For Johanne Meleance, this work isn't just a career — it's personal. Born in Haiti, she has spent her life moving between her homeland and the global stage, always finding her way back to serve the communities that shaped her.

Johanne has led Help for Haiti since 2020, after rising through the organization as Program Director and Director of Operations. Before that, she spent years on the front lines of global health and development — coordinating academic and medical partnerships for Partners In Health/Zanmi Lasante, managing a multi-year W.K. Kellogg Foundation grant to strengthen Haiti's healthcare workforce, and serving as a trusted liaison between donors, government officials, and hospital leadership.

Fluent in Haitian Creole, French, and English, Johanne has built her career as a bridge-builder — between communities and institutions, between governments and grassroots, between vision and action. Her path includes a Master's in Global Studies and International Affairs from Northeastern University, a B.A. in Francophone Studies from UMass Amherst, and a Howard Rye Institute Fellowship. But her real education has come from years on the ground, listening to what Haitian communities actually need.

Johanne brings that same blend of heart and strategy to Help for Haiti every day, guiding the organization with a clear sense of purpose and a deep commitment to the people it serves.