After thirty-seven years at the helm of Haiti Plunge Inc. (HPI ) Sr. Eunice Tassone will be taking on a new position with the organization, Director of Donor Relations and Development. She will pass the torch to Alex Daugherty who will be the new Executive Director. Alex has been with HPI in various roles for twenty-five plus years. His most recent role was that of Vice President of the Board of Directors. Alex has travelled to Haiti multiple times as a trip leader. “I look forward to continuing my involvement with HPI, increasing my time, efforts and commitment to the organization’s mission to the people of Haiti, he said.” Alex received his BA from University of Massachusetts and his JD from Western New England University. He presently is a Berkshire County Senior Probation Officer. Alex also teaches Criminal Justice, as an adjunct professor, at MCLA. He and his wife, Susan have three children and make their home in Clarksburg.
As the founder of Haiti Plunge Inc. Sr. Eunice is excited about the transition. She and the Board of Directors are confident that the organization will continue to thrive under Alex’s capable leadership. Asked what her greatest challenge has been throughout the years with the organization and her response was “to keep the organization based in the Berkshires and to keep it small. That is more difficult than it sounds.” As an organization HPI is committed to empowering young people to be leaders. HPI is committed to the sustainable development of nine bush villages. It takes minimally twenty years to see results in this kind of work. Two of the nine villages are self-sustainable. HPI also has a committed donor base. Youth who were part of teams in the 80’s and 90’s are now middle age. They form the major part of the donor base because they know how their financial investment is being used. They were part of building the infrastructures that exists today. Their children are now part of teams. As a small organization it is easy to be transparent. HPI has been able to build infrastructures in all of the villages: schools, churches, clinic, roads and reforestation . This is a comprehensive educational, cross-cultural immersion program for young people. HPI measures its success in seeing what these young people have done with their lives and how the HPI experience has influenced their life choices.
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