Volunteer Board of Directors
Founder and Executive Director Corey Gifford has her doctorate in clinical psychology from Antioch University New England in Keene, New Hampshire. She has been to Haiti many times (20++), taking her first trip in July of 2010. When not in Haiti, Corey resides in Massachusetts volunteer Directing for RAW Haiti. She started a thriving private counseling practice in 2017 in New Bedford and Westport, MA. Within her current work in Haiti she provides consulting, program development, training, team leadership and supervision.
Woodeman’s focus on the board is consulting about the Haitian culture, adaptations of programs, translating, and interpreting as he is fluent in 3+ languages (Creole, French, and English). He was a primary school teacher for five years in the past in Haiti, along with being a literacy teacher for two years in a technical program for young adults. Woodeman taught them not only how to read and write, but also how to manage their behavior.
Woodeman started working as an interpreter and translator after the earthquake in January 2010. He also was a business instructor and loan collector for a non-profit organization in Haiti. His focus with RAW Haiti is to translate, program develop, help coordinate work between Haiti and the US, along with working with children and youth. He focuses on our soccer and leadership programs. Woodeman always dreamed about developing programs in Cite Soleil, Haiti and now it is a reality. Even when he is not in Haiti, he helps manage things remotely.
Julie F. Brown, PhD, is the author of the Emotion Regulation Skills System for the Cognitively Challenged Client: A DBT™-Informed Approach (2016). Julie is currently the President of the Skills System, LLC. She is an independently licensed social worker and has provided individual and group therapy for individuals with complex learning and behavioral health issues for over 28 years. Additionally, Julie has been a DBT trainer with Behavioral Tech, LLC (Linehan Institute) since 2006, specializing in improving the accessibility of DBT for individuals with cognitive impairments/behavioral health issues. She has published numerous articles and book chapters addressing issues related to intellectual disabilities. Julie currently provides Skills System training and consultation for practitioners/agencies in the US and abroad; the Skills System curriculum materials are being translated into six languages.
Mike is our lawyer on the Board of RAW Haiti. He is a Partner at Partridge Snow & Hahn LLP in New Bedford, MA. In addition to his legal expertise with real estate, trusts, personal planning, consulting, and diverse business advising, he also has considerable experience helping start and growing non-profit organizations. He established RAW Haiti’s legal non-profit status in Massachusetts in December of 2012 and continues to work with us on a pro-bono basis. Mike always helps RAW Haiti make strong ethical decisions as we move forward.
Ed is our Accountant on the Board of RAW Haiti. He is a partner at Adamowski & Adamowski, P.C. in Dartmouth, MA. In addition to extensive tax and accounting expertise, he also helps non-profit organizations operate appropriately. He currently is working hard and pro-bono to obtain a 501c3 status for RAW Haiti along with continued consulting.
Natalie Shapiro is a Registered Nurse currently working as an RN Healthcare Coach in Western New York. As part of her role, she coaches patients towards health and wellness goals and encourages them to become active participants in their healthcare. Natalie has a Master’s in Advanced Practice Community and Public Health nursing. As part of the graduate school thesis, she completed a community health needs assessment for an integrated health clinic in the pacific northwest. While earning her masters, she also worked as an RN in a primary care clinic for those experiencing financial insecurity. Prior to nursing, she worked as an 8th grade reading teacher, K-12 teacher coach, and technical writer. Her works have been published in Teaching Tolerance and Paste Magazine. Natalie visited Haiti in June and December 2011 as a ground volunteer for another organization. Since that time, Natalie has worked closely with Corey Gifford, President of RAW Haiti. In her free time, Natalie enjoys spending time with her husband and toddler, and doing almost anything imaginable outside.