NAAHP Blog

Ms. Judith EXAVIER joined the Haiti Foreign Ministry in 2010, and assumed the role of Chargé d’Affaires ad interim (Acting Ambassador) at the Embassy of the Republic of Haiti in Japan since 2011.  She is a career senior diplomat and member of the Haitian Government, has over 10 years of working experience in International development all over the world in the private sector and currently serves in the Diplomatic field. Ms. EXAVIER most recently served as a Counselor of the Embassy of Haiti in Tokyo. She also worked on development projects for the UN, NGOs and Community based organizations.

A native of Port-au-Prince, HAITI, Ms. EXAVIER holds a BS in Diplomacy and International Relations from Seton Hall University in USA, an MA in Political Science and Development Studies from the University of Nottingham in UK and an MS in Global Finance, Trade and Emerging Market from the New School in New York.  She speaks Haitian Creole, French and English, and has also studied Spanish. Ms. EXAVIER has lived in various places in Europe, America and Japan. A Single proud mother, she has two beautiful children.

Tell us about yourself

First and foremost, I prize my identity as a global citizen, a member of the human society rather than a product of any parochial affiliation. I was born and raised in the capital city of Port-au-Prince, Haiti to a fairly middle class family. My mom is one of the most amazing women that I have ever known. I don’t remember my childhood as being anything but myself. I was neither special nor clever, but I was me, my own heroine and because of that people thought that I was different. I lived in my own little world, as a stranger to the rest of the world simply because for me life was a fairytale. And so, I was indifferent to most material things that people took so seriously in life. Nonetheless, education was my obsession.

What led you to pursue your career?

From an early age, probably around six years old, I dreamed of being a diplomat, though I did not know what it meant to be a diplomat. All I knew was that I wanted to devote my time for my country. I recognize now that working for the sake of Haiti and the well-being of its people is my utmost significant milestone in my career thus far. I had always wanted to be a useful citizen to my Country. My strongest desire was to serve my country at any level – no matter how small. My motivation to pursue my career is to see Haiti on a bigger platform, a better and stronger Haiti. I would say a Haiti that most of us, Haitian, dreamed of. It’s as if I was born with a map which I called my destiny and all my life I have being following that map, which as an adult that, I believe, will lead me to my final destination. I wanted to lead and was so passionate to making a difference in the world. In my college days, all my focuses were in politics and international affairs. Global issues were my agenda.  My motto, as Mahatma Gandhi stated it so eloquently, was “Be the change you want to see in the world.  Having come from a country where education is a luxury for the `have nots`, when I moved to the United States, I finally saw that my dream was about to come true. I used `the land of opportunity` to follow my dream and made my own destiny.

How were you able to get started?

My journey in the Diplomatic Field began with an internship with the Permanent Mission of Haiti to the United Nations in 2002. However, my first professional opportunity was with the US Fund for UNICEF in the New York Office, where I worked as a Programme Officer (Volunteer at first), managed the Indonesian Tsunami Relief Donors Fund.

When did you realize that you were making real progress with your career?

When I joined the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in in New York in 2007, as a UN Affairs & Policy Advisor, I participated in statutory meetings of the United Nations and its organs, the Non-Aligned Movement and the Group of 77 developing countries and China; I realized then that I was making genuine progress with my career. The fact is the United Nations, a very competitive body, offers a wide range of opportunity.

What have been some of your professional highlights?

My professional highlights have being the PPM:

Passion-Fall in love with your work: you have to love what you do and whatever you choose to do – be proud of it and make sure you do it to the best of your ability. “I’d rather be a failure at something I love than a success at something I hate.” – George Burns.

Persistence-Whenever you want to achieve something, keep your eyes open, concentrate and make sure you know exactly what it is that you want.

Motivations— trust not what inspires other people to choose your career, but what inspires you.

What have been some of the challenges you’ve had to face?

Well, the road is not always dry, it can also be slippery. At some point, you will stumble or even fall, but you have to get right back up, keep going forward and you will do just be fine.  Age crisis was one of the challenges that I had to face in my career-too young to be accepted for certain positions even though I was well  qualified and could do the job perfectly. I remember in 2004 I was called by my government to be the advisor to a senior diplomat-politician; his first concerned was that I was too young to be his advisor.

Do you personally know other Haitians in your field?

At first, I did not personally know any Haitian in my field until I took a course (UN Insider Views) in the United Nations in New York. Shortly thereafter, I was introduced to some Haitian diplomats at the Permanent Mission.

Do you feel as though you’ve helped break barriers?

Yes I do! As an acting Ambassador for Haiti to Japan, being a woman in a traditional male dominated field, the youngest Head of Mission and being the `darling ‘of the Diplomatic Corps in Japan,  I feel that I have broken many barriers.

What do you feel is next for your career?

Politics is in my blood! I have been in different positions, from academic to the political and diplomatic. I have accumulated a wide range of experiences at universities. Also, as a diplomat I took part in multiple conferences and have engaged with notable personalities around the world. The next level for my career is to be a woman activist, highly involved in the political arena in my country.

What would be your advice to young people who want their careers and lives to have an impact?

Have a dream and follow it. Be persistent, be passionate and choose a career that you love. Do it for you, not for your father or your mother or for society. The road may not always be a straight line; there will be curves and obstacles; it will get dark and you will get lost. However, in the final analysis, you will get there as long you believe in yourself and trust God.

Over time, you’ll discover that some doors will close so that other doors may be open. Don`t take no for an answer and never let anyone tells you that you can`t. We are all born with a map in our hands; we just need to pay attention, explore our options then follow that map. It will certainly lead you to your destination which I called “destiny”.  Let time be on your side and time will justify your faith. As human being, we have the power within ourselves to create the life we want to live. We have the power to shape the world around us. To this point, my journey has been a thousand miles long; if I made it this far, so can you…

Given the election and how close it will ultimately be, what are your hopes that a second Obama administration or a Romney administration can do to further facilitate the recovery in Haiti? After the initial push for money, it does not seem to have been invested in the country beyond the capital as many are still without shelter, clean running water and basic needs.

As a Government Official, I have no comments

What do you think can be done for Haiti to develop financial assistance without having to be reliant upon others in times of crisis?

Give me couple more years than I will tell you. Smile!

Do you believe a campaign highlighting the positives of Haiti would be worth exploring to take away the stigma of it being impoverished?

Absolutely!  As the elites of this country, we need to educate the world about the positive side of Haiti, our rich cultures and our history, and our vast resources. Let them know that Haiti is not just an impoverished country, but a paradise to be. Let the world know that the paradise island has a variety of beaches that are sparkling with sunshine for more than three hundred days of the year; it accounts for over 900 kilometers of some of the most beautiful beaches of the Caribbean.

Let the world know that while it is always challenging to visit a different place in the globe; however, you will find that visiting Haiti offers a unique experience compared to other places in the world.  For instance, you can visit historical sites such as the Citadelle Laferriere, forts, Cathedrals, natural sites such as the waterfalls at Saut Mathurine in Camp Perrin, caves in the Cayes region, the paradise island of Ile-à-Vache and the kept secret of Coby Beach resort in cote-de-fer.

We need to welcome the people of the world to come and discover our beautiful nature, enjoy our unique cuisine and rich culture.

We also need to hide our dirty laundry as the old saying `Les linges sales se lavent en famille `. Noted that Haiti`s problem is a Haitian problem; let not blame it on history, but take conscience of our own failure.

Would you recommend NAHP to Haitian students and professionals? Why?

Yes, I would recommend NAHP not only for its dedication and commitment to Haitian professionals, but also as social network where Haitian professionals can gather to discuss matters that are dear to us, matters that concern the economic development of Haiti.