian healthcare leadership and humanitarian efforts worldwide.

These three tracks provide a comprehensive, forward-thinking framework for advancing healthcare for Haitians at home and across the diaspora.

Each track is rooted in AMHE’s historic mission, and is essential to meeting the evolving needs of 2026 and beyond.

Track 1: Educating and Building the Next Generation of Medical Leaders

Final Report A persistent brain drain, underfunded medical institutions, and disrupted academic pathways continue to limit Haiti’s healthcare infrastructure. Global collaboration and innovation in education are needed to equip the next generation of healthcare leaders both within Haiti and the diaspora.

Key Themes:

Medical training in Haiti.

Bridging Haitian and U.S./Canadian medical curricula.

Scholarship and mentorship pipelines, as already initiated in various clinics and some institutions, the Brooklyn Hospital being the prototype.

Leveraging telemedicine and e-learning, which is in the making with the Justinien University Hospital in Cap-Haitien.

Physician re-certification and diaspora re-engagement.

Key Takeaways for Participants:

Understand new models for global medical education collaboration.

Gain strategies to strengthen mentorship and leadership development
pipelines.

Explore tools for cross-border learning, certification, and virtual training.

Discover ways to re-engage diaspora professionals in Haiti’s medical education system, as attempted in the past for a while with the Visiting Professor Program, delivered at the State University School of Medicine in Port-au-Prince.

Track 2: Giving – Strengthening Philanthropy and Global Health Equity

As donor fatigue grows and humanitarian needs expand, rethinking the models and messaging of giving is essential. The Haitian diaspora and allies are critical forces in shaping resilient funding strategies for healthcare access, infrastructure, and equity-focused programming.

Key Themes:

Diaspora-driven development and strategic remittances.

High-impact giving models and major donor engagement.

Fundraising strategies in the digital age.

Partnerships between nonprofits, hospitals, and governments.

Building trust and transparency in philanthropic efforts.

Key Takeaways for Participants:

Learn best practices for diaspora philanthropy and institutional fundraising.

Access case studies on successful health partnerships and funding models.

Discover donor engagement strategies that sustain long-term impact.

Explore tools for transparency, storytelling, and building donor trust.

Track 3: Caring – Advancing Clinical and Community-Based Care

In the face of political instability, disaster vulnerability, and health worker shortages, delivering effective and culturally competent care is both more difficult—and more necessary—than ever. Centering local needs and expanding care access are urgent priorities.

Key Themes:

Community-based and culturally responsive care.

Maternal and child health innovations.

Trauma-informed mental health and psychosocial services.

Emergency preparedness and mobile health missions.

Chronic disease management and preventative care.

Key Takeaways for Participants:

Learn scalable approaches to delivering care in resource-constrained environments.

Gain insight into trauma-informed, culturally competent care practices.

Explore innovative models for mental health, maternal health, and chronic care.

Connect with networks advancing direct service, disaster relief, and mobile care.

Become a Sponsor, Exhibitor or Advertiser

Are you interested in showcasing your organization at the AMHE Foundation 2026 Gala Conference? Don’t miss this opportunity to promote your brand, products, and services to a distinguished audience of medical professionals, educators, and community leaders. Partner with us to gain valuable visibility and align your brand with innovation, excellence, and impact in global health.