HDI Spotlight: Meet Board Chair Herby Duverné

A short Q & A with HDI Board Chair Herby Duverné:

 Q. Tell us a bit about yourself.

A. I grew up in Haiti, but was able to move to the U.S. when I was 20 years old. At first, I didn't look back. I've built a great company in Boston -- the Windwalker Group -- that provides e-learning and classroom-based security training, and cyber and physical security services.

But as I got older, and particularly when the earthquake struck, the need to engage in Haiti awakened in me. I've been to Haiti at least 20 times since 2010, and plan to stay engaged at this level for a long time still.

 Q. How did you become involved with HDI?

A. I’ve been with HDI since the beginning of the Haiti Fund. After the earthquake, I was told by a friend that there was a Haitian-led organization started by Jim and Karen Ansara that was for real. The mindset was different and nicely aligned with mine. I wanted to be a part of an organization that was approaching Haitian aid in an empowering way. I have stayed on through the transition from the Haiti Fund because I am so excited about steering HDI through its seminal stage.

Q. There are many organizations working to help Haiti. Why do you choose to devote your efforts to HDI?

A. I love that HDI is Haitian-led. And I am absolutely sold on HDI's strategic approach. I've seen how projects come and go and, surprisingly often, don't leave much behind. HDI is doing the slow, painstaking work that doesn't give quick wins but is necessary for real progress -- coaching community leaders on how to create strong civil society organizations that improve people’s lives. If we do this, we leave something sustainable behind -- grassroots organizations that can guide their own communities to prosperity.

We're trying to establish a permanent institution devoted to sustainable development in Haiti, one that will be an asset to the country for the long haul. It's a big job, but such a worthy cause.