BOARD
Philip Charles-Pierre
As Vice President for Digital Media, Philip is responsible for the strategy, implementation, and overall P&L of all digital initiatives for Guideposts media, books, and Foundation/outreach organizations. During his first year, Guideposts.com has seen an almost fivefold increase in traffic leading to advertising for the site, as well as increased online commerce from product purchases to magazine subscriptions. Philip also worked for Reverend Jesse Jackson’s Rainbow/PUSH Wall Street project as a researcher and writer focusing on economic policy and the capital needs of minority and women entrepreneurs. He began his career on Wall Street working on the Taxable and Non-Taxable Stadium/Entertainment financing team for Bear, Stearns and Co. Philip is a graduate of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and has a Masters degree in the Philosophy of Religion from Harvard University .
Nora Gherbi
Nora Gherbi, an economics diplomat and philanthropist with a B.A in Literature and Arts and a Masters in international marketing, is the mastermind behind “COLOURS FOR HAITI”. With this yearly event, she aims to promote and develop, among other things, the creative talents of the children of Edeyo.
Nora was born in Paris, France but has lived in Canada for most of her adult life. Fluent in three languages, she has been working for the French government as a senior trade attaché and as a business developer since 2004.
The daughter of two aboriginal North Africans from the ethnic group commonly known as Kabyle, Nora was introduced early on by her parents to the benefits of philanthropy. After many trips as a child throughout impoverished areas of Africa, she witnessed her parents’ philanthropy work and involvement in empowering others. As an adult, she decided to make helping others a part of her life objectives.
An avid reader, Nora studied literature and American ethnology at the Sorbonne University of Paris. During her time in Canada, Nora adapted various ethnology theories to develop her own set of ideas to explain the relationship between personal development and cultural identity. As a result, she wrote an essay on the development and preservation of Canadian Cultural Identity.
She has fashioned many events throughout the years for various foundations (in Canada, France, and now in the US). Now based in New York, she hopes to grow her network of philanthropic organizations dedicated to building and promoting education and cultural development. Nora hopes to create more events like COLORS FOR HAITI in New York and to continue to raise awareness and funds for the Edeyo Foundation.
Dr. Lee Gause
Lee is a graduate of Howard University’s School of Dentistry and has been practicing general, cosmetic, and implant dentistry in Manhattan since 2004. He received his B.S. in Biology from the University of North Carolina Chapel Hill. He received the highest award for character, academic performance, and clinical proficiency of any dentist in his dental training program at Howard University. After receiving the coveted Doctor of the Year award during his residency, Lee completed the prestigious two-year certificate program in implant dentistry at New York University. He recently received the 2010 New York’s Top Dentist award, which is given to one dentist in New York each year.
Lee prides himself on providing his patients with the highest level of quality in dental care. This is demonstrated not only by his training and academic achievements, but also by his commitment to advanced technology and patient care. Lee is a clinical associate professor at NYU in the Implant Dentistry program, where he is responsible for training other dentists to place and restore dental implants surgically. Lee is a participant in the Invisalign Study Club of New York and is the founder of Celebrities for Smiles, an event in which the doctor’s celebrity patients challenge him to donate large amounts of dental work for underserved children. Lee has been featured in several publications including Glamour, Pregnancy, Wall Street Journal, USA Today, Social Life, Uptown, and Seniors Advocate.
Cynthia Bogard
Cynthia Bogard is a Professor of Sociology and Executive Director of the Center for Civic Engagement (CCE) at Hofstra University, New York. The CCE is a campus-based institute that works to strengthen democracy by enhancing knowledge of public issues and supporting students’ connections to their campus, local, national, and global communities through civic participation. Cynthia is a former Director of Women’s Studies and currently teaches environmental and poverty policy and political sociology at Hofstra. She is also one of six members of the Rose Series Editing Collective, the American Sociological Association’s sponsored book series published by Russell Sage. Cynthia serves as Secretary/Treasurer of Research Council 32 – Women and Society – of the International Sociological Association as well.
She received a women’s studies teaching certificate, an M.S.W., an M.A., and a Ph.D. (1995) from the State University of New York at Stony Brook. In the 1990s, Cynthia conducted federally sponsored evaluation research on American homelessness, and her work of that period examines homelessness policy in the context of wealth. Her 2003 book, Seasons Such as These: How Homelessness Took Shape in America, applies constructionist social problems theory to the emergence of homelessness as a public issue in the U.S.
These days her academic work concerns civic engagement and the application of constructionist theory to the analysis of electoral and international politics. In her practice of public sociology, she has worked as a blogger for an anti-war website, has been an occasional contributor on a variety of themes to a progressive news and views website, and has been an activist in the peace, women’s, and environmental movements all of her adult life. In her spare time she enjoys walking on the beach with her dog, cooking, cross-country skiing, gardening, and frequent international travel.
Simon Doubleday
Simon Doubleday is a member of the History Department at Hofstra University, in Hempstead, New York, where he has been the recipient of the university’s Lawrence A. Stessin Prize for Outstanding Scholarly Achievement. He received his B.A. degree (First Class Hons.) from Cambridge University, and his Ph.D. in History from Harvard University. He has been an invited speaker at the Université de Poitiers (France), the University of Valladolid and the Consejo Superior de Investigaciones Científicas (Spain), Cornell University, Columbia University, and Williams College.
Simon, who has been a Visiting Scholar at the Center for European and Mediterranean Studies at New York University, has also been the recipient of a recent grant from the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH), for a project addressing relations between North Africa and Europe in the medieval world. He is the founding editor of the Journal of Medieval Iberian Studies, and is deeply committed to understanding the significance of history – both recent and distant — for approaching social justice, human rights issues, and inter-cultural relations in the contemporary world; among the books in which he addresses these questions are In the Light of Medieval Spain, ed. with David Coleman (Palgrave, 2008), and Why the Middle Ages Matter, ed. with Celia Chazelle, Felice Lifshitz, and Amy Remensnyder (Routledge, 2011).
In addition to his scholarly work, he has contributed to the Penguin Encyclopedia of Popular Music. He is a founding member of Long Island Teachers for Human Rights (LITHR), and organizer of the Day for Haiti/Night for Haiti held at Hofstra in April 2010..
Advisory Board
Daphne Leroy
Daphne Leroy is Vice President of Marketing and Communications with the National Association for Multi-ethnicity in Communications (NAMIC). Daphne joined NAMIC from CBS Corporation, where she managed the global KNOW HIV/AIDS public education campaign. The Emmy- and Peabody-Award-winning media initiative was a joint venture between CBS Corporation and Viacom, Inc. in partnership with the Kaiser Family Foundation. Daphne was responsible for targeted television, radio, and outdoor public service announcements (PSAs), HIV/AIDS-themed television and radio programming, as well as online and print information resources. A native of New York, Daphne holds a Bachelor of Business Administration degree in Marketing Management from Bernard M. Baruch College. She completed the NAMIC Executive Leadership Development Program (ELDP) at the UCLA Anderson Graduate School of Management in 2008 and the Cable Telecommunications Association for Marketing (CTAM) Executive Management Program at Harvard Business School in 2002. In 2008, CableFAX Magazine named Daphne one of the most influential minority executives in the cable television industry.
Jeff Gardere
Dr. Jeff Gardere, better known as America’s Psychologist, is one of the most widely sought-after experts in the field of mental health. In addition to having a private practice in Manhattan, he has garnered a reputation as a top motivational and keynote speaker, as well as empowerment and media coach. Dr. Jeff is also one of most popular personalities in the media. He is a regular guest on The NBC Today Show, CNN, MSNBC, The CBS Early Morning Show, and Fox Business News. Upon completing his doctorate in philosophy and psychology at George Washington University, Jeff got his professional start in the prison system, helping inmates overcome childhood traumas. Also a gifted jazz musician, Jeff presently resides in New York City with his family.
Yanick Chery-Frederic
Yanick Chery-Frederic is an ESL Teacher at the elementary level and an adjunct professor at Suffolk Community College and St. Joseph’s College in Suffolk County.
Yanick was born in Brooklyn, New York to Haitian parents and has always been very passionate about Haitian culture, including history, art, music, and literature. She has strongly emphasized the importance of Haitian tradition in the upbringing of her two sons.
Yanick is an active member of various educational, cultural, and community organizations. One of her primary goals is to provide support for Haitian immigrants, as well as to ameliorate conditions for those residing in Haiti. In addition to Yanick’s many professional commitments, she enjoys reading, writing, attending lectures, mentoring, dancing, and entertaining.
Nigel Barker
Nigel Barker has been taking the world of fashion by storm for the past two decades. He began his career as a model working for top designers and photographers, collaborating with the industry’s elite. As his love for fashion grew, so did his desire to create beautiful images as a photographer. In 1996, Nigel opened his photo studio in the now hip Meat Packing District in Manhattan. His photography career took off, with his work appearing in such publications as GQ, Interview, Paper, Lucky, Seventeen, Razor Red, and People.
Coming full circle, Nigel has once again stepped in front of the lens, as a Judge and Photographer in the hit television show America’s Next Top Model. With eleven seasons under his belt, Nigel has redefined the photography industry for the millions around the world who tune in each week to see and hear his take on beauty and fashion. He is always exploring new ways to express his love for photography by directing and producing commercials, films, and documentaries featuring real-life human-interest stories for various clients from the fashion and entertainment industry. Nigel’s celebrity has enabled him to bring new dimensions to all his projects, including his work with several charities.
Nigel traveled to Haiti in 2007 to visit and photograph the Edeyo Foundation’s École du Bel-Air. His photos were exhibited at the Milk studio gallery in January 2009. The proceeds of the event benefited the foundation and continue to support the education of the children at École du Bel-Air.
Nedo Belluci
Nedo Bellucci has an extensive background in finance, marketing, business development, and human resource management.
In Naples, Italy, he opened and developed two branches of the Generali Group, the world’s fourth largest insurance syndicate, and for five consecutive years his branches were voted as the best-performing in the south of Italy, topping national sales lists.
Now a resident of New York City, Nedo is the founder, President, and designer of Nedo Bellucci Napoli, a renowned custom-made clothing line for men, sewn completely by hand in Naples.
Over the years, Nedo has also dedicated time to supporting children in need. When Nedo met Edeyo’s founder Unik Ernest in 2007, he admired Unik’s dedication and decided to join his mission, sharing the dream of opening a school for children.