Location: Reading Lounge

How can we best use the resources of the Diaspora to help in the socio-economic development Haiti?  That is a question that many experts, institutions and government agencies have tried to answer in years.  With the Diaspora contributing a significant portion of the country’s GDP, many would argue that this contribution does not get invested in ways that bring much return to the country.  In fact, it does leave us in a state of welfare, constantly depending on it for our daily needs, and consuming goods that are produced by our economic partners.

It is imperative that the Diaspora brings in not only its monetary contribution to the country but also its vast intellectual capacity and its professional and technical skills.  Through the PADF’s LEAD initiative, a group of Haitian organizations have joined to collect investment ideas from the Diaspora to find ways to best harness our collective resources and bring innovative and efficient solutions to capital investment needs in Haiti.  Many Haitian residents of the Diaspora, some sitting in this panel, have demonstrated their leadership developing successful initiatives in Haiti.  This panel discussion should provide an opportunity to learn about their trials and successes, what make their initiatives sustainable and replicable while sharing ways to further stimulate such ideas and bring more Diaspora members to contribute similarly.

Location: 148-150

This conversation will focus on how the diaspora can contribute to ongoing efforts to develop job training and job placement programming for entry-level professionals and youth in Haiti.

Recent figures released by the State Department’s Bureau of Economic and Business Affairs list a dismal set of statistics when it comes to the investment climate in Haiti: a ranking of 182 out of 186 for ease of doing business, weak domestic production, and a depreciation of local currency by 30% relative to the US dollar. In such a setting, obtaining stable, full-time employment remains a challenge for university graduates, who struggle with high rates of skills mismatch and the fact that employers are skittish about setting up shop in Haiti because of ongoing infrastructural problems.

Efforts to improve the education system in Haiti at the primary, secondary, and tertiary levels show signs of early progress. Initiatives like Nedgine Paul’s Anseye Pou Ayiti, Conor Bohan’s HELP, and Guy Etienne’s model of education at College Catts Pressoir are all aimed at addressing the quality of inputs into the labor pool.  However, no similar efforts exist to address the challenges awaiting new graduates once they begin looking for a job.

After completing this session, the attendees will be able to name skills businesses existing in Haiti or expand their operations there.  Attendees will be able to identify existing opportunities for mentorship and early career development and   discuss the potential for scaling staffing operations and replicating existing professional mentorship networks that can help provide training to address the skills gap.

Location: Ballroom East

This panel is intended to provide a primer on the current immigration reform legislation before Congress. Caribbean communities, particularly Haitian Americans, were not very engage in the debate that took place over the last two years. Speakers will discuss aspects of the bill and implications for Haiti. The goal is to educate attendees.

Location:  Digital Auditorium

The most important resource a country can have is its human capital.  The Haitian diaspora represents a significant source of human and economic resources.  Yet, it is one of the most untapped resources of the country for sustainable development.  This panel will explore the challenges that prevent the Haitian Diaspora from effectively participating in the country’s development, the strategies that can be deployed to address these challenges, and best practices for creating strategic partnerships between the diaspora and key stakeholders in Haiti.

Location:  144-146

This dynamic group of women leaders will discuss ways to tackle the “Missing Middle” in the global economy and locally in Haiti.  SMEs generally occupy the middle of a sector or an economy, but in developing countries, they face many challenges that those in nations like the U.S. do not have. Many developing countries – like Haiti – suffer from a “missing middle”. They typically have very large numbers of informal micro-enterprises. They may also have a handful of larger firms-possibly ventures created by foreign investment, or family-owned businesses built up over generations. But there are typically few SMEs in-between.

Whether SMEs in developing countries CAN thrive is an indication of whether the larger economy WILL thrive. In Haiti, women can fill this gap – Women are key to the country’s long-term economic recovery. Unfortunately, too many women entrepreneurs and small business owners in Haiti are not yet prepared for the global marketplace.

The Danielle Saint Lot Haiti Women’s Foundation, a U.S. based non-profit, has launched a Women’s Business Academy, which will mentor and prepare women entrepreneurs to sell their goods internationally and in turn strengthen their local communities and increase the quality of life for their families and neighbors.

Location:  148-150

If you are an entrepreneur and interested in strengthening the Haitian economy, come hear leaders from AmCham Haiti, Digicel, and Prestige.  AmCham Haiti is a leading private sector institution that has been engaging the diaspora for over 35 years; Prestige ap brase lajwa nan lavi chak ayisyen; and Digicel has been keeping Haiti and its diaspora connected through its various business innovations. Specifically, this panel will provide insight on how these companies are operating in Haiti, building the Haitian economy through local sourcing, and strengthening the connection between the diaspora and the mother land.

Location:  Digital Auditorium

The study of Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM) is being heavily encouraged around the globe.  According to the United Nations, “Capacity in science and technology is a key element in economic and social development.” Encouraging STEM growth in Haiti can serve as a means to train future leaders within the professions of science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, as well as provide access to jobs worldwide.  The panel will provide an overview of some of the innovative work being championed by Haitian and Haitian-American Leaders to advance STEM studies in Haiti.

Location:  Ballroom East

Across the Caribbean, conversations about how to reconcile development with environmental protection and sustainable resource management are prevalent. This panel will highlight the sustainability projects diaspora leaders are implementing in Haiti to preserve the environment and protect local natural resources, while also creating economic opportunity. Haitians living abroad are advancing initiatives that are leading to changes in policy and improved outcomes in Haiti.

Location:  144-146

Reaching the C-suite can be the pinnacle of one’s career. But what does it take to go there or to reach the upper echelons of one’s profession? In this panel, CEOs and other C-level executives will share their experience on what has contributed to their success, the challenges they have faced and how they’ve overcome these challenges.

The panelists will share practical advice with the audience on how they can put their careers on the fast track. We will explore both what it takes to be in the C-suite and what these business leaders are looking for in the levels below them including mid-level and senior management. This panel is ideal for anyone who is looking to make it to higher levels in their career or achieve some goals in their life that may seem out of reach.