• Our Team

    While Konbit Sante has a small U.S. staff in Falmouth, Maine, the majority of our staff lives and works in Cap-Haitien. Both offices support Haitian doctors, nurses, health workers, and administrators.

    Similarly, volunteers are based both in the U.S. and Haiti to develop programs, teach, collect and deliver equipment and supplies, and make infrastructure improvements. The organization is governed by a volunteer board of directors, and other volunteers provide guidance as advisors and committee members.

Rupal Ramesh Shah, Executive Director

Rupal joined Konbit Sante in June 2020. In 2018 and 2019, she lived and worked in Haiti—first as a tuberculosis laboratory consultant at Hôpital Universitaire de Mirebalais, a Partners in Health hospital, and later at Saint Boniface Hospital as a grant manager. Prior to that, she worked at Boston Children’s Hospital as a quality improvement consultant and at Harvard University as a research assistant and laboratory manager. Rupal earned her BS degree in biology and BA degree in chemistry from Southern Wesleyan University, then obtained an MS degree in microbiology from Clemson University and an MPH degree from Boston University. Click here to email Rupal.

Dominique Joseph, Administrator

As Konbit Sante’s full-time administrator in the Haiti office, Dominique is responsible not only for overseeing our finances and taxes there, he is also our liaison to various government ministries, coordinates with customs to import humanitarian supplies, and works closely with our partner facilities to help strengthen their administrative capacities. A native of Port-au-Prince, he has a degree in accounting and post-graduate training in business management. Dominique worked as an administrator for various NGOs in Haiti before joining Konbit Sante in 2017. Click here to email Dominique.

Ben Doller, Operations & Logistics Manager

Ben received a BS in biology from the University of New Hampshire, not far from where he grew up. He then served two years with the Peace Corps in Nepal as a food security volunteer. His programs focused on supporting sustainable, community-led initiatives in maternal-infant health, agriculture, and income generation. Upon returning to the U.S., Ben joined the Council on International Educational Exchange to provide crisis and logistical management for exchange students around the world. Ben joined the Konbit Sante team in 2020. Click here to email Ben.

Tezita Negussi, Program Director

Tezita is a public health professional with more than 15 years of experience working in Zimbabwe, the United States, Haiti, and Ethiopia focusing on the health of women and children, immigrant and refugee groups, and economically marginalized communities. She is interested in program development, monitoring and evaluation, research, and capacity strengthening. She was born in Ethiopia and grew up outside of Washington, D.C. Tezita holds an MPH from the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill. Click here to email Tezita.

Rony Saint Fleur, Pediatrics Program Manager

Originally from Saint Marc, Haiti, Dr. Rony Saint Fleur completed his social service year in general medicine in Gonaives and his residency in pediatrics at Justinien University Hospital in Cap-Haitien, where he currently serves as Konbit Sante’s pediatric program manager. Prior to joining JUH full-time, Dr. Saint Fleur spent five years at Sacre Coeur Hospital in Milot, Haiti, as chief of pediatrics and working with children exposed to or infected with HIV. Click here to email Rony.

Josaime Clotilde St Jean, Community Health Program Manager

Born in Grande-Riviere-du-Nord near Cap-Haitien, Josaime, affectionately known as “Tijo,” became a registered nurse by studying at the School of Our Lady of Wisdom Cap-Haitien in 1985. She had developed a specialization in community health by 1990, and began working for Konbit Sante in 2011. As community health program manager, she oversees nurses, community health workers, and outreach activities; conducts regular trainings for health workers; and coordinates mobile outreach clinics, with an emphasis on vaccination clinics for newborns and educational programs for new and expecting mothers. Click here to email Josaime.

Ruddy Emmanuel Adeca, Finance Manager

Trained in accounting from Notre Dame University, Ruddy first encountered Konbit Sante in 2006 while working for the Haiti Project, a non-government organization overseen by the University of Miami and based at Justinien University Hospital. He was hired by Konbit Sante as a part-time bookkeeper, and over the years, his responsibilities have grown. Ruddy keeps track of our finances and collaborates daily with the administrator. Click here to email Ruddy.

Sam Purinton, Accountant

Sam joined Konbit Sante in 2021 as an accountant. Born and raised in Maine, Sam attended university in Florida and was granted a BA in Economics by Eckerd College in 2018. After graduation, Sam joined the Peace Corps in the Dominican Republic and returned home in 2020. Thereafter, he worked as a Community Care Aid at a community health center before joining the Konbit Sante team. Click here to email Sam 

Alice Cockerham, Communications and Development Specialist

Alice is a current junior at Bates College and is from Kingfield, Maine. She is studying Anthropology and Religious Studies and hopes to pursue work in the global health field after graduation. She is a member of the Bates Women's Track and Field Team and helps tutor Lewiston High School Students in math and science. She is interested in the fight against Covid-19 taking place in Haiti and other low- and middle-income countries and has experience in social media, communications, and fundraising.
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