Jean with E.J. Dupervil, NAAHP Conference Lead Chair, and Principal at Off The Ground Solutions LLC
Jean with E.J. Dupervil, NAAHP Conference Lead Chair, and Principal at Off The Ground Solutions LLC
Photo: IRC

As a communications professional and aspiring diplomat, Jean arrived in the United States from Haiti in 2016 with dreams of furthering his education and working to improve conditions in his home country. Father to an 8-year-old boy, Jean took full advantage of the services offered by the IRC to attain economic self-sufficiency. At the IRC in NJ, Jean was enthusiastic and committed ESL student; he diligently acted on job leads from the IRC’s employment team to secure steady employment and he worked with staff and volunteers on graduate school applications to achieve his goal of studying international affairs.

Recognizing his hard work and dedication, the IRC connected Jean to the National Alliance for the Advancement of Haitian Professionals (NAAHP), which is “focused on connecting a global community of peers with career advancement resources as well as fostering transformative relationships between NAAHP members and committed stakeholders to strengthen Haiti through philanthropy and social entrepreneurship." After learning more about the IRC and its own career development program for refugees, Conference Lead Chair E.J. Dupervil invited Jean to attend the NAAHP 6th Annual Conference in November 2017 at New York University.  

Jean joined fellow professionals in this unique opportunity to network with experts within the Haitian diaspora specializing in technology, education, business, entrepreneurship, and politics. He spoke with Haitian-American elected officials and Haitian government officials about important topics such as migration and international development. He also attended sessions on leadership, career development, and entrepreneurship, which spoke deeply to his values and his commitment to leadership and service. For Jean, directly connecting with businesspeople, elected officials, and other Haitians and Haitian-Americans who have built their success in the U.S., and are now using their know-how to help Haiti, has been invaluable. Overall, Jean had a very successful conference and met new friends and, he hopes, future colleagues. 

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